Anonymous Postcard Project Invites Families and Community Members to Share “Truths for Teachers”

A Brandon University research and arts-based initiative is using anonymous postcards to invite families and community members to share thoughts, reflections, and experiences they wish teachers knew. The project collects homemade and digital postcards featuring anonymous messages about schooling, parenting, learning, disability, mental health, equity, financial barriers, bullying, and more unseen experiences.

Current postcards on the website include reflections such as:

“I feel frustrated that I can’t help my kids with their French immersion homework because my French is limited. I feel disconnected from my kids’ learning.”

“As someone dealing with anxiety, I find it difficult to enter the school. Thank you for the options of virtual meetings and text messaging.”

“I didn’t send my son on the field trip to the zoo because I couldn’t afford the fee and that was embarrassing.”

“I hate reading report cards more as a parent than I ever did as a child.”

“Dear Teacher – When you told your student, who had been bullied by peers for years, to “get a thicker skin,” you told her that what she had endured for years could have been avoided if she’d just been tougher. Imagine what that did to her self-confidence!”

The project offers a safe, anonymous space where participants can write, draw, collage, or design postcards that tell stories they haven’t felt safe to tell. Participants can download a postcard template from the project website (www.storygrounds.ca/truths-for-the-teacher) or create their own original designs and mail them to Dr. Lam at Brandon University.

“Schools are filled with stories that go unheard, especially from marginalized populations,” said Dr. Lam. “Truths for the Teacher creates space for honesty, vulnerability, and creativity. We hope the project helps educators and communities better understand the realities students and families navigate every day.”

Stephanie Spence, a research assistant working on the project, emphasized that the initiative connects education, mental health, and equity. “As an Indigenous psychiatric nurse who works with children and families, I know that children’s experiences in school can affect their sense of safety, belonging, and wellness. These anonymous postcards offer an important way for families to share what they need educators to understand.”

Another research assistant involved with the project and current student in Brandon University’s Education Program, Ayden Lambert, added the following, “Students can have a gap between home and school, and no teacher or guardian gets to see the whole picture. But for the student, both sides matter. This project encourages dialogue between families and educators, while asking teachers to pause and consider the parts of a students’ life they may not always see.”

Dr. Alysha Farell, Dean of Education at Brandon University, underscored the project’s significance for teacher preparation. “Our goal in the Faculty of Education is to develop educators who are responsive, empathetic, and deeply aware of the diverse lives their students lead. Projects like this one bring the voices of families and communities directly into that conversation. The postcards remind us that teaching is not only about curriculum, it is about truly knowing and honouring the whole child and the world they come from.”

“Research thrives when it is rooted in real community experiences,” said Dr. Bernadette Ardelli, Vice President (Research & Graduate Studies) at Brandon University. “The Truths for the Teacher project exemplifies the kind of meaningful, community-engaged scholarship that we are proud to support. By creating a safe space for unheard voices, this initiative advances both educational understanding and the well-being of the families and communities we serve.”

All submissions are anonymous and moderated before posting. Participants are asked not to include names, addresses, or identifying information. Any identifying details accidentally included will be redacted prior to publication. Violent, harmful, or illegal content will not be posted. Participation is voluntary. By submitting a postcard, contributors provide implied consent for their anonymous submission to be used within the project, including possible display on the website, associated social media channels, research analysis, and knowledge mobilization activities. The project is funded by the Canada Research Chairs program and Brandon University.

The team also extends gratitude to Dr. Angelique Reweti and her collaborators for their inspiration and guidance, to the PostSecret project for inspiring the arts-based postcard format, and to Susie McPherson Derendy for ongoing support and mentorship. The project additionally recognizes the many creators working in postcards, zines, digital scrapbooks, junk journals, and related creative forms whose work continues to inspire community storytelling. Community members interested in participating can visit the project website to learn more, download a template, and submit a postcard anonymously.

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