Tuesday, December 11, 2012

#5thchat Penpal Form

Calling all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers!

After our most recent (and rather exciting) #5thchat on Twitter, we have decided that we need to start a global penpal project! We were discussing how to engage our most reluctant writers, and teachers from across the nation and other countries agreed - the best way to engage reluctant writers is to give them a more authentic audience.

When our students write for someone else, the writing becomes more meaningful. When we open our students to global connections, they feel more like this great big world is becoming open to them. We all want this for our students, don't we?

Now, in my classroom, we connect via Edmodo and Kidblog with kids from all over the place. We're about to start Skyping students in other states and countries. I connect via Twitter and Facebook with teachers from ALL OVER! However, when it comes to putting pencil to paper, we don't do that much connecting with other students. One of my Twitter peeps, @MrBillySpicer said it best when he said, "We do so much tech integration, it'd be nice to have some 'old-school' pen pals."

Someone suggested starting off with postcards because it'd be a faster introduction and it would be a little less pressure at the beginning. I loved that idea, so this project was born!

You don't have to be a 5th grade teacher to join up. We're also encouraging 3rd and 4th grade teachers to sign up. Once you sign up, I'll match you with a partner and send the contact information to all the teachers who have signed up to participate.

Now, if you teach firsties or second graders and are gung-ho to start, go ahead and sign up - I'm sure I can find you a penpal somewhere!

Don't hesitate! Sign up below!

XO,
Dallas

PS - a suggestion for if you sign up before the end of 2012, a good topic would be a top 12 countdown of 2012. The kids could list their top 12s from this past year as a way to reflect on the year and let their penpals know more about them.

5 comments:

  1. I love this idea! I have been wanting to do pen pals with my class. I see your Georgia and I am from Georgia as well (Douglasville) and now teach 5th grade in St. Louis. I'd love to have a Georgia (metro Atlanta) school since I talk about home so much with my students. I'm so excited about this!

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    1. That's so exciting, Dawn! I have a 5th grade class from my school district who is looking for a penpal, so I will match you two up! Look for an email soon :) Thank you!

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  2. Dallas I haven't received an email about the pen pals yet. I'd love to get this started before the end of the year. My kiddos are bummed because of another pen pal class fell through.

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  3. Hi Dallas, I just started following your blog and would love if you could follow mine as well! http://tellsofatitle1teacher.blogspot.com/

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