Pen Pals

The teacher before me that taught Social Studies, Leah, started a fun project, Pen Pals. I love the idea of having my students write to a "friend" that lives in the US. I have continued the pen pals that Leah started with a teacher friend that she knows in Washington but I also found my own teacher friend to be pen pals with. Kristin teachers third grade in Salem, Oregon. We went to college (which I fondly refer to as "teacher school") together. She is also a very good friend and was in our wedding as a bridesmaid. I adore her.

Love her!

Did I mention that I also convinced Kristin to coach T-Ball with me?

I sent her an email a month or so ago asking her if she wanted to be pen pals for the rest of her school year (US school years run from September to June but Korean school years run year round starting in March and ending the last week of February). She agreed and I went to work on getting my students excited about writing.

My Students have been really cute. They have been bringing in Korean coins to send, "famous" Korean candy and other junk. Some of my students are even giving away the reward prizes that they earn from doing homework and being well behaved during class. We have had endless talks about what it means to be a good pen pal and how we show people we care even if we are far away. I am hoping that they are learning more than just writing skills. It has been a fun project so far and I am looking forward to more letter writing.


Some of my kids have written something along the lines of - "I am sending you my picture because some people in America say all Korean people look same. Now you will know me."
Or "I am sending you my picture so that when you come to Korea you can find me."

Hilarious!

A group of my second grade boys wanted to send their picture but didn't want to take individual photos. This was our solution:

Daniel, Andrew, Jamie, Grant and Brian

After I showed them this picture we all decided that they needed to become a boy band. I named them; Introducing.....The Stripes. A very fitting name I think.

Hopefully I will have more pen pal stories to share. I sent out the first batch of letters last week!