Advice From A Pro: Replying To Parent Emails
Oh, isn’t this a doozy of a topic to get into?!
But with school in full swing, grades being entered, policies and routines being enforced, those parent emails are starting to roll in.
Or, we teachers are sending emails regarding student behavior, grades, and anything else.
Let’s reduce this stress and anxiety with some proven techniques and formats you can use when reaching out to or replying to parent emails.
Can I just turn off my email notifications???
Before we get into the templates for emails, let’s make one point very clear…do NOT reply to emails outside of work hours. This is one easy place to start when creating or maintaining your work-life balance.
One of my boundaries that I create for my own peace is to compartmentalize my tasks based on work-related tasks and home-related tasks. Try not to let these worlds overlap.
Set your boundaries, promote them so that others begin to learn how you operate, and give those boundaries life!
Here are a few of my “best practices” to follow when preparing a reply:
Wait 24 hours. It is not the best idea to reply in a heated, triggered, or elevated state. This only lead to a back and forth exchange that, more often than not, will detour from the original concerns. Waiting gives everyone a chance to cool off and organize their thoughts. Another great reason to wait is that you maintain and promote your boundaries. If you reply immediately, parents will expect this of you with all emails. Practice your boundaries.
Jot down notes to address items/ issues mentioned in the email. Literally make a list of what the parent concerns, issues, or questions are. Write out bulleted notes or rough draft answers to each. This will help you to organize your thoughts, form a response, and stay on topic. Only stick to what was mentioned in the original email. Do not provide any extra information.
Assume the email was written with best intentions. Be open to the possibility that there has been a miscommunication, misunderstanding, or even a mistake that has been made. You do not have to come out victorious, so be careful with comments or remarks that assign blame to the parent. Your goal should be to create and nurture a relationship with the parent that centers around the best interest of the student and encourages amicable, honest, and trustworthy communication.
Be brief and professional. Avoid undertones or deliberate rudeness. That’s pretty much frowned upon in all establishments. You want to validate their concerns, this helps to build a safe space and trust.
Be a problem solver. Find or suggest solutions that can help students.
Stick to school policies and reference your syllabus. This is always the best option to fall back on. This is why writing a syllabus that covers expectation, classroom policies, and school policies is so important. Refer to it, apply it, and hold students and parents accountable.
Do not put anything in the email you feel uneasy, embarrassed by, or awkward about defending in front of administration or district personnel. Just be smart.
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Alright, it’s your time to shine with some ready-to-use templates that help make this process a bit less stressful.
The following templates are topic specific. Some topics are from the teacher and others are replies to parent concerns. Use them as a model and add your own wording to make them your own.
Checking things off that to-do list!
Teacher Concerns:
Skipping Class:
Good morning/afternoon.
My name is _____ and I teach _____ at _____ School. I’m reaching out in regard to _____’s attendance. He/she was not present in my _____ period class on __ / __ / ____ but was on campus. As a result, the consequence is _____ as per school policy.
Failing Grades:
Good morning/afternoon.
My name is _____ and I teach _____ at _____ School. I’m reaching out in regard to _____’s grade in my class. Your student’s current grade is _____ and I am concerned. I would like to discuss some options to help get him/her back on the track to success.
Here are some suggestions to help students improve their grades that you could easily mention in the ‘Failing Grades’ template:
Use a planner or set reminders on the phone to avoid late work and missing deadlines.
Find a friend or teacher that can act as a mentor or coach to help motivate and prioritize tasks.
Request one-on-one time with the teacher or find a study buddy to help with understanding.
Dress Code:
Good morning/afternoon.
My name is _____ and I teach _____ at _____ School. I’m reaching out in regard to _____’s choice of clothing for today. I discreetly addressed this with the student reminding them of our dress code policy. Please be advised that our school has consequences in place regarding dress code. I ask that you speak with your son/daughter regarding the clothing they choose for school.
*Always stick to your school wide and/or district policy regarding dress code. This is not a personal preference. When addressing the student, focus on deescalating and call for assistance if the student becomes argumentative or defiant.
General Discipline Issues:
Good morning/afternoon.
My name is _____ and I teach _____ at _____ School. I’m reaching out in regard to _____’s behavior in class today. I would appreciate your help in addressing this in an effort to maintain a positive learning environment within the classroom for all students. I have spoken to _____ about his/her behavior choices and wanted to reach out to you for help developing a plan for his/her success.
Be specific in the description of the behavior(s).
Explain the steps you’ve taken to remedy the behavior(s).
Thank the parent for their input and support.
Positive Feedback:
Good morning/afternoon.
My name is _____ and I teach _____ at _____ School. I’m reaching out in regard to _____’s recent success in my class! He/she…
Here are some suggestions to recognize students for positive feedback:
completed a difficult task/assignment/project
helped another student
participates with a positive attitude
did well on a recent assessment
asked great questions
has improved behavior
has improved low grade
Be a problem solver!
Replying to Parent Emails:
The “when are you grading this” email:
Good morning/afternoon.
Thank you for reaching out about this. I understand that all teachers grade work within various time-frames, so I appreciate the opportunity for me to share my schedule with you.
I allocate time specifically for grading throughout the school day and week. My days for updating grades are _____ and _____.
Please check your student’s grade after my updates for more accurate and up-to-date information.
The “my child wasn’t prepared for the assessment” email:
Good morning/afternoon.
Thank you for reaching out. I’m sorry this caught _____ off-guard. Upcoming assessments are listed _____. Please have your son/daughter check this schedule regularly to avoid missing these important dates. If you or your son/daughter have trouble accessing this information, please let me know.
I’d be happy to allow _____ to [RETAKE or RECOUP POINTS] this assessment during class time. I’ll speak with them regarding a date.
The “I want to opt my student out of this offensive lesson” email:
Good morning/afternoon.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing this concern. I can assure you that this lesson is part of the curriculum and listed as a state learning standard [POST STANDARD]. The lesson content meets these requirements for learning.
If you are not comfortable with this, please contact our school or district principal/administrator/personnel for further assistance.
An alternate assignment may be given pending district approval or response.
The “can my child have extra time for this” email:
Good morning/afternoon.
Thank you for reaching out. I understand how overwhelming it can be for students to juggle and keep up with their assignments from all classes.
The late work policy for this class is _____. With this in mind, I would like to extend a couple options your son/daughter can choose from:
Option 1: Have your son/daughter speak with me regarding this request. Please be sure they provide a reason for the extra time AND a plan to complete the work by the new due date issued by the teacher.
Option 2: If they are struggling with the style or format of this assignment, please have your son/daughter speak with me regarding an acceptable alternative assignment that shows they have mastered the standard.
Again, thank you for reaching out. I look forward to working together and getting _____ back on track.
*If students have accommodations regarding additional time for assignments or assessments, you must follow and honor this! Otherwise, use your best judgement in awarding additional time.
The “my child is having trouble with another student” email”
Good morning/afternoon.
I appreciate you reaching out and bringing this up to me. I’m so sorry to hear that this has happened. I would like to speak with you regarding this matter. Would you be available for me to call you on _____ at _____ am/pm?
*Depending on the incident, you may want to add an administrator to your reply and keep them involved.
Whoa! That was a lot, but we did it. Hopefully these templates help and empower you. Keep that communication going!
Let me know if you’ve tried any of these, how they worked, or send me a suggestion that you use when you are emailing parents. Leave a comment below.
