Communication in American schools runs mainly through email, and Chinese parents often fall into one of two extremes: either they do not reach out at all and discover a problem only when grades are posted, or they write a long, very polite message that leaves the teacher unsure what is being asked. An effective email only needs to include five things.

The five things

First, specific facts rather than feelings. Write “The student’s last three math quizzes were 78, 72 and 69,” not “The student has not been doing well lately.” Facts let the teacher locate the problem; feelings do not.

Second, the time frame. State when the change began. “The first two weeks of school were normal, and from the third week on, homework stopped coming in” is far more useful than “recently.”

Third, what has already been tried. Explain what the family has already done at home and how it worked. This keeps the teacher from repeating suggestions that have already been tried, and it shows that the parents are engaged.

Fourth, one clear request. The request may be to learn about classroom performance, to schedule a meeting, or to confirm the requirements of a specific assignment. Each email should make only one request.

Fifth, a reply window and an alternative. A line such as “If it is not convenient to reply this week, I can ask again at the parent conference” gives the teacher some flexibility, and reply rates tend to be higher as a result.

Three formatting suggestions

Write a clear subject line. A suggested format is “Student name · Course · Topic,” for example “Li Ming · Math I · Homework submission issue.” Teachers receive dozens of emails a day, and the subject line determines the order in which they are opened.

Keep it within one screen. Emails longer than one screen are usually set aside for later. Background information can wait for a meeting.

State things in a neutral tone without presuming a position. Ask about the situation before drawing conclusions. In most cases, the information the teacher has differs from what the parents see.

When to contact the teacher

When grades show a consistent change, rather than waiting until the end of the semester. Most schools’ grade systems can be checked at any time, and two consecutive declines are an appropriate moment to reach out.

When the student’s account does not match the grades. If the student says everything made sense in class but quiz results are poor, the gap between the two calls for the teacher’s perspective.

Before placement or course selection decisions. Math placement in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) includes the teacher’s evaluation of the Standards for Mathematical Practice and learning habits. Because this measure is judged by the classroom teacher, learning the teacher’s view in advance is more useful than appealing after the placement notice arrives. The four placement measures are described in IUSD math placement measures.

What EDUBUS recommends

The EDUBUS view is that communication with teachers should be regular and brief, rather than lengthy and only when something goes wrong. Two to three short emails sent proactively each semester build a more effective channel of information than one long conversation at the end of the semester. School-level course and placement rules are covered in the IUSD high school guides.

Sources

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