Schools all across the country and across the world are facing the challenge of distance learning. From elementary schools to colleges, teachers and administrators are getting creative in order to provide quality distance learning experiences and make sure that students are getting a valuable education. As parents and school officials alike contemplate what schools will look like going forward, it is becoming increasingly clear that distance learning will continue to be part of the equation. It’s essential for teachers to stay in contact with their students in order to achieve the greatest success. Educators can utilize direct mail as part of their outreach to successfully connect with distance learning students.

What do distance learning students need to succeed?

In order to succeed at distance learning, students need clear and ongoing communication, online and offline activities, and a sense of connection.

Communication is Foundational

Clear communication is one of the most important elements for successful distance learning. Student, teacher, and often family communication is critical to supporting student learning. This is true in any environment, but even more so with distance learning students. It’s important for schools to use a variety of methods to communicate, including newsletters, phone calls, social media postings, and direct mail. Maintaining regular communication with parents and students not only builds and sustains student engagement, but it will help make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to distance learning progress and expectations. Communication might include the week’s schedule of assignments, reminders, or teacher contact information and availability.

Distance Learning Is More Than Online Learning

More students than ever may be participating in distance learning, but distance learning itself is anything but new. Now, we often think of distance learning and online learning as one and the same, but distance learning has been practiced for hundreds of years. Not every student has reliable access to the Internet or a personal device, so it’s important for schools to provide offline experiences in addition to their remote learning classrooms. Schools can utilize direct mail to assist students in participating in these offline learning experiences, which might include:

• Flashcards: help students learn productive study habits. Send them a pre-made set of flashcards with an instruction sheet. Or send a blank set and have them make their own.
• Exercise sheets: send students exercise sheets for math problems, spelling practice, or short answer questions.
• Reading packets: without access to a school library, send students suggested reading lists or topics you’ll be covering so they can choose books to supplement their learning.
• Hands-on exercises and science experiments: develop exercises or experiments using items they likely have on hand. Send them printed instructions for the activity as well as questions for them to record the experience.
• Journal pages: ask students to observe the weather, write a story, or respond to a current event.
• Art projects: send coloring sheets to relate to a learning topic or just for fun.

Direct Mail Builds a Connection

Educators, administrators, teachers, parents, older students, and younger children are all trying to adapt to a new way of teaching and a new way of learning. Direct mail can help schools get noticed and connect with distance learners. Emails can be quickly deleted, text messages can get missed, but direct mail is something tangible for students and parents to hold on to. Direct mail can take the form of newsletters, brochures, or flyers, sent straight to the address of the recipients. As schools strive to deliver distance learning lessons equitably to every student, direct mail is a powerful way to connect, communicate, and build trust with the recipient.

Schools, particularly colleges and universities, need to keep their distance learning students engaged, and parents and students spend more time with direct mail pieces they receive compared to emails. It’s hard to make a connection with students when everyone is doing distance learning, but sending students something tangible with your school’s name on it reminds them that everyone is in this together. Teachers excel at communicating, and direct mail is one more tool for them to use to connect, instruct, and engage with students.

Distance learning has special challenges, but direct mail can help you reach distance learning students in meaningful ways. At Letter Jacket, we love helping people like you solve problems and overcome challenges while using our envelopes. We know that direct mail is powerful, and our envelope and selection tools make it easy to make what’s on the outside of your envelope just as impressive as what’s on the inside. Chat with an ordering specialist or contact us to learn more.

Key Takeaways

• It’s essential for teachers to stay in contact with their students in order to achieve the greatest success.
• Educators can utilize direct mail as part of their outreach to successfully connect with distance learning students.
• Maintaining regular communication with parents and students builds and sustains student engagement.
• Letter Jacket knows that direct mail can help you reach distance learning students in meaningful ways.