Penning Friends Halfway Around the World
Our eighth-graders kept the mailman busy this month as students received personalized letters from their peers in Bangladesh.
Called the PenFriend Project, the letter-wiring exchange enables students to understand the culture of a different country with students their own age. According to English teacher Lisa Daly, the exchange also helps students to understand the meaning of giving and receiving, the importance of communication, and how students’ experiences from another country compare and contrast to their own.
“As global citizenship is an important part of Hamden Hall’s values, we are excited to promote the concept through the PenFriend project,” said Miss Daly, who was contacted by a middle school teacher from The Aga Khan School in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Teacher Showla Hossain Trina contacted Miss Daly last year after having received her contact details from freshman student Prottoya Chowdhury.
“Showla teaches English language and literature and has established the PenFriend project with schools all over the world,” explained Miss Daly. “When she asked if I would be interested in the project at Hamden Hall with our eighth-graders, I was delighted to say yes.”
With the first round of letters in the house, so to speak, eighth-graders will open their letters together in Lender Refectory on Friday morning. Once back from Thanksgiving break, Hamden Hall students will reciprocate by penning their own letters to send off.
At first blush, Miss Daly maintained that she is impressed with the efforts of the Aga Khan School students.
“From beautiful descriptions of their home, to colorfully designed envelopes and photographs, each student really put in effort to introduce themselves to each of our eighth-graders,” she said.
Subject matter of the letters include topics such as hobbies, likes and dislikes, family, cultural holidays, and student life at school. In return, Hamden Hall letter writers will offer an overview of what it’s like to be an eighth-grader at Hamden Hall, according to Miss Daly, who added that the letter-writing exchange will continue throughout the school year.
Called the PenFriend Project, the letter-wiring exchange enables students to understand the culture of a different country with students their own age. According to English teacher Lisa Daly, the exchange also helps students to understand the meaning of giving and receiving, the importance of communication, and how students’ experiences from another country compare and contrast to their own.
“As global citizenship is an important part of Hamden Hall’s values, we are excited to promote the concept through the PenFriend project,” said Miss Daly, who was contacted by a middle school teacher from The Aga Khan School in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Teacher Showla Hossain Trina contacted Miss Daly last year after having received her contact details from freshman student Prottoya Chowdhury.
“Showla teaches English language and literature and has established the PenFriend project with schools all over the world,” explained Miss Daly. “When she asked if I would be interested in the project at Hamden Hall with our eighth-graders, I was delighted to say yes.”
With the first round of letters in the house, so to speak, eighth-graders will open their letters together in Lender Refectory on Friday morning. Once back from Thanksgiving break, Hamden Hall students will reciprocate by penning their own letters to send off.
At first blush, Miss Daly maintained that she is impressed with the efforts of the Aga Khan School students.
“From beautiful descriptions of their home, to colorfully designed envelopes and photographs, each student really put in effort to introduce themselves to each of our eighth-graders,” she said.
Subject matter of the letters include topics such as hobbies, likes and dislikes, family, cultural holidays, and student life at school. In return, Hamden Hall letter writers will offer an overview of what it’s like to be an eighth-grader at Hamden Hall, according to Miss Daly, who added that the letter-writing exchange will continue throughout the school year.
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
