Who likes postcards these day? A piece of paper that takes days or longer when I can just get an Instagram post in seconds? Who does that? Seriously. Why cut down trees and make someone carry it for you. That takes a LOT of effort. Which is exactly why I do it.
Sure the cutting down trees part isn't cute but there are lots of ways to up cycle pieces of cardboard or a brochure into a postcard to alleviate that issue. And making someone carry it? That actually provides jobs for people providing an amazing service. Stop and think about how well connected the system is and it makes sending an email seem like childsplay. And it all started from the pony express. Well I wish we still all got around on horseback I am grateful that the system doesn't take 2 months. A couple days is good. And the message? It has something to do with the words written on the back, but more to do with I value you. I think you are worth me taking this time out and sending something just for you. I held it, now you do. You don't get to ‘Like it’, but rather put it on your fridge. All learning must come from a place of connectedness and while I use social media, I want my followers to know they are not just a number but a person to me. Send me your address and I'll send you a postcard. If I don't know you, that's OK. If you're a friend of a friend, explain to me how were connected. If were old friends and I'll see the postcard on your fridge when I come over for a cup of tea, then I'll know we will be friends no matter the distance or time between visits.
Jean Pennycook does this cool program with penguin science where she gets students to create homemade postcards, send them to Antarctica in an envelope, then she stamps them from the penguin colony and they go back to you. I did this with my students and they loved it. Somehow this far away place was in their hand. With that, a sense that if this piece of paper could go there, maybe they could too. That if this big white place was on their fridge maybe they really could affect it through their carbon footprint. Not just for bad, but go good. Check out her project and make a postcard by December 20th. Arts and crafts time hoodwinked into building relationships with far away places. Love it.
https://www.penguinscience.com/education/postcards.php
These distant far off places are really not so far. They can be in the palm of your hand. I really sincerely wish I could take all of my students from classroom pasts with me. And I am. You're following along here, and I carry your ghosts with me whenever I learn something new. Just to prove it, trust me with your address. Send it privately, email or better yet, on an envelope that I can get when we check into port. Get them sent by December 1st. Hey...that's Antarctica day...but I'll save that post for later. Sbouckoms@windowlessclassroom.com ATTN: Master of MV Ocean Atlantic Recipient: Sarah Bouckoms Sealand ship agents and suppliers Antartida Argentina 157 Ushuaia Tierra del fuego, Argentina I hope to hear from you. Your penpal, Sarah