Student Letter Exchange

Building Communication and Questioning Skills

In order to build communication skills in our students, they need direct instruction. While some students might be able to write a postcard full of their questions and comments, it is helpful for most to have a guide. In order to prompt good letter-writing and communication skills, I portrayed this slide with guidance:

When I selected a class to deliver the student letters to, I chose an 8th Grade homeroom, which matched not only my student body's grade level, but also the social-emotional nature of this endeavor. While the embedded content of letter writing is important, this was ultimately about connection. 

What I never anticipated was that I would actually receive letters back. Our timeline was limited to one day within the middle school, and I was mostly interested in opening the channel of communication. 

What I received was a stack of thoughtful replies that not only answered my students' questions, but also conveyed some of their own. 

A Closer Look

Ultimately, both sets of letters prove that our students are craving global connections, and it is our responsiblity to provide guidelines for how to communicate, build empathy and curiosity in our students, and provide opportunities for connection and collaboration.