Question:
Email is a valuable means of communication between teachers and parents, but answering emails can take a large amount of teacher time. What goal do you set for yourself (or does your school administration set for you) as a reasonable time frame to respond to parent emails?
Replies:
CT
We have no set policy about returning emails, but I try to do it ASAP. I respond during free periods, before and after school. I try to respond immediately, unless the parent is being unreasonable, in which case I touch base with my principal before replying (or not replying). I don't do emails after dinner, though; I've learned the hard way that an emotional email can spoil my evening and my sleep.
John Thomso - Strathmore, ab
E-mails are better than nothing. We used to send notes home with students and I would guess that a great percentage of the replies were written by older siblings. I caught a forger, and his answer was, Peter said "My mother told me to do it as I am too busy." Maybe the students do that today????? However notes and E-mails do not take the place of a face to face talk. I mean the good old fashioned kind, not the parent teacher night where sixteen other parents are lined up in the hall, waitng. I know , I know, you are too busy. But if you could find time, the parents might find out that you are not a monster, that Miss Smith does not pick her nose and that Mister Jones does not scratch his behind. You might even be able to convince Mom And Dad that you are not in it for the money. They might even be convinced that you like children. Best of all you might work out a plan with them that will help and encourage Johnny, Sarah Bill or Mary-Lou. How did we get by before we had E-mail? The first time I lied, by ommission, was the day I did not tell my parents that Miss Douglas gave me three on each hand. She did not send a note home. She did not have to because my sister told them at supper time. My father said what did yiu do wrong. When I told him his reply was, "She should have given six on each hand."
Oh how times have changed.
John Thomson. Strathmore, Alberta
Arkansas
I have a personal goal of responding to all emails within 24 hours. I let my parents know that if they do not receive a response within that time frame then I did not receive the email and to please send it again or call the school to talk with me.
wi
At this point, I don't feel the emails from parents are a big concern. In fact, we encourage our families to use email for short, quick interactions with teachers. I try to answer everything at the beginning of the day before students arrive. But the beauty of email is that you can grab a moment here and there with students working and still keep your exchange private, unlike a classroom telephone. I spend more time each year dealing with email coming from the district trying to coordinate meeting times and dates, responding to questions about programing, etc. Email is a great tool and the only way to keep in touch with all the information teachers must balance today.
Noreen Dempsey - Carlisle, PA
While emails are quick and effective, it takes patience and thought to reply to some of emails from parents. A number of times an email is written in the heat of the moment. If the parent had waited a bit before instantly writing the teacher when they are upset, resolution of any misunderstanding would be easier. Therefore, my rule is to never immediately reply to an angry email. I wait a few hours and then read it again before answering it.
KY
I have made a promise to my parents that I will try to return an e-mail or phone call within 24 hours. Our district's goal was to improve customer service, so this has been an effective way for me to uphold our commitment to our stakeholders.
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