How to help children write a good email to their school teacher or guidance counselor
Students in middle and high school should write emails to their teachers and guidance counselors. However, many students don’t know that they should be doing this or don’t know proper email etiquettes.
Please read through the below email etiquettes with your student and help them write an email. We recommend that the student screen share their email so the tutor can check their spelling and/or grammar for errors.
When should students email their teachers?
You should not be scared to email your teacher - your teacher is there to help you! There are many reasons you might want to email your teacher:
You want help on a homework assignment/ test
You are confused about a grade you have and want clarifications
You’d like to schedule a time to meet with your teacher individually
You want to ask your teacher to write you a recommendation letter
What does a good email have?
Reminder about who you are if you are writing in the beginning of the year (Ex: My name is John, and I am in your 7th period ELA class).
An appropriate subject that summarizes your request (Ex: Question about Upcoming Math Test)
A greeting that includes the teacher’s name (Ex: Dear Ms. X)
A brief description of what you are emailing about (Ex: I am writing because I submitted my test corrections for our algebra test last week, which I thought would bring my grade up. I noticed that my grades haven’t changed on Google Classroom.)
Make sure to include the context even if you talked about it in person with the teacher.
A request (if relevant) (Ex: Would you please change my test score?)
A sign off and your name (Ex: Thank you, John)
Common email mistakes you should avoid
Sending an email with spelling or grammar errors: An email is your written speech, and you want to leave a good impression. Sscreen share your email with your buddy so you can get your feedback. If you are writing the email by yourself, use spell check and Grammarly.
Not giving your teacher enough time: If you are writing about a test on Wednesday, you can’t write the email on Tuesday afternoon and ask for help. Always plan ahead so you are respecting your teacher’s time. This is especially true if you are requesting a recommendation letter.
Give your teacher at least two business days before following up on a request.
Read the below email template together
Dear Ms. Johnson,
My name is John, and I’m in your 7th grade ELA class. I am writing because I have a rough draft for my Romeo and Juliet essay, and I was hoping I could get some feedback from you. Unfortunately, I have a class during your regular office hours. Is there any way I can schedule a time to meet with you to go over my essay?
Thank you so much!
John