Introduction
A school-home communication book captures on-going reporting processes and helps to nurture strong bonds which can benefit all - school, family and community. Why have separate diaries, memos, reading covers, calendars and on-going report books when they can all be organised in the one communication book?
Communication books generally contain a diversity of information about a class as well as the individual child. This software will help create the basic structure of a single, all-encompassing communication book from using nothing more than a single ordinary hardcopy exercise book. The actual content of your pages will emerge as the year progresses and most of it will store important information and reflect the individual achievements of the student. Nothing beats hardcopy for down-to-earth person to person sharing because it not only reinforces concrete and semi-concrete learning but also teaches early planning skills to ready students for electronic forms.
The first pages of a student’s Communication Book should contain the teacher’s class introductory information (e.g. Welcome letter, class rules and consequences etc..). It should be set up for week one of the school year with the year’s calendar and February’s month sheet to start recording important events for the students and parents to recognise. Parents can also use it to send daily messages because the Communication Book will either be in the student’s school bag (for home use), on the student’s desk (for student use) or in the teacher’s tray (for teacher and/or parent use at school such as when hearing the student read their reading book housed in the inside-sleeve cover).
The communication book can also be used as a useful tool for on-going reporting. Have the students do tests in the Communication Book as well as glue tests and work samples in it between the month sheets. Students can also glue in examples of their work, task statements, reflections and reviews. Use the Communication Book to hold school newsletters and other important notices.
House the student’s current reading book or mobile computing device on the inside cover. Plastic sleeves can help to preserve the book for the year’s use. Younger students may also require extra card and stapling. Get the students into the habit of taking their Communication Book home every night. Incorporate the diary planner sheets so they can record their homework, coming events and holidays.
Before printing any calendar, please check your state’s specific public and school holiday dates and adjust where necessary using resource links on the last page. Whilst every effort is taken to set dates for each state, due to unforeseen circumstances and/or lack of adequate forward planning by states, responsibility can not be taken for errors. If projected holidays were not confirmed for your state at publishing time, the holidays given are based on highly probable estimated dates. Public holidays are given where they affect the majority of the state.
I am sure you will find this resource to be a great starter for your own individualised work. Enjoy what you do and all the best for each new year!
Neil Waddington
You need MS Word 97 or later, on your computer, for full editing potential of this MS Word software file.
