College Letters

This week my BCIS (Business Computer Information Systems) classes have been working on a project using mail merge. Their assignment was to research five colleges, universities, or career training programs they might be interested in attending, find the addresses of the Admissions Office, and write a letter requesting admissions information. This turned out to be a much harder project than expected--but not for the reasons I expected. Turns out "mailing addresses" in this day and age of e-mailing and Iming, is an alien concept to our teenagers. They had a very difficult time even recognizing the mailing address when I pointed it out to them. Is mailing a letter becoming an obsolete function? I had a student ask me why we even wanted to send a letter instead of an e-mail. When I asked her why, she told me letters weren't "real". The students were surprised that we were ACTUALLY mailing the letters. I received envelopes written in pencil, envelopes addressed to themselves with the mailing address in the return address spot, addresses that included phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and smiley faces. A skill not taught? A skill not practiced? A skill needed in the real world?

We spend a lot of time in education in Texas talking about the need for stronger math and science programs, about AP Tests, about writing skills, about TAKS. But are we failing our students when 15, 16, 17 year olds can't address an envelope?

Perhaps we are at the point in Web 2.0 world where communicating by mail is obsolete. Maybe I am just of another generation. What do you think?

Mail me a letter :) 1618 Cottage Landing Ln. Houston, TX 77077