ALMA – Students at a local elementary school are getting a lesson in writing and kindness this month.
The Grade 3 class at Alma Public School have created the Alma delivery system where students across the school are welcomed and encouraged to write friendly letters, cards or postcards to members of the school community.
The mail box sits outside the office and the letters are collected each morning by Megan Scott’s Grade 3/4 class and delivered.
“In class we have a lot of reluctant writers and so I wanted to create something or come up with an idea that would help those who don’t regularly want to sit down and write,” Scott said.
The class came up with some ideas with letter writing being one. Scott then adapted an idea she had seen a colleague do which set in motion the Alma delivery system.
This started up yesterday and Scott said she’s already hearing the students are getting interested with even the youngest students at the school getting involved by drawing pictures on postcards.
“I already received three emails from parents and a couple pictures from parents showing me their kids were writing at home,” Scott said. “It’s not only at school they’re also starting to do it at home as well.”
Scott’s Grade 3s have made a pledge to send a letter to every single student in school so everyone feels included.
The most important rule, and one the students came up with, is “kind words only.” She explained the students were concerned someone might write something mean.
To ensure this then came up with rules with principal Jason Boyce to leave envelopes unsealed and to have both the name of the sender and receiver on it.
Boyce said the students right now are learning about different cultures and their holidays and noted kindness and joy are common themes among them all.
Therefore, he finds this to be a meaningful time and way for students to spread joy in a safe way.
“There’s lots of kindness and encouragement going around and the world really needs a lot of that these days and it’s great to have our kids doing that,” Boyce said.
Boyce explained his philosophy is “we learn not for school but for life,” and this is teaching students important life skills like the importance of communication.
For example, the process of getting it official started with a letter to Boyce requesting permission to do this, concerns he might have as principal and if it fit within COVID guidelines.
“So they’re also learning about how to work within systems and how to communicate and advocate for things,” Boyce said. “The student voice that’s coming out of it is awesome because it’s an initiative that they want to do.”
