Dear Parent or Guardian,
I am glad that your student is going to be in my class this year. I love being a teacher and I can’t wait to share my passion for the United States with your daughter/son. United States History will be a very challenging but fun classroom experience for her/him. I know that your student will learn a great deal in my class if they are committed to success by working hard to achieve high marks on many thoughtful assignments, challenging class discussions and regular tests and essays. In order to be successful in this class your student will need to be self-motivated, have very few absences and actively participate.
This class requires a great deal of critical thinking. The material covered in United States History will challenge your student’s assumptions and provoke them to analyze and share their thoughts verbally and in writing. They will hear, think about and discuss different sides to historical issues and the factors leading up to them. Your child will have to understand the complicated motivations behind the issues. Students can struggle with this because up until now many of them have only been asked to memorize and repeat. Learning in Honors United States History will have names, events and vocabulary to memorize but more importantly it will require your student to apply those names, events and vocabulary words in order to form arguments and frame discussions on papers, tests and essays. They will be challenged to pick sides and support their choices. Honors U.S. History requires an increased workload and an expectation of out of class work which I will require your student to finish prior to each class period of instruction.
The most important skill a student can learn in our modern world is critical thinking. Your student will be challenged to evaluate sources and apply what they have learned in class not only to assignments but also to the real world that both you and I need them to be productive members of. Attendance and follow though are essential to your student’s success in this class.
Lastly, and most importantly! Participation is an important component of this course!
Though we may not meet in person for the time being, your participation is still an important part of this course!
The power of the classroom experience we will share this year rests upon your child’s input during our discussions. I want to hear and welcome their unique opinions! This class will compel them to ask questions, read passages and freely participate in class for their grade. When your student enters my room each day they should be prepared to put their cellphone in a secure place. If they are distracted, they can’t be at their best. I want the very best they have to offer each day. They will store their cellphone in the front of my room in the cellphone organizer. I promise that their special effort to be disconnected from the online circus and completely engaged in this classroom experience each day will be something they won’t regret…not just this during this school year but for the rest of their lives!
Let’s have a great year!!!
Mr. Johnson