Welcome to Mrs. Vaughan's Homepage
It is a delight to partner with you and your child in furthering their education this year. As a math and science teacher, I anticipate an exciting year. I look forward to getting to know your child and am eager to meet you as well. I am a parent myself and appreciate knowing what kind of learning environment my child experiences while at school. This note is intended to offer you a thumbnail sketch of my educational philosophy and insight into the 6 th grade math and science curricula.
There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that reads, “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” This maxim expresses my educational philosophy. I believe that all children are uniquely gifted and capable learners. As a teacher, I consider it my responsibility to tap into your child’s potential and engage them as a learner. A first and significant step is getting to know your child. With that aim in mind, attached is a Parent Inventory Survey that both Mrs. Westermann and I are asking you to fill out and return by September 10. Your input will assist us in meeting your child’s personal educational needs.
The 6 th grade math and science curricula provided by Bellingham School District for your child are exceptional. The math curriculum is Connected Mathematics and the science curriculum is Foss. On Thursday, I will send home an outline of this year’s units for both math and science. There are eight math texts and three science modules. Included in that letter will be ideas for how you can best support your young mathematician/scientist and general websites for Foss and Connected Mathematics that you might find useful. Periodically, I will send home overviews of units as students move from one text to another. I am enthusiastic about math and science content. I will provide your child with hands-on mathematics experiences and inquiry-based science opportunities. There are no “dumb questions” in inquiry-based science or hands-on math. Questioning leads to discovery!
Thank you for sharing your child with me this year. Please feel free to contact me with comments, concerns, and/or questions. My email address is tvaughan@bham.wednet.edu. My phone number is 676-6460, extension 5672.
Sincerely,
Tara Vaughan