A teacher at Laity View Elementary sent each of her students a personal letter as a way of teaching them about non-fictional writing.
Chris Bucholz, a Grade 1/2 teacher, wrote 21 personalized letters and mailed them on April 5, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a post-it note that informed the students to keep the envelope for a future writing assignment.
She got the idea from a parent of one of her students who asked her for her home address in order for her daughter to write her a letter.
“I thought I am going to do that will all the kids,” said Bucholz.
Bucholz had talked to each of the students by phone a week before she sent the letters, so she wrote about the things her students told her they were doing.
One student told her that she learned her mother was going to have a baby. Another student told her she was trying to learn how to do a front flip on the trampoline.
Grade 2 student, Haven Vivero, told her he was making pancakes with his father.
“I wanted to do it because I wanted to be able to stay connected with the kids, ultimately,” said Bucholz.
“It was just another way to connect with them,” added Bucholz who said there are many new challenges teaching remotely.
Bucholz has also been connecting with her class over the teleconferencing app Zoom, but, she said, it was difficult teaching them about the mute button.
Every Sunday evening Bucholz emails parents with ideas for their children for the week ahead that teach them about reading, writing and math.
But, Bucholz said, she misses the personal connection of the classroom.
“I miss the kids. I miss them a lot.”
cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter