It’s difficult to say goodbye to your students. You’ve spent a year working together and have built an emotional attachment. So, giving your student a good send-off is important to wish them luck for the year ahead. Writing an end-of-year letter can be the perfect way to say goodbye. So, what type of letter could you write to your students?
A Personalized Farewell Letter
It’s important to let the student know their face wasn’t just one in a crowd of many. By personalizing the letter, you can give the student a message that’s just for them. Highlight their positive achievements and aspects. Show the student how proud you are of them and all they’ve achieved. A simple personalized letter can mean a lot to a student.
Words of Encouragement
When you haven’t had much interaction with a particular student, it’s difficult to personalize a letter to them. Instead, give them words of advice and encouragement. This can mean so much because it shows you care. Imparting your wisdom to the student can encourage them to continue with their education.
A Poem for the Kindergarten Kids
Younger children find it difficult to move to a new class, but a goodbye poem might make the transition easier. Poems are simple things that can mean so much to a child. It encourages them. If they feel scared, they can read the poem and feel better about the situation they’re in. It’s positive reinforcement for the student and is a lovely send-off for you too.
A Word of Encouragement for Families Transitioning
When your class is graduating, it can be a tough time for the student and their parents. It’s going to signal a few changes at home and it’s difficult for parents to take a step back. So, you could write an end-of-year letter that’s aimed at families going through this transition. Write words of encouragement to the parent and impart advice to both the parent and student. It’s about giving them the benefit of your experience and hopefully making their lives a little easier.
Creating Bookmarks for Younger Students
While bookmarks might not seem overly special, they’re perfect for younger students. It gives them something to reflect on and is a nice send-off for the class too. You can encourage students to make one for each other and you give a bookmark to each child in class. Students can think back to the time at school and remember all the good elements.
A Simple Thank-You Letter to Students and their Guardians
A thank-you letter doesn’t need to be 10-pages in length; it can be a few lines that reflect your gratitude to the student and parent. Of course, thank-you notes aren’t something teachers think about; however, they’re a nice touch. This is you saying how grateful you are for the cooperation of the parent and student during the year. It’s a nice way to show your appreciation and put things back on an even keel.
Get the Students Involved
If you’re teaching older teens, it’s good to get them involved with the end-of-year letters. So, instead of giving each student a thank-you letter, get them to write a letter of advice. These letters can then be given to younger children when they begin the year. Students can write about their experiences and give others a few tips on what to expect in high school. It’s a nice way to get the entire class involved.
Positive Reinforcement
This type of letter encourages a child but also shows them you’ve noticed their educational achievements. For instance, highlight the fact they came first in the National Spelling Beed. Or for having perfect attendance. These things might not seem much to you but can be words of encouragement to a student. So, be as positive as you can about each student.
A Letter to Themselves
Getting a student to write about themselves is a useful exercise. It allows you to see what they think about their educational achievements. It also gives you the chance to point out any crowning achievements which shouldn’t be overlooked.
Classroom Awards
If you want to skip the end-of-year letter, you could replace it with a classroom award. This is fun and can be ideal for middle and high school students. There are lots of awards to make up to give to each child. It can be a useful way to get the class involved and brings a positive end to the year also.
Top Tips for End-of-Year Letters
Keep it Short and to the Point
While you want to highlight and praise the student, you must keep the end-of-year letter short and right to the point. You should highlight three main positives and one or two areas that need improving. Give a simple conclusion and a balanced outlook. This will retain the parent’s attention rather than an 8-page essay on the child.
Keep it Personal
It’s important to personalize the letter as much as you can. It shows you’ve taken the time to write about each child rather than write one letter that’s been sent to every parent. Always address the student by his or her name and hand sign the letter, even if you type the letter out. It keeps it personal.
Consider a Template
If you haven’t written an end-of-year letter before, it could be wise – and easier – to use a template. There are many online and they’ll help get you started too. Of course, you can personalize the letter as much as you like, the template is there to help you structure it appropriately.
The Right Send-Off
Saying goodbye to a student is difficult. You’ve watched them grow academically over the last year and wish you could be there as they go on to graduate. Of course, there are ways to give each student a good send-off, and one of the best ways is to write an end-of-year letter. These are simple letters but can mean so much to a parent and student.
