Class Postal Service

Primary 1-3 now has a postal service! A post box has been hung in class, along with paper for pupils to write letters to me or to their friends. Pupils are enthusiastic about writing letters and posting them in our post box, and many letters have already been sent.

When a pupil posts a letter, I will collect them at the end of the day. As I open the letters to determine the recipient, I will usually read them. This is not to invade the pupil's privacy, they are aware that I will read the letters they write. Taking the chance to read the letters not only lets me gauge the pupil's writing ability, but also gives me the chance to remove any letters that I feel might be hurtful to the recipient and if need be, act on it. I will then deliver the letters to the pupils the next day.

The rationale behind the post box is to encourage pupils to practice writing. As they write to their friends, pupils not only gain competency forming letters and sentences, but they also build relationships - even if the letters are as simple as "I love you". When pupils write letters to me, I will reply, giving them little notes of encouragement. By reading my replies, I am able to model good writing practices for the pupils on a very personal level. Hopefully, this informal writing will show our children that writing isn't always graded, nor does it need to be stressful.