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Dear English III

Dear English III,

Thank you for your recent letters.  I cannot express how much I enjoy reading your honesty, your kindness, and your requests.  I sincerely appreciate that you were willing to share your thoughts and ideas with me.  Thank you.

To begin, I am thrilled by the number of you who are ready to read!  Some of you are regular readers, some relieved to return to reading, others highly reluctant.  Either way, you seem happy to have the daily moment to indulge and pick up some of that "free homework" stuff I've been telling you about.  Not only does this make my teacher heart happy, but it makes me excited about all the stories we can share and styles we can learn from this semester!  It also reminds me to read faster so I can get to your suggestions!

Additionally, I am impressed by your revisions.  You used some strong, interesting words to begin with.  Then, when it seemed it couldn't improve, you crossed your first thought out and replaced it with a more interesting, more precise word that made each sentence glow!  Let's keep that habit going; you may just be surprised by how far it gets you!

I also need to take a moment to thank you for your honesty.  So many of you struggle with the challenges of dyslexia.  Others have outside-the-classroom factors weighing on you.  Still others are fearful.  Please know that I hear you, I understand, and I am ready to help in any way possible.  Please also know that I believe in you.  Even when it's hard.  Even when it seems too much or pointless.  I know you are brave.

Lastly, thank you for your compliments!  You know, it is early in the semester, and you don't have to flatter me.  You are just getting to know me! :)  Having said that, you've already seen most of my crazy, and I think you know that I'm bringing that to class daily.  We gotta keep it interesting, right?

I hope you continue to grow as a reader, writer, and thinker this semester.  I hope I can assist you in doing so.  I cannot wait to see what you can achieve!  Let's get to work!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Friend

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