Subject: Your Emails To Your Teachers

Dear Students,

Your emails need improvement. They are unclear, grammatically incorrect, and far too informal. One important lesson you must learn in school is to how to communicate well. Here are some important tips on writing formal emails to teachers, professors, employers (current or potential) and anyone other than your friends or family:  

Use formal salutations and titles. You don’t call your teachers by their first names, you don’t address them with “hey,” and you don’t just dive into the conversation. Close your emails appropriately using a closing salutation like “Sincerely,” “Yours,” “Thank you,” or even “See you in class.”

Use the subject line to clearly state the purpose of your email. Don’t leave it blank or simply put your name in it. You may include your name and class, but you should also briefly state the main point of your communication.

Use formal language and a respectful tone. Don’t address your teacher as you would a friend. Your email should not read like a text message. You should have clear sentences, paragraphs, and employ good grammar and correct spelling. Be sure to spell your teacher’s name correctly. It is helpful to bold important lines and make each point an individual paragraph.

Do not ask, “Did I miss anything?” when you are not in class. “What did I miss?” is no better. It is unreasonable to ask a teacher to capture an entire lesson in an email. Do your homework if you miss class; contact a classmate, look at the website, and do your best to find out what you missed on your own. Then email the teacher to ask questions, make an appointment, or arrange to make up missed work.

Do read over your email before you send it. Before you press that send key, give a second look at what you have written. Do use the spell checker. It might help to type the email in a word processor and then copy it to your email. If it helps, read it aloud to make sure you are communicating clearly and correctly.

Do check for your teacher’s reply. Students frequently ask, “Did you get my email.” Teachers often reply, “Yes, did you get mine?” If you aren’t going to read your teacher’s reply, don’t send the email at all.

Your email communicates far more than the words themselves. The messages you send tell people about who you are, what you know, and how you treat people. Your emails can enhance and strengthen your relationships or they can leave a lasting poor impression. It is worth taking the time and thought to use them well.

Please consider these ideas when you are emailing your teachers or communicating with anyone with whom you have a formal relationship. 

Sincerely Yours,

Mr. Hirsch