Correspondence Match
World Wise Schools matches up Peace Corps Volunteers in the field with U.S. classroom teachers. The result? A vibrant two-year exchange of ideas, stories, pictures, and artifacts that helps U.S. students in the classroom learn about the people, geography, environment, and culture of the world from the direct experience of Volunteers living in other countries.
"I encourage every single one of you from grade K to 12—please connect with the Peace Corps and a Volunteer who's in the field. The relationship can be as simple as a monthly e-mail.... It's free, and you can do amazing things in your classroom to encourage global education."
—Audra Schmitt,
Global history and geography mentor teacher,
Rochester, NY
The idea is simple: Pair the participants and the exchange takes off. How do we do it? Educators and Peace Corps applicants and Volunteers can enroll online or ask questions by contacting us at wwsinfo@peacecorps.gov. They may also call World Wise Schools with questions.
Any Peace Corps Volunteer can participate in the program regardless of their work assignment (e.g., agriculture, business, education, health, and environment). Teachers can choose to be matched with a Volunteer in any region of the world, and even to a specific Volunteer if the teacher knows someone who is serving in the Peace Corps.
To assist in the correspondence, World Wise Schools provides participants with an electronic handbook of ideas on how to foster an exchange that is rewarding for both students and the Volunteer. The handbook also contains all the details necessary for signing up and maintaining the correspondence relationship.
- In the World Wise Schools Correspondence Match program, students correspond with a Peace Corps Volunteer, not primarily with other students. Should a Volunteer work with students and choose to make a different arrangement, that will be between the matched individuals.
- Participants in the Correspondence Match program are expected to write monthly.
- Matches are made in as timely a manner as possible, but there may be a delay in establishing appropriate matches.
- U.S. teachers do not have to be in a formal classroom setting to correspond with a Volunteer. Any educator who works with students is welcome to join the program.
- Peace Corps Volunteers do not need to be working in education to participate in Correspondence Match; all Volunteers are encouraged to participate and contribute to Peace Corps' third goal.
Note:
For more information about participating, read the Handbook for Educators and Volunteers and consult the Frequently Asked Questions.