I took the letters to the school, met the kids and swapped photos so they would know what their partners looked like. They were enthralled with the process and were so excited for each other. In third grade, it often takes a year to go from writing one sentence to composing a full paragraph. The third grade students learned more quickly by modeling their letters after their college partners. In October, they were able to meet their partners when they came to the Wesleyan campus for a visit.
Many students think writing is a real drag.
They often think they are good writers because they've gotten As in high school, only to make a C in composition class. There was 10 years difference in the ages of the third graders and the college students. Writing Partners has been a fun, non-threatening way to teach writing. It has built trust between my students and me. Community outreach is important to me.