Need a penpal!

[rkinkoph]

Hello! My name is Rachel, and I am looking for someone that would be willing to correspond with me for a few months. I am working towards my certification to be a school psychologist and am taking a class on exceptional children. One of my assignments for the class is to find an online penpal with a disability that could help me deepen my understanding of exceptional education through their own personal experience. I will be wanting to communicate about issues, topics, and ideas that will be addressed weekly by the class throughout the semester. If you would be willing to help me out, please respond and we can exchange email address.

Thanks!
Rachel

[andypandy]

So its not a penpal you need Rachel, but someone to help you pass an exam !

[lmelchor]

We must be in the same class, because I have the same assignment. No, it is not just someone to help pass a test, but someone that will mentor us and let us bounce ideas off of. Here is the complete details:

Procedures: Using personal contacts, or contacts of your EEX 5051 classmates, internet search engines, chat rooms, professional organizations, the list of Possible Pen Pal Contacts listed below, etc., locate an electronic pen pal with one of the following characteristics: an individual with disabilities. an individual currently involved with an individual with disabilities.

Note: It is very important that you secure a pen pal within the second week of class. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Locate and submit request to at least ten different areas. If you are unable to secure a pen pal within the first two weeks of class, you will be required to submit documentation (to include time and dates) of the attempts.

Make contact and secure your electronic pen pal’s approval for their willingness to participate in this activity with you. Explain to your pen pal that you need his/her help to deepen your understanding of exceptional education. Let your pen pal know that you will communicate issues, topics, and ideas that are addressed throughout the semester, and initiate a conversation with him/her about these issues to broaden your perspective on the issues. After you have located a pen pal, send a brief description of your pen pal to the instructor for his approval.

SUGGESTION: Parallel your interaction with your electronic pen pal with the weekly textbook reading assignments. Your electronic pen pal will be required to e-mail the instructor in order to confirm that they have been interacting with you. If desired, the pen pal may elect to reflect on the experience from his/her perspective.

At the end of the semester you are to submit a one page reflection on what you have learned from your pen pal.

[andypandy]

So whats in it for us then ? How much are you going to pay us for mentoring you ?

[Stepheninleeds]

I am a little unsure about this. You cannot get a penpal just to pass a test. I can see why you would be asking, but to state you just want a friend for a few months is very unsettling. How can you build a relationship under such circumstances? It would be better to post to look for genuine penpals, either here or on one of the many disabled penpals websites. I have acted as such a person in the past, & found that the person was only interested in me for things related to their course/exam. I can tell you it is not a nice feeling at all. I have also made a friend who then took a course where they wanted to use me in their coursework, this was much more successful as they asked me first, & we were friends before.