Fostering Initiative - A new mail system

Mail between classrooms has been on the rise ever since we began to read with our kindergarten buddies. My 1st/2nd grade class, (known as the Rainbow Garden class) decided that we needed a more organized system of mail delivery. In a general class discussion in which it was discovered that J. had an extra mailbox at home that we could use, the class went wild for the idea of establishing a Xara Garden School Postal Service.

Y and A took on the task of turning the concept into an organized reality. Below, you can read their “Mail Instruction Manual,” which includes a page of “Make Sures,” which I just love!  In case you can’t quite make out the second item on that list, it says, “The mail must be delivered to right class, for no confusion.” The speech bubbles and cartoons are quite clever, as well.

They came up with an address system and created posters for each class to educate them on how to correctly address their mail to friends in different classrooms. Y made a mail hat, which, before revision, carried the signage, “U.S. Male,” which seemed perfect for him. J and L painted the mailbox during a play date at J's house. A asked her mom to sew them a mail bag, and returned from the weekend with this amazing custom-made mail bag. 

During its first week in operation, the Xara Garden mailbox was stuffed with letters!  Our postal workers called a class meeting to work out a few start-up glitches that were discovered in the system.  Suggestions were made and problems were solved.  

By taking the initiative to launch this school-wide program, the children are learning that their ideas
make a difference to more than just themselves. They are gaining trust in their creativity and their ability to
solve the organizational challenges of a new system.  In the meantime, communication and leadership skills
are exercised and honed.  Can you get all this from a worksheet?  Most certainly not.