How long before you hear back from your teachers?

[Anonymous]

I have been frustrated with the communication with my DS's teacher. If I e-mail her, I usually don't hear back from her for 2-3 days. By 4-5th day, I am forced to e-mail her again. Fisrt, I thought maybe she is taking days off, but no, that hasn't been the case so far. Some minor e-mails have been completely ignored. Now, when there is an issue, I am hesitant to e-mail her, and instead, I am tempted to navigate around her. I hear back from the school counselor and other teachers relatively quickly, but they tend to make the point that I talk to the homeroom teacher first. How could I if she doesn't communicate effectively?

Anyone with this frustrating experience???

[Anonymous]

Perhaps she responds better to written notes?

[Anonymous]

OP here. We tried the notes. Same. Nothing.

[Anonymous]

Our principal has told all teachers she expects them to respond to parent communications within 48 hours. I usually get a response to e-mails within 24 hours. You should not have to wait 4 to 5 days.

[Anonymous]

OP here. She herself said at the beginning of the school year that she will usually respond to e-mails within 24 hours. If she failed to do so once or twice, I would understand, but it is becoming a constant thing.

[Anonymous]

What are the emails about? The teachers I work with respond quickly to short but sweet emails like "When is the money due for __________?" If your emails are long or require a parent conference, expect to wait longer.

[Anonymous]

I had a teacher last year who was quite bad about e-mails and most other things. Eventually (after more than a week or two sometimes) I would ask if it would be easier to meet on the issue..and that would usually get a VERY quick response. I wish the teachers could just give a quick..I will get back to you Friday or I am looking in to it...so you know it is on their list.

[Anonymous]

If the issue is important, send a follow-up email,

If no response, send anotehr follow up with a cc to the principal.

Or a cc to the counselor or whomever so they can see that you have tried to involved the homeroom teacher and they can see the date you tried.

You can also ask for a meeting. Send a follow up email saying that you are really concerned about this issue and think a meeting would be best. If no answer you can call the office and have the request for a meeting be placed in her mailbox.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the suggestions. I guess it is frustrating that that is the only thing we can do (follow-up email, meeting, etc.). We both work, so setting up a meeting is hard. One time, we tried to set up a meeting, which turned out to be 2 weeks away. E-mail is easier, especially if the issue is not that important, but it only require a yes or no answer. We have had issues of different levels of importance, but it has been hard to communicate with the teacher in general. I guess I'm just complaining at this point. We will have to do whatever we need to do, but it shouldn't be this hard, do you think???

[Anonymous]

Our teacher at a MCPS elementary school responds to emails within hours usually and no more than 24 hours.

[Anonymous]

Our teacher at Glenallan ES responds within hours. The longest I've had to wait is a day. But then she sent a long email, detailing his strengths on a couple of areas I'd asked about, her approach to get him interested on another front, and how she's so happy he's helpful with the other kids lagging behind in reading (he's above grade). So, it's not MCPS or school specific: It's a teacher issue.

[Anonymous]

As a teacher I can only speak for myself. I respond to most emails with 24 hours. Of course there is always one parent who emails me two or even three times a week -usually about nothing serious just being a hovering parents. I tend to let those emails go to day 2 or 3 days ----mainly so I can stay sane! If I spend all my time responding to your email when can I actually TEACH??

[Anonymous]

OP, no, it shouldn't be that hard. If you are a sane parent and do not email 3x a week, and just email with quick questions that can be ans,ered quickly, you have every right to expect a response within a day or two at best.

If you aren't getting that, you have to politely involve the teacher's supervisor. However, asking for an in person meeting inconveniences the teacher and might make her respond more quickly to your emails in the future without involving the principal. Also you can bring up the issue at a PTA meeting or ask the principal if there is a school wide policy.

[Anonymous]

OP:

Most of the teachers my kids have had in MCPS respond to e-mails w/in a day or so. But last year I had one that NEVER responded, no matter what I tried. She also didn't send work home the entire year, so I couldn't see at all what was going on in school.

I did request and go in for a conference to see my child's work and made a pointed comment that it would be useful to see some of the work at home, but nothing changed. Soon enough (thankfully), the year finally ended. And this year, we're in a new school, with a teacher who actually does respond back.

I agree w/others, if you're not getting response to important questions, go above the teacher, but I'd do it in a way that's apologetic to the person you're e-mailing. Something like, "Sorry to bother you, but I suspect Jonny's teacher has been swamped with her class and hasn't had time to e-mail me. Would you mind helping me with Xxxx?" That may be a way to get more responsiveness without engendering too much annoyance.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for sharing your experience, PP. I was starting to think it is just our teacher and no one else has had this experience... One whole year of minimum communication...wow!

I appreciate the tip--I definitely see that teachers tend to be protective of their colleagues, and they don't want to step on another teacher's toe, especially if the teacher in question has been there for a long time. There is this brotherhood/sisterhood thing going on there.

The bottom line is, if your teacher is not committed enough to communicating well with the parents, you are out of luck.
You can change the ways of the teacher much. That is the sad reality of the public school system...