Stop Texting and Start Writing Again: 5 Amazing Ways a Pen Pal can Enhance Students’ Lives

Beth Hedrick, Teacher

I have always loved learning about how other people live. Different lifestyles in different parts of our great big world have always fascinated me. I have also found that this also is intriguing to my students, and introducing a pen pal into their lives can open their minds to how others spend their lives. So, what is a pen pal anyway?

A pen pal is a person from another state in our country, or from another country, with whom another person can write letters to. This person, typically a school student, writes letters back and forth with another student and can become lifelong friends. In an educational setting, a pen pal can enhance a student’s life in several ways.

Cultures Unite!

It makes me so happy to see my students write to their pen pals.  Watching them think through their words they put on paper and physically see them write as if they were talking to their new friend across the room makes my heart sing. But this isn’t just about me, or you, as a teacher. It is all about them and how they are building those cross-cultural relationships from their classroom. Pen pals undeniably break down the barriers of the classroom and give the students an enriching opportunity to come to respect different cultures, all using paper, pen, and their inquiring minds.

If your students are writing to a pen pal in another state within the US, or another country, they will benefit from this eye-opening experience. Pen pals I have done in the past were to students in another school just one hour away, with the difference being that our school is in a very rural area, and the students they were writing to were in a very urban area. Many of my students lived in town limits (a town of 500 with one stoplight!) or in a house surrounded by farmland.  My students benefited from “seeing” what life was like living in a city and attending a school three times the size of their school.  Some of my second graders learned what an “apartment” was and what it was like living in a large building shared by others! In contrast, some of their pen pals from the city realized that life without neighbors and street lights is not necessarily “boring” as they learned the many things my students did on their farm with their animals.

Pen pal correspondence can be beneficial even if writing from one state to the next; if you are just starting out with this experience, perhaps this would be a great place to begin. On the other hand, international pen pal writing is also a very rewarding and gives the students a wealth of knowledge about life in another country across the globe.

It’s Meaningful

Pen pals are wonderful for students on all writing levels. Struggling writers benefit from writing letters to a friend because they are writing for a purpose, and their writing is very meaningful to them.  As a teacher, just to observe the ones who typically find writing a challenge really try their best to communicate in this way is fulfilling. I find that they also ask for help by asking questions such as, “How do I tell her this?” or “Can I ask about that?” Just the mere fact that they want to write and make it matter makes me want to jump for joy!  When writing for a purpose, the students are significantly motivated to communicate with their friend about their cultures, current events, geography, beliefs and customs, and so much more.  And for you as a teacher, you suddenly feel your life is complete, even if it is for twenty minutes or so.

When writing back and forth with a friend, a bond is formed which can be an uplifting experience for students who are not as “social” as others. For those students, it is refreshing to know that there is a person who may have various things in common with them, and someone to “listen” to the many thoughts and ideas they may have.

And you need not worry about those polished writers who need to be pushed to feel satisfied. They tend to feel very motivated as well, and typically write more detailed and longer letters, complete with illustrations for their pen pal to admire.

Writing is Improved

Writing is essential in the development of communication skills, critical thinking, abstract thoughts, imagination, and creativity.  In order to facilitate your learning environment to help them achieve all of this, pen pals add that extra layer of building upon these skills. It is something different and fun, and, it gives students an outlet to express themselves by sharing their beliefs, ideas, and their personality.  And, which is probably one of the most important things of all…it builds confidence.

In the beginning, I learned to guide my students through the letter-writing process and to show them the importance of “listening” to their pen pal’s writing and replying accordingly. This can be done by modeling before the pen pal experience begins using sample letters, and can be followed through by helping the students “write back”.  Writing along with the guidance of the teacher, and even their peers, helps the students become more natural and fluid as they pen their words on paper. I always loved having the students write to others as a way to not only improve this precious skill but to become a better reader! Over time, especially once a true relationship is built, the students are able to appropriately respond to their pal and then add new ideas to their letter. And, oh, what a sight that is to see!

Hello and (Yay!) To Snail Mail!

I noticed when my students finished writing their letters to their faraway friends and they sign their name; they have a look of pride. Even those who love to write have a boost of feel-good, confidence-building that just shows upon their face. I can see it from across the room! So, once they are finished, I bet you can guess what they will ask me soon after that. They ask a few questions, such as, “When will they get mailed out?” and “When will they write back?”

Clearly, the students learn something that is not in the traditional curriculum: patience. With letter writing by way of the postal service, students forego the instant gratification of a reply in exchange for a delayed gratification. Sometimes a response from their pen pals can be a few weeks! This not only develops patience, but it also gives the students something to look forward to. The anticipation of a letter from their pen pal is something they will always remember.

A New Friend is Made!

If you are a teacher or have a job where you work with kids, you are quite familiar with those students who need a little more guidance and modeling with social skills. Peer interactions are essential in getting through the school day, and in their future years to get through a day at work. For those students who are shy or sensitive, to those who are more on the feisty side, pen pals can benefit them by enhancing their social skills. Even if it is not a face-to-face interaction, eventually they will begin to make stronger connections to their friend, and eventually they will become closer.

I have observed my students discuss their friend with their peers as well. I have given them many opportunities to do so. The conversations between the students are very eye-opening for me as a teacher; I have learned that they really care about what their new pal is up to lately, their likes, dislikes, their pets…everything! So, when in fact social skills are increasing between the actual pen pal and each student, they are also becoming more prevalent between their peers in the classroom.

Pen pals can be found in many ways. There are online pen pal sources through safe and credible websites (be sure to check!) or you can find pen pals for your students by getting in contact with schools in your area. If you would like your students to experience an international pen pal, you can choose a country and find the address to a school of your choosing.  Many teachers are open to invites to the pen pal experience and would love to share their students with yours. I have found that pen pals not only have enhanced the educational experience for my students but have added more to their lives by way of character development. Compassion, dedication, loyalty, and understanding are just a few of these vital character traits necessary to grow into happy and well-rounded adults. Not to mention the academia of it all…pen pals are definitely a win in my book.

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.