Teacher Response Time

[Anonymous]

I learned a long time ago not to email because I rarely get a response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I learned a long time ago not to email because I rarely get a response.

I don't email teachers frequently, but the handful of times over the past 10 years I have always gotten a quick and helpful response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I learned a long time ago not to email because I rarely get a response.

I don't email teachers frequently, but the handful of times over the past 10 years I have always gotten a quick and helpful response.

Same. Although unfortunately I have emailed teachers frequently due to DC's issues. Occasionally a teacher has not responded to an initial email but has responded to a follow-up email. Sometimes an email is lost or forgotten, it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any sort of required response time regarding a parent email at FCPS? Been waiting for over a week for response from an ES classroom teacher (with a second follow-up last week), but no reply or even acknowledgment of the email. Teacher has sent other classroom-wide communications in the meantime.

Email again saying this is the third time you’ve emailed in a week. Copy the principal. Sounds like the teacher needs some support.

—an ES principal

You’re a principal? Maybe a troll? I would be so pissed if you were my admin. That’s not the type of support we need.
-a real ES Teacher

+1000 this is the exact opposite kind of a principal that teacher needs.

Please call the school and leave a VM.

I triage my emails. I literally don’t have time to answer every one every day; not even close. I am going to prioritize planning for tomorrow over replying to you today unless your concern seems very urgent. It’s not that I don’t care. I work 10-12 hours a day. I may be overwhelmed with my inbox and just taking care of the bleeders at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any sort of required response time regarding a parent email at FCPS? Been waiting for over a week for response from an ES classroom teacher (with a second follow-up last week), but no reply or even acknowledgment of the email. Teacher has sent other classroom-wide communications in the meantime.

Email again saying this is the third time you’ve emailed in a week. Copy the principal. Sounds like the teacher needs some support.

—an ES principal

You’re a principal? Maybe a troll? I would be so pissed if you were my admin. That’s not the type of support we need.
-a real ES Teacher

Seems like a reasonable step to me. The teacher has had two opportunities to reply. The admin above is probably correct and this teacher may need support.
- a real HS teacher

In your “real” experience, what kind of “support” have you gotten when a parent complained to an administrator that you didn’t reply promptly enough to an email? I have literally never gotten *support* of this kind.

Principal: what kind of support would you give to one of your teachers who was so busy ans working so many hours that she literally did not have time to reply to all of her parent emails?

[Anonymous]

Why are so many parents emailing the teachers? I have honestly never done this for either child except for advising of a pre planned absence. Which is like once in 3 years.

[Anonymous]

I always CC THE principal and the Asst Principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I learned a long time ago not to email because I rarely get a response.

One time I didn't get a respond after that I CC the principal and they told me that she didn't mind getting CC in every email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any sort of required response time regarding a parent email at FCPS? Been waiting for over a week for response from an ES classroom teacher (with a second follow-up last week), but no reply or even acknowledgment of the email. Teacher has sent other classroom-wide communications in the meantime.

Email again saying this is the third time you’ve emailed in a week. Copy the principal. Sounds like the teacher needs some support.

—an ES principal

You’re a principal? Maybe a troll? I would be so pissed if you were my admin. That’s not the type of support we need.
-a real ES Teacher

Seems like a reasonable step to me. The teacher has had two opportunities to reply. The admin above is probably correct and this teacher may need support.
- a real HS teacher

In your “real” experience, what kind of “support” have you gotten when a parent complained to an administrator that you didn’t reply promptly enough to an email? I have literally never gotten *support* of this kind.

Principal: what kind of support would you give to one of your teachers who was so busy ans working so many hours that she literally did not have time to reply to all of her parent emails?

How I'd support the teacher:
First, I'd start by being curious and finding out what's getting in the way of responding to the parent...

Maybe she's new and was unaware of the professional obligation to respond by the end of the next business day. I'd let her know that moving forward this is the expectation and that I'm always happy to help write a response if she isn't sure what to say or set up a meeting with the parent.
Maybe she needs help setting up her Outlook account in a way that makes it easier to organize emails.
Maybe the parent is bothering her with endless emails. I'd work with her to either craft a response to cut back on the responses or simply step in and let the parent know that it's too much. I'd give the teacher permission to only respond to the parent once a week or whatever we both feel is appropriate.
Maybe the teacher is struggling with other issues that I can help with--maybe she needs help with planning or classroom management. I could work with her and/or have one of our content specialists work with her.
Maybe the teacher is going through some personal issues and could use a sick day to set up an appointment with a counselor.
Maybe the teacher is struggling with her teammates and needs some coaching for how to make those relationships more collaborative and productive.

It's too bad you have never received this kind of support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are so many parents emailing the teachers? I have honestly never done this for either child except for advising of a pre planned absence. Which is like once in 3 years.

to up date the gradebook to check how things are going on at school, to see lesson plans etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are so many parents emailing the teachers? I have honestly never done this for either child except for advising of a pre planned absence. Which is like once in 3 years.

I usually end up e-mailing them a couple of times a year. Usually if my kid is leaving early. I've gotten e-mails when my kid has forgotten lunch. Usually they respond within an hour or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are so many parents emailing the teachers? I have honestly never done this for either child except for advising of a pre planned absence. Which is like once in 3 years.

to up date the gradebook to check how things are going on at school, to see lesson plans etc.

I usually end up emailing teachers after my child (10th grader) gets no response after a week. I get a response within a day.

[Anonymous]

You probably sent it to the wrong email address. You need to send it to fcps.edu, not fcpsschools.net or whatever. Teachers don't check the .net email very frequently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there any sort of required response time regarding a parent email at FCPS? Been waiting for over a week for response from an ES classroom teacher (with a second follow-up last week), but no reply or even acknowledgment of the email. Teacher has sent other classroom-wide communications in the meantime.

Email again saying this is the third time you’ve emailed in a week. Copy the principal. Sounds like the teacher needs some support.

—an ES principal

You’re a principal? Maybe a troll? I would be so pissed if you were my admin. That’s not the type of support we need.
-a real ES Teacher

Seems like a reasonable step to me. The teacher has had two opportunities to reply. The admin above is probably correct and this teacher may need support.
- a real HS teacher

In your “real” experience, what kind of “support” have you gotten when a parent complained to an administrator that you didn’t reply promptly enough to an email? I have literally never gotten *support* of this kind.

Principal: what kind of support would you give to one of your teachers who was so busy ans working so many hours that she literally did not have time to reply to all of her parent emails?

How I'd support the teacher:
First, I'd start by being curious and finding out what's getting in the way of responding to the parent...

Maybe she's new and was unaware of the professional obligation to respond by the end of the next business day. I'd let her know that moving forward this is the expectation and that I'm always happy to help write a response if she isn't sure what to say or set up a meeting with the parent.
Maybe she needs help setting up her Outlook account in a way that makes it easier to organize emails.
Maybe the parent is bothering her with endless emails. I'd work with her to either craft a response to cut back on the responses or simply step in and let the parent know that it's too much. I'd give the teacher permission to only respond to the parent once a week or whatever we both feel is appropriate.
Maybe the teacher is struggling with other issues that I can help with--maybe she needs help with planning or classroom management. I could work with her and/or have one of our content specialists work with her.
Maybe the teacher is going through some personal issues and could use a sick day to set up an appointment with a counselor.
Maybe the teacher is struggling with her teammates and needs some coaching for how to make those relationships more collaborative and productive.

It's too bad you have never received this kind of support.

LOL, what’s getting in the way? Now I know you’re not a principal. 😊

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are so many parents emailing the teachers? I have honestly never done this for either child except for advising of a pre planned absence. Which is like once in 3 years.

to up date the gradebook to check how things are going on at school, to see lesson plans etc.[/quote]

Seriously?