PenPal Schools Blog Index

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Announcing: Teacher to Teacher Connections on PenPal Schools!

6/20/2017

Are you jealous of your students when they’re having amazing conversations with PenPals around the world? You won’t be anymore! Educators can now connect in our brand new Global Teacher Forums.

Here are a few great forums to check out. You can share your ideas or what inspires you, post a photo of your students or their work, or share tips with others to help them make the most of PenPal Schools (you’ll need to be logged into your PenPal Schools account to participate):

Protecting the Planet project image

Protecting the Planet Forum: Share ideas and resources to help teach about the environment

Meet Our PenPal of the Week!

6/15/2017

Over the past few months, PenPals have been more engaged than ever. We’ve given teachers assessment tools to help them monitor student work and give students feedback. We’ve also introduced PenPal points which reward students for great writing. However, when our PenPal of the Week noticed that her PenPal stopped responding in the middle of their project, she persevered, started asking more questions, and never stopped learning! Meet our PenPal of the Week, Seryung P. from the United States!

Announcing our Fall PenPal Exchanges!

6/6/2017

You work hard all school year, and now that summer is here we want to help you get into relaxation mode faster. That’s why we’ve posted Match Dates for the Fall semester already!

View Upcoming Projects

Teachers love how easy it is to design lessons and units around PenPal Schools projects, which are aligned to a variety of standards and are available at different reading levels. With weekly lessons that include everything from videos, readings, and vocabulary to discussion questions, downloadable activities, and built-in assessment tools, you can go ahead and cut your summer planning time in half!

Upcoming projects in june

5/31/2017

From classrooms to summer camps, projects starting this June are flexible enough to fit into a variety of learning spaces. Check out the great projects starting every Monday this month!

June Project Announcements

7 resources for supporting ells

5/25/2017

by Pedro Aparicio
@Aparicio_Pedro

I write this blog post to discuss ways to engage English Language Learners (ELLs). As an experienced educator, I have found different ways to teach English that they genuinely use the language. Students may feel hesitant and lack confidence about their inability to speak English fluently; however, you can maximize their potential to feel comfortable speaking English by paying close attention to some valuable resources.

When I was invited to be part of the Google for Education Innovation Academy, this event became a turning point to be an empowered educator in 2013. As I started to participate in local and international edtech conferences, I decided to take a step forward by getting out of my comfort zone. Due to my increasing #PLN (Personal Learning Network) through Twitter, Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp, G+ and Instagram, I found out that the key ingredients to be an effective 21st century educator are passion, respect, inspiration, empathy and most importantly action.

Educators all over the world use different tools to provide English Language Learners (ELLs) with an opportunity to practice English in authentic conversations. In order to empower all students to deepen their language acquisition, they have to find real audiences in order to practice English for students who are learning English as a second language. As educators we must find several ways so that our students can have true conversations with native speakers in a meaningful and positive educational environment.

The most important thing to remember in an ELL environment is that students need to be speaking English as much as possible. The more they practice, the better they will speak. The better they speak, the more confidence they will gain. And this cycle will continue to build fluency. So in order to get students to talk they need to practice English as much as they can in a wide range of ways.

I feel lucky since I have had great opportunities to connect and collaborate with classes on a multitude of projects and global interactions, from Skype and Google Hangout exchanges, to creating websites, to presenting face-to-face or asynchronously at local, regional, national and international conferences. Therefore, I strongly recommend you attend these conferences and/or online resources to find other classes willing to connect and collaborate with your classes.

PenPal Schools: connects students everywhere to practice skills and explore the world. This is a perfect place to connect and collaborate with in over 170 countries. You can even find projects in Spanish.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL TIME CONNECTIONS

5/19/2017

by Brian Costello
@btcostello05

“Wait, they have never talked with a class from another state before?”
“I bet they are going to be nervous, I remember my first time I was nervous too.”
“They are going to be so excited! I was really excited when we did this for the first time”

As my first grade class were preparing to learn about suburban Maryland by talking to a group of third grade students in my sister-in-law’s class, they were already building empathy for people they had yet to meet. Soon they would be face to face, talking in real time with a group of kids in another state.

There is incredible value in learning from different people. Providing our kids with opportunities to connect and learn with people from all over the world allows them build a greater understanding of our differences and become more well rounded people. It is a uniquely special experience being able to see someone’s face and hear their voice as their words spark your imagination. The opportunity to communicate with people anywhere and at any time changes things. For over a decade I had done pen pal projects with different schools in different areas, each bringing unique value and learning experience to my students. Allowing them an opportunity to bring the pen pal experience to life through real time video connections with real people, changed the depth of learning for my classes.

Spanish Projects Now available with PenPal PLUS!

5/15/2017

The wait is finally over! We are excited to introduce two new projects, La Comida Latina and La Cultura Latina, available exclusively to PenPal PLUS subscribers! Both projects are entirely in Spanish and can be completed in one week.

View La Comida Latina Syllabus

Why Global Ed is failing

5/11/2017

Why Global Ed is Failing
By Joe Troyen
Founder & CEO, PenPal Schools

If you’ve been to any of the major education technology conferences in the last few years then you’ve likely noticed the buzz around global education. While it’s promising to see the great work of organizations and educators leading the #globaled charge, the vast majority of classrooms across the US and around the world haven’t taken notice. Globalization for adults - in our workplaces, politics, and daily lives - has been developing rapidly for decades now. However most classrooms are not much more connected now than they were decades ago.

While there are many reasons why Global Education has been so slow to develop, most fall into one of three categories: Too much work for teachers, inadequate learning outcomes for students, and lack of support from administrators.

Meet our PenPal of the Week!

5/3/2017

Meet our PenPal of the Week, Alexey L. from Ukraine! Alexey participated in our World Explorer project. Alexey is being recognized because he writes to his PenPals frequently and in a lot of detail!

When asked what his favorite part of PenPal Schools has been, Alexey told us, "My favourite part of the PenPal exchange has been history, because it's always interesting to learn something new about other countries." Congratulations to Alexey for being such a great PenPal!

Upcoming Projects in May

5/2/2017

Hello global educators! We’ve got many free global projects available this month, including some new shorter projects that can be completed in as little as one week! It’s never been easier to incorporate collaborative global projects into your classroom.

May Project Announcement

May 8-12: Join Forces for the Environment!

4/24/2017

To celebrate Earth day and the end of the school year, we’re organizing the biggest PenPal exchange ever! From May 8th to 12th, students from around the world will join forces for the environment!

In our new 1 week project, Joining Forces for the Environment, students will think globally and act locally. Students will learn with PenPals around the world about topics like freshwater supply, deforestation and climate change. They’ll then identify an environmental issue affecting their own communities and work together to complete a project designed to make a positive impact.

Getting started with Penpal schools

4/24/2017

Aprilanne Lynch is a PenPal Schools Global Ambassador from Chicago, Illinois, USA. She teaches 5th grade and her students love to learn about what’s happening around the world with PenPal Schools. Visit her blog for resources and tips!

Getting Started with PenPal Schools
By Aprilanne Lynch @lynchified_422

When I was in fourth grade, my teacher one day announced that we were going to have pen pals from Ghana. The whole class erupted in excitement! Will we get to write them everyday? Will we meet them? Can we ask them about their lives? Questions and comments bounced off the walls of my classroom until our teacher calmed us down.

However, it was the end of the school year and we sent our letters by mail. By the time our pen pals got our letters and responded, we were out of school and never received them. It pained me not to know if she received my message! It would have been amazing to get to know someone outside of my hometown. Was she similar or different than me?

So, how do I give my students the experience of getting to know a student that lives beyond our country’s borders? By having my students write to PenPals with PenPal Schools!

Meet our penpal of the week!

4/20/2017

This month, we welcomed one of our largest cohorts ever - over 5,000 students have started PenPal projects together in April! Let’s celebrate one of our PenPals from Russia, Alina R, as PenPal of the Week!

INTRODUCING NEW 1-WEEK PENPAL PROJECTS!

4/18/2017

We know how hard it can be to make time for long projects at the end of the school year. That’s why PenPal Schools has introduced new PenPal projects that can be completed in 4 weeks, 3 weeks, or even in less than a single week!

We’ve made these new projects short enough to fit into your busy end-of-the-year schedule, and we’ve emphasized project-based learning to keep students engaged even as summer approaches.

PenPal Schools Global Ambassador Recognized as Top 50 Finalist for Global Teacher Prize

4/13/2017

My Experience at the Varkey Teacher Ambassador Leadership Summit and the Global Education and Skills Forum
By Hannah Dudich

My journey began from applying to the Global Teacher Prize. The Global Teacher Prize is a US $1 million award presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. The Global Teacher Prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Emir of Dubai.

Guide student learning with Assessment tools!

4/11/2017

Teachers have always loved how students develop skills with PenPal Schools through fun, global exchanges. Our new assessment tools empower teachers to guide student learning and improve learning outcomes!

Star ratings allows teachers to provide students with clear, actionable feedback. Teachers can also comment to provide more personal instruction.

Students explore Pakistan through virtual reality

4/5/2017

Students around the world have been engaging with PenPals like never before. With our newest project, VR Field Trip to Pakistan, students have connected with PenPals in Pakistan and other regions to learn about a country that is often misunderstood. Through virtual reality, PenPals have experienced the sights and sounds of the bustling streets of Lahore, Pakistan.

For teachers who missed the first exchange we have great news. The project begins again - with even more Pakistani classes participating - next Monday! Students will need to enroll before Monday to be matched with PenPals. Have you signed your class up yet?

Meet our PenPal of the week

3/29/2017

March has been a busy month at PenPal Schools. In fact, students in 73 countries have already exchanged over 70,000 messages with their PenPals this year! This week we celebrate a PenPal who has also been busy (learning), Molly from Saudi Arabia!

VR Field trip to Pakistan!

2/27/2017

Pakistan is one of the most misunderstood countries on Earth. Students (and adults) often form perceptions about Pakistan based on what they see in the news, which frequently includes violence and political instability while offering little insight into the country's rich history and culture.

PenPal Schools' newest project, “VR Field Trip to Pakistan,” seeks to address this problem by enabling students to explore Pakistan like never before. On the invitation of the Pakistani Government, PenPal Schools has filmed Virtual Reality video content throughout the ancient city of Lahore, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Through incredibly immersive VR “field trips,” students from around the world will connect with online PenPals to experience the bustling streets, ancient forts, and stunning mosques of Lahore. They’ll also get a glimpse of Pakistan’s rich culture, arts, food, and traditions - all while improving their reading, writing, and technology skills.

TEACHERS: GET STARTED FOR FREE

Teachers can sign up for free and invite their students to enroll before PenPal Match Day on March 20.

Of course, no PenPal Schools project would be complete without PenPals, so we’ve teamed up with the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation so that students around the world can learn with PenPals from across Pakistan! The federation represents over 197,000 schools and 20 million students from every province in Pakistan, so there should be plenty of Pakistani PenPals to go around!

A student from Beaconhouse Newlands school in Lahore, Pakistan enjoys a preview of the VR Field Trip

Meet our PenPals of the Week!

2/20/2017

February has been an exciting month for our PenPals of the Week! Our young scholars have left us feeling inspired as they explored topics from food and history to education and civil rights! Our February PenPals demonstrated respectful behavior, a commitment to academic excellence, and an interest in collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds. Please join us in celebrating our PenPals of the Week from the month of February!

New project Announcement: Flags of the World

2/13/2017

Have you ever noticed all the flags you and your students see every day? From national, state, and municipal flags, to university flags, business flags, athletic flags, and flags that champion social causes, you can learn a lot about communities by studying the flags they create and choose to display.

Meet Our PenPals of the Week

1/25/2017

PenPals of the Week demonstrate the extraordinary learning and connections that students can develop from PenPal exchanges. This week we hosted PenPal-A-Palooza, our largest exchange ever in which we welcomed over 5,000 students from all across the world to collaborate and learn together. To inspire all these new PenPals we’re sharing some words of wisdom from Victoria, a great PenPal from Connecticut (USA).

Letter from our Founder: We’ve Raised $1.25M to Expand Learning Opportunities for Students Everywhere

1/18/2017

Announcing PenPal-a-Palooza

1/10/2017

PenPal_Schools_Announces_PenPalAPalooza

Teach Empathy with PenPals

1/2/2017