how to write email to teacher about homework

How To Write an Email to a Teacher About Homework

Communicating effectively with educators is a key skill for students. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to write an email to a teacher about homework . Whether you have questions, need clarification, or are facing challenges with assignments, this guide helps ensure your communication is clear and appropriate.

Table of Contents

Preparing to Write the Email

Before composing your email, gather all relevant information about the homework in question. This includes the assignment’s details, deadlines, and specific areas where you need assistance. Organize your thoughts so your email is concise and to the point.

What to Include in The Email to Your Teacher About Homework

Email templates – emailing a teacher about homework, template 1: seeking clarification on homework.

I hope this email finds you well. I am [Your Name] from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am writing to seek clarification on the [specific aspect] of our current assignment, [Assignment Name], which is due on [Due Date].

I have reviewed the instructions, but I am still unclear about [specific part you are struggling with]. Could you please provide some additional guidance or examples?

Template 2: Requesting Extension Due to Illness

Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Teacher’s Last Name],

My name is [Your Name], from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am writing to inform you that I have been unwell for the past few days and have been unable to complete the [Assignment Name] that is due on [Due Date].

Thank you for considering my request. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Template 3: Asking for Help with Difficult Homework

Subject: Assistance Needed with [Assignment Name]

I am [Your Name] from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am reaching out because I am having difficulties with [specific aspect] of our homework assignment, [Assignment Name].

Despite reviewing the class notes and textbook, I am still struggling to understand [specific problem or topic]. I would appreciate any additional resources or guidance you could provide.

Yours sincerely,

Writing an email to a teacher about homework requires clarity, respect, and a willingness to seek solutions. By approaching your teacher with a well-structured email, you can effectively communicate your needs and foster a positive learning environment.

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• How to write an email to your teacher (with examples)
• Attention/ADHD
• Posted on January 3, 2024
• By Christine
• In Articles , Attention/ADHD , College Readiness

Knowing how write an email to your teacher, professor, or a school administrator in a polite and concise way is a must-have skill. In the fast-paced realm of academics, the art of writing emails is an essential life skill that fosters self-advocacy and responsible communication. While it may seem daunting, fear not – the process is more straightforward than it appears. This article will delve into an easy-to-follow guide with examples that will empower students to navigate this crucial aspect of effective and respectful correspondence.

Step 1: Nail the Subject Line

The subject line acts as the headline, grabbing the recipient’s attention. It should be specific and urgent, making the purpose clear from the start.

Subject: Urgent Math Grade Inquiry

Subject: MacBeth Essay Extension

Subject: Accommodations for ADHD

Step 2: Include a Friendly Greeting

Starting with a friendly greeting sets a positive tone. Using the teacher or professor’s name shows respect and personalizes the email, creating a connection. Make sure you’ve spell-checked the name.

• Hello Mr. Johnson ,

Dear Professor Meyers,

To Whom it May Concern,

Step 3: Introduce the Issue

A brief introduction is like a warm-up. It prepares the reader for what’s coming and shows that you’re not jumping straight to the problem.

• I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to talk about my math test from last week.
• I hope this email finds you well. I’m emailing you regarding an extension for the MacBeth essay due next Friday.
• Good afternoon. I am inquiring to learn more about ADHD accommodations .

Step 4: Provide the Scoop / Go into Detail

Getting into the details is crucial. Keep it real and straightforward, stating the facts to ensure the teacher understands the issue.

• I understand that we were supposed to get our grades back by now, but mine hasn’t shown up. I’m a bit worried about it.
• I came down with the flu last week and was unable to go to the library to finish my research. I’m concerned that my paper doesn’t meet the criteria for the number of primary sources.
• I would like to know what types of accommodations are available for me and how I can start the process of implementing them.

Step 5: Make a polite request

Asking politely is key. Acknowledge the teacher’s busy schedule and add a personal touch, making the request relatable. At the same time, attempt to convey the urgency of the matter.

Could you please let me know when I can expect to see my test grade? It’s stressing me out a bit, especially with finals around the corner.

Would you please consider a 1 week extension for the essay so I can finish my research now that my symptoms have resolved? I can provide a doctor’s note if needed.

Would you kindly guide me through the next steps? Classes start next week so I would like to have everything sorted by Friday.

Step 6: Express Gratitude and Understanding

Expressing gratitude shows maturity. It acknowledges that the teacher has a lot on their plate and emphasizes that the student values their time.

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to help me out. I know you’re super busy, and I appreciate any info you can give.

Thank you for considering my request for a 1 week extension. I know you must be very busy and I appreciate your time.

Thank you in advance for your assistance. I know the beginning of the school year can be very busy and I really appreciate your help.

Step 7: Sign Off with Respect

Ending with a simple “thanks” and your name is like a friendly wave goodbye. It’s respectful and brings a proper close to the email.

Thanks again, Alex

• Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon, Alex
• Thank you and I look forward to your response, Alex

By following these steps, you’re not just sending an email; you’re building good communication habits and skills of self-advocacy. This way, you can express yourself clearly and respectfully, making sure your voice is heard in any academic situation.

How to Write an Email to Your Teacher (Asking about your grade)

Hello Mr. Johnson,

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to talk about my math test from last week. So, we were supposed to get our grades back by now, but mine hasn’t shown up. I’m a bit worried about it.

How to Write an Email to Your Professor (Requesting an extension)

I hope this email finds you well. I’m emailing you regarding an extension for the MacBeth essay due next Friday. I came down with the flu last week and was unable to go to the library to finish my research. I’m concerned that my paper doesn’t meet the criteria for the number of primary sources.

Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon,

How to Write an Email to a School Administrator (Requesting information about ADHD Accommodations)

Good afternoon. I am inquiring to learn more about ADHD accommodations . I would like to know what types of accommodations are available for me and how I can start the process of implementing them.

Thank you and I look forward to your response,

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How to write an email to your teacher: Tips, rules and examples

Katie Azevedo November 7, 2019 good habits , grades , homework , self advocacy

By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed.

In most situations requiring you to communicate with your teacher, it is best to talk in person. I advise face-to-face meetings when possible because this reduces the chance of miscommunication. In-person meetings also give us the chance to communicate via body language, which is important if you struggle with verbal expression.

However, there are times when face-to-face meetings aren’t possible and you have to write an email instead. For these reasons, you need to know how to write an email to your teacher so that your message is clear and respectful, and also so that you get a response that addresses your concerns. 

If your email is unclear and your questions are indirect, you won’t likely get the clear and direct answers you’re seeking — makes sense, right?

Knowing how to write an email to your teacher isn’t just a school-skill; eventually you’ll be writing emails to your boss, to your co-workers, and to other high-rollers. And because you can’t hit “unsend,” you better get it right the first time. If you’re out of school and in the workforce, these email tips, rules and examples apply to you as well.

Okay, onto the rules, the dos and the don’ts.

How to write an email to your teacher (or to your boss, colleague, principal, etc.)

1. Repeat after me: an email is not a text message!!!

2. Repeat after me: an email is not a novel or an epic poem.

3. Always enter in a subject line. Never leave this field blank. Keep it short and to the point, basically like giving your email a “title.” Don’t be creative, don’t use capital letters (no need to SHOUT), and avoid exclamation points unless it’s an actual emergency … in which case….call 911?

Examples of good subject lines:

• Retaking Monday’s test
• Staying after school this week
• Question about tonight’s homework
• Scheduling a time to meet

Examples of terrible subject lines:

• [no subject]
• WHAT DID I MISS???
• i lost my homework and i dont know where to get another copy can you send me another one

4. Use a proper greeting. In fancy language, this is called a salutation. I’m not fancy. In most scenarios, when writing an email to your teacher, you will use “Dear Ms. Smith” – or whatever your teacher’s name is. If you have had your teacher for more than a few weeks, it is okay to use “Hi Ms. Smith.” In either case, always close your salutation with a comma.

Examples of good email greetings:

• Dear Mr. Smith,
• Hi Mrs. Jones,

Examples of bad email greetings:

• What’s up. 

5. Introduce yourself. Unless you’re in elementary school and you only have one teacher, the first sentence of your email should clearly and directly state who you are. Don’t skip this step even if your email address contains your name. Keep this information basic and relevant (your teacher/boss doesn’t need to know your shoe size). Do not write more than one sentence.

Examples of good introductory sentences:

• This is Maria Ricci – I am in your A-period chemistry class.
• This is Chrissy Holmes, and I am in your Tuesday night Economics 101 lecture.

6. Write a brief overview sentence. This is an important , simple, single sentence that clearly states why you are writing the email. It should be similar to your subject line. If this sentence doesn’t match your subject line, go back and edit your subject line.

Examples of good overview sentences:

• I’m writing to you because I was absent on Tuesday and I have some questions about what I missed.
• I’m emailing you to follow up about our conversation we had after class yesterday.
• I’m writing to you because I’m looking for some extra help with the material we covered this week.

7. Write the email body. This is where you state your message and/or ask your questions, and is the whole reason you are writing. Be direct, be clear, and be brief. Ideally, this section should be five sentences or less. If you have multiple questions, use bullet points. If your sentences are long, then use extra line breaks (paragraphs) to separate the text into smaller chunks. (See the extra tips below for more about paragraph size and readability.)

8. Thank your teacher/boss and close out the email. Again, keep this part of your email brief.

Examples of good email closures:

Thank you! Sincerely,  Meggan Meggles

I appreciate your help. Billy Bob

9. Proof before sending. Don’t skip this step! Read the email aloud to yourself to catch any funky parts, and review the email for spelling errors or word-choice errors. For the love of everything holy, capitalize your “I”s.

Now that you know how to write an email to your teacher (or boss), consider the following tips as well.

1. Keep paragraphs to no more than four-ish sentences each. 

2. Limit exclamation points. If you simply MUST use one, limit yourself to one exclamation point per email.

3. Avoid blame and take responsibility. If you’re emailing your teacher about an issue you have with your grade or about a problem you’re having, be careful with your wording. Instead of “I don’t get why you gave me an F!” you could write “I got an F on the assignment, and I’m hoping you could help me understand what I did wrong.” Taking ownership is a much better approach and will increase the chances of your teacher helping you.

4. For high-stakes emails – like if you’re emailing your principal or boss – send the email to yourself first. Doing so gives you one last chance to proof it for dumb mistakes and/or errors in tone.

5. Keep it short. Any email longer than 10-12 sentences is better off as a phone call or an in-person meeting

6. Don’t overdo formatting. Avoid colors, weird fonts, all-capital letters, and excessive bold and italics. An appropriate place to use bold might be to highlight dates and times, like in the following example:

Would you be able to meet with me on Tuesday, November 20th at 2:00 ?

7. Avoid jokes and sarcasm. Save the humor and sarcasm for in-person conversations, as it’s easy for the recipient to misinterpret your tone without hearing your voice or seeing your body language / facial expressions.

Emailing is an effective and efficient form of communication when done correctly. So keep it simple, keep it respectful, and PROOFREAD!

Here are the 4 pillars of email management for students . If you’re overwhelmed in your inbox, follow these 4 steps.

If you struggle with asking for help, here are some key tips for you .

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How to Write an Email to a Teacher: A Comprehensive Guide

Published on July 1st, 2024

Writing an email to a teacher can be intimidating for many students, but it's an essential skill that can greatly enhance your communication and academic success. Whether you need to ask a question, request a meeting, or address a sensitive issue, knowing how to craft a professional and effective email is crucial. This guide will cover all the points in a detailed way, provide different scenarios for writing an email to a teacher, and give extensive examples to illustrate the process.

Importance of Writing a Good Email to a Teacher

Why it matters.

• Professionalism : Writing a well-structured email demonstrates your professionalism and respect for your teacher's time.
• Clarity : A clear and concise email helps convey your message effectively, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings.
• Building Relationships : Good communication can strengthen your relationship with your teacher, leading to better academic support and guidance.

Key Components of an Effective Email

• Subject Line : A clear and specific subject line helps the teacher understand the purpose of your email at a glance.
• Greeting : A polite and appropriate greeting sets a respectful tone.
• Body : The main content of the email should be clear, concise, and well-organized.
• Closing : A courteous closing leaves a positive impression.
• Signature : Including your name and relevant details helps the teacher identify you easily.

How to Write an Email to a Teacher: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: use a professional email address.

Use an email address that includes your name or initials. Avoid using informal or playful email addresses, as they can seem unprofessional.

• Good: [email protected]
• Bad: [email protected]

Step 2: Write a Clear Subject Line

The subject line should clearly indicate the purpose of your email. Keep it concise but informative.

• "Question About Homework Assignment"
• "Request for Meeting to Discuss Project"
• "Clarification Needed on Exam Topics"

Step 3: Start with a Polite Greeting

Begin your email with a polite greeting. Use "Dear" followed by the teacher's title and last name.

• "Dear Mr. Johnson,"
• "Dear Dr. Smith,"
• "Dear Professor Brown,"

Step 4: Introduce Yourself (If Necessary)

If you haven't communicated with the teacher via email before, briefly introduce yourself. Mention your name, class, and any other relevant details.

Example : "My name is John Smith, and I am a student in your 10th-grade English class."

Step 5: State the Purpose of Your Email

Clearly state the reason for your email in the opening sentence. Be direct and to the point.

• "I am writing to ask for clarification on the homework assignment due next week."
• "I would like to request a meeting to discuss my project on renewable energy."

Step 6: Provide Necessary Details

Include any relevant details that the teacher might need to understand your request or question. Be specific and concise.

• "Regarding the homework assignment, I am unsure about the instructions for question 3."
• "I am available to meet on Monday or Wednesday after school. Please let me know which time works best for you."

Step 7: Ask Politely for a Response or Action

Politely request a response or the action you need from the teacher. Use phrases like "Could you please" or "I would appreciate it if."

• "Could you please clarify the instructions for question 3?"
• "I would appreciate it if we could schedule a meeting to discuss my project."

Step 8: Close with a Polite Closing

End your email with a polite closing. Common closings include "Sincerely," "Best regards," and "Thank you."

• "Sincerely, John Smith"
• "Best regards, John Smith"
• "Thank you, John Smith"

Step 9: Proofread Your Email

Before sending your email, take a moment to proofread it for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Ensure that your email is clear and professional.

Step 10: Send the Email

Once you have proofread your email, send it. Make sure to follow up if you don't receive a response within a reasonable time frame.

Different Scenarios for Writing an Email to a Teacher

Scenario 1: asking for clarification on an assignment.

Subject Line : Question About Homework Assignment Greeting : Dear Mr. Johnson, Introduction : My name is John Smith, and I am a student in your 10th-grade English class. Purpose : I am writing to ask for clarification on the homework assignment due next week. Details : Regarding the assignment, I am unsure about the instructions for question 3. Could you please provide more details on what is expected? Closing : Thank you for your help. Signature : Sincerely, John Smith

Scenario 2: Requesting a Meeting

Subject Line : Request for Meeting to Discuss Project Greeting : Dear Dr. Smith, Introduction : My name is Jane Doe, and I am a student in your Environmental Science class. Purpose : I would like to request a meeting to discuss my project on renewable energy. Details : I am available to meet on Monday or Wednesday after school. Please let me know which time works best for you. Closing : Thank you for your time. Signature : Best regards, Jane Doe

Scenario 3: Informing About an Absence

Subject Line : Notification of Absence Greeting : Dear Professor Brown, Introduction : My name is Michael Lee, and I am in your Sociology 101 class. Purpose : I am writing to inform you that I will be absent from class on Friday due to a medical appointment. Details : I will make sure to catch up on any missed work and will be available to meet if needed to discuss the missed material. Closing : Thank you for your understanding. Signature : Thank you, Michael Lee

Scenario 4: Requesting an Extension

Subject Line : Request for Extension on Assignment Greeting : Dear Mrs. Taylor, Introduction : My name is Emily Clark, and I am in your History class. Purpose : I am writing to request an extension on the research paper due next Monday. Details : Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have not been able to complete my research on time. I would appreciate it if I could have an additional week to submit the paper. Closing : Thank you for considering my request. Signature : Best regards, Emily Clark

Scenario 5: Expressing Gratitude

Subject Line : Thank You for Your Support Greeting : Dear Mr. Anderson, Introduction : My name is Sarah Johnson, and I am a student in your Mathematics class. Purpose : I am writing to express my gratitude for your support and guidance throughout the semester. Details : Your extra help sessions were invaluable, and I feel much more confident in my understanding of the material. Closing : Thank you once again for your dedication and support. Signature : Sincerely, Sarah Johnson

Examples of Emails to Teachers Asking for Clarification

Subject Line : Clarification Needed on Exam Topics

Dear Dr. Miller,

My name is Alex Turner, and I am a student in your Biology 101 class. I am writing to ask for clarification on the topics covered in the upcoming exam.

Could you please confirm if chapters 5 and 6 will be included in the exam? Additionally, are there any specific areas within these chapters that we should focus on?

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards, Alex Turner

Subject Line : Request for Meeting to Discuss Grades

Dear Mrs. Thompson,

My name is Lisa Kim, and I am in your Chemistry class. I would like to request a meeting to discuss my recent test scores and find ways to improve.

I am available to meet on Tuesday or Thursday during your office hours. Please let me know which time works best for you.

Thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely, Lisa Kim

Subject Line : Notification of Absence Due to Family Emergency

Dear Professor Green,

My name is David Wilson, and I am in your Economics class. I am writing to inform you that I will be absent from class on Wednesday due to a family emergency.

I will make arrangements to catch up on any missed work and would appreciate any notes or resources you can provide.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards, David Wilson

Subject Line : Request for Extension on Lab Report

Dear Mr. Brown,

My name is Anna White, and I am in your Physics class. I am writing to request an extension on the lab report due next Friday.

Due to unexpected technical issues with the lab equipment, I have not been able to complete my experiments on time. I would appreciate it if I could have an additional week to submit the report.

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely, Anna White

Subject Line : Thank You for Your Guidance and Support

Dear Mrs. Johnson,

My name is Mark Davis, and I am a student in your Literature class. I am writing to express my gratitude for your guidance and support throughout the semester.

Your feedback on my essays has been incredibly helpful, and I have learned so much from your classes.

Thank you once again for your dedication and support.

Best regards, Mark Davis

Using AI Tools to Improve Your Emails

Ai email generator.

If you find it challenging to compose emails, you can use an AI email generator to help you craft well-structured and effective emails. The   AI Email Generator can provide you with templates and suggestions tailored to your needs.

AI Detector

Before sending your email, it's essential to ensure that your language is appropriate and professional. An   AI Detector can help you analyze your email for tone and appropriateness, ensuring that it meets the standards expected in academic communication.

Email Finder

If you need to find your teacher's email address, an   Email Lookup tool can help you locate the correct contact information quickly and efficiently.

AI Answer Generator

If you have a specific question or need detailed information, an   AI Answer Generator can help you find accurate and relevant answers, which you can then incorporate into your email.

Paraphrasing Tool

To ensure that your email is clear and concise, you can use a   Paraphrasing Tool to rewrite any sections that might be too verbose or unclear.

Writing an effective email to a teacher is an essential skill that can enhance your academic communication and foster better relationships with your instructors. By following the detailed steps and scenarios outlined in this guide, you can craft professional and effective emails that convey your message clearly and respectfully. Remember to use the tools available, such as the   AI Email Generator , to improve your email writing process and ensure that your communication is polished and professional. With these strategies and examples, you are well-equipped to handle any email communication with your teachers, ensuring that your interactions are effective and respectful.

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February 15, 2019

What should I write in an email to my teacher?

by Nicholas Walker , under Writing skills

Students aren’t often aware of the impact of their emails on their teachers. Well-written emails strengthen the relationship. Poorly-written emails will arouse resistance and opposition. You don’t want that.

Teachers are committed to helping students succeed and prosper. Really.

It only makes sense for students to learn to write emails that maximize their chances of getting the help and support they want and need from the people who want to help and support them.

Here are a few things to keep in mind the next time you send an email to your teacher.

• Write your email in English. English teachers like that.
• Write an information-rich subject line: Online quiz problem in Lesson 4
• Begin with a salutation followed by a comma: Dear Professor Walker,
• Show some concern for the person reading the email: I hope you are having a good day. 
• Remind your teacher how he knows you: I’m in your Monday 8-11 class.
• Say why you are writing your email: I am writing this email to tell you about a problem I am having and to ask you for your help. 
• Be specific and get to the point: For some reason, I wasn’t able to do the online reading quiz on Labodanglais.com in Lesson 4. The quiz closed without warning, and it gave me a score of zero.
• Politely say what you want: Could you reset the quiz for me when you get the chance?
• Show some gratitude: I would really appreciate it. 
• Say when you will contact the teacher again: See you in class on Monday.
• Close with a standard greeting: Best wishes,
• Add your name: Justin Trudeau
• Check your email for errors using the Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker .

SUBJECT:   Online quiz problem in Lesson 4 Dear Professor Walker, I hope you are having a good day. I’m in your Monday 8-11 class. I am writing this email to tell you about a problem I am having and to ask you for your help. For some reason, I wasn’t able to do the online reading quiz on Labodanglais.com in Lesson 4. The quiz closed without warning, and it gave me a score of zero. Could you reset the quiz for me when you get the chance? I would really appreciate it.  See you in class on Monday. Best wishes, Justin Trudeau

Don’ts

• Don’t forget any of the steps listed above.
• Don’t repeat any of the steps listed above in any subsequent exchanges. It usually isn’t necessary since the email thread will contain all of the previous pleasantries.

Big mistakes students make

Some students write their emails angry and confused.

You can imagine a student suddenly feeling very needy and a little annoyed while doing his or her homework. Something went wrong. Because of the pressure that student feels, he or she decides to get help from the teacher with a particular problem. However, instead of thinking how to get the teacher to sympathize and then assist with the problem, the student decides to share his or her annoyance and complain.

The website bugged on me and gave me zero on a quiz. I am not happy.

Many teachers will simply choose to ignore an impolite student’s email. Other teachers will engage. I tend to engage. I figure that I have a job to do. The student obviously doesn’t know how to communicate effectively in English, I have made a commitment to assist students outside of the classroom with office hours and emails, so it is my job to help students communicate. I might ask a few pointed questions.

Who are you? Why are you being so rude? Which website? Which quiz? Which course? Which group? What do you want? Best wishes, Nicholas Walker

I realize that the tone of such a reply is rather hostile, but I’m no pushover. The student wanted a frank exchange. Wish granted.

The real issue is this. Whether your teacher responds or not, the opportunity to build and strengthen the relationship between the teacher and the student will have been lost. Now, the relationship is infused with annoyance and frustration on both sides.

The big solution

If you are a student, learn how to write a proper email. You will get better results.

If you are a teacher, take a minute to communicate your expectations. If this blog post helps, please feel free to share it.

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How to Write an Email to a Teacher (11 FAQs Answered)

When it comes to interacting with academic staff, you can go for a quick face-to-face conversation in most cases. However, if you need your teacher’s help outside of their office hours, it’s best to send them a formal email.

Students usually email their educators for assignment clarification, deadline extension, or help with a specific project. There are plenty of formal email templates online, and we’ll list some of them in this article too.

If you’re trying to figure out how to write an email to a teacher and need to do it for the first time, you’re likely to be confused or anxious about receiving a response. We’re here to help with step-by-step instructions. Keep reading to learn how you should address your teacher, the proper way to write and reply to a formal email, and more teacher emailing tips.

Sending a Mail to a Teacher — Dos and Don’ts

1. how to write a formal email to a teacher.

(Grammar.yourdictionary.com)

Both students and parents may need to correspond with educators occasionally. The formality level applies whether you need to write an absence email to your child’s school, ask about class performance, or have assignment questions as a student. Keep in mind that some tutors may be more easy-going and allow or encourage less formality in the communication.

The general emailing guidelines include using a clear subject line, starting with a correct greeting, ending with a formal salutation, and being respectful throughout. These are just some of the basic instructions on how to write an email to a teacher. Make sure to structure your email as a formal letter and keep it short. 

Open up a Word document and type the email there to ensure you don’t accidentally send it before it’s finished. Remember to proofread it. Once you’ve completed the email, send it from your school email address to the email your teacher has given you.

2. How to address a teacher in an email?

(Insidehighered.com)

Now that you are familiar with the basics of writing a formal email, it’s time to move on to specifics.

Your teacher should know what the email is about at first glance. They may receive numerous emails from students, so being straight to the point saves time and makes communication easier. This is why your subject line is important. Moreover, there are certain salutations for teachers that you should use to start an email. For example, you can greet a teacher with a “Hello” or a “Good afternoon.” Remember to add their title and last name. 

Avoid writing the email the same way you would text your friends, as it’s not appropriate, even if you’re friendly with your teacher during the class. There’s no need to use abbreviations, and make sure to use correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

3. How to start an email to a teacher?

(STEM diversity network)

“Hello” and “Good afternoon” are just examples of formal greetings. “Good morning” or “Dear” followed by your educator’s title and last name are also acceptable. Tip: words like “hey” or “hi” would be too informal.

After an appropriate salutation, you should introduce yourself with your name and class or course. Be mindful of their time and clearly state what they can help you with. If needed, suggest meeting in person for further discussion.

4. How to end an email to a teacher?

(Howtodiscuss.com)

Conclude the email by thanking your teacher for their time, assistance, or advice. Put a formal signature at the very end of your email. A good example of what you can end your email with is “Sincerely,” “Best wishes,” or “Thank you,” followed by your full name.

Once you’ve completed the email, reread it to check its contents, and proofread it. You’re then ready to send it.

5. How to write an email to a professor?

(Academic Positions)

If you’ve already sent emails to your teacher in the past, you’ll notice writing an email to a professor isn’t all that different. Start it off with a proper salutation and be straightforward, but provide enough context so they can remember you and respond to your question faster. Avoid explaining what happened in your personal life and focus on the issue. Sign off appropriately and use your university email address to send it.

6. How to write an email to a teacher asking for something?

(Moviecultists.com)

You may need to email your teacher to ask for notes, help with your assignment, or solve other potential issues with your schoolwork or homework. Asking for something comes down to being polite and concise with your request. If you need to email multiple educators, open up with “Dear professors” or “Greetings.” Make sure to use a proper email format like the one we’ve dissected in the previous sections and end with a formal closing.

7. How to write an email to a teacher about grades?

(World Scholarship Forum)

If you’re struggling in a class, it’s okay to ask your educator to help you get better grades. You can come back to this article at various levels of your education, be it school or college. You don’t need a specific email format to ask about grades. However, you can find a sample email to send to your professor regarding your grade online. Always follow the general emailing guidelines listed here, whether you’re sending an email to a teacher or professor.

The point of emailing your tutor about grades is to find out why you received a poor grade and how to improve it. You can explain that you want to excel or express concern about a grade on a particular paper you wrote. You may ask for a chance to improve your grade through an additional assignment. Remember to add your class details when sending an email to your teacher about your grades.

Students usually ask for an assignment replacement, a chance to get one more grade, or take a grade out of a particular assignment. If you’re concerned about a grade, feel free to ask for clarification, either via email or in person. Keep a respectful tone, avoid blame-shifting, and show that you’re willing to do what it takes to improve.

8. How to email a teacher for a letter of recommendation?

(Cleverism.com)

Whether you’re applying for a graduate program, an internship, or a job, you may need to ask your educator for a letter of recommendation at some point. It’s highly suggested to do this in person, but emailing a professor that knows you well is also a good starting point. Along with your resume and cover letter, a letter of recommendation will set you apart from other candidates and thus increase your chances of getting accepted. 

Knowing how to write an email to a teacher is essential, whether you’re asking for grade improvement or a letter of recommendation. Being patient with a reply after you’ve sent it is important, as your educator is busy and will need to take their time writing a quality letter for you. Aim to send a letter of recommendation request at least a month before you’ll actually need it.

9. How to write an email to an old teacher?

(The Life Virtue)

If your past teacher has impacted your life in a meaningful way, you may want to thank them for everything they’ve done for you. You already know the basics of corresponding with academic staff. While maintaining a respectful tone is still necessary, writing to your old teacher is also an opportunity to express a more personal side of things in a positive manner.

A thank you email to your teacher should be proper, since it allows you to expand on what you’re thanking them for. It doesn’t have to be short and straightforward. You can write about how your tutor has inspired you, directed you, or changed you for the better. You can thank them for being a good role model or helping you discover your hidden talents.

When emailing a former teacher to say thank you, you can incorporate any thoughts of appreciation. Feel free to make it a heartfelt thank you letter. In addition to what we’ve already mentioned, they may have helped you polish a skill or pushed you to be the best you could be. If they understood and encouraged you to face a problem during your education, you can include that as well.

10. How to respond to a teacher email?

(Eliteprep.com)

Whether you’re communicating with a teacher or a college professor, you should reply once you receive their response. Remember to start with a salutation and end with an appropriate signature, just like you did in your initial email. Use correct spacing to avoid creating a hard-to-read block of text. Replying to the response ensures you’re formally thanking the tutor for taking the time to respond and give you the information you need.

11. When is it not ok to write an email to a teacher?

(Bid4papers.com)

We’ve covered a list of good reasons to send an email to your teacher. You’ve learned that you shouldn’t burden an educator with personal problems and excuses. You can send an email about a specific question anytime, but teachers generally respond in the early morning or after students leave school.

As long as you aren’t rude and know the proper way to email a teacher, you can ask about almost anything you need help with. However, discussing other students and making excuses for not doing a test are highly inappropriate. This also applies to asking for deadline extensions or extra credits when you haven’t been doing your schoolwork.

Knowing how to write an email to a teacher is a skill you’ll need throughout your education, so it’s best to learn early on. Most emails sent to educators are centered around specific questions. However, some email types may give you more leeway to interact with academic staff more informally. Thanking an old teacher or professor is an opportunity to express your gratitude for their positive influence on you during your studies. Being less formal with your current teacher is acceptable if they give you the green light to do so.

Grammar.yourdictionary.com Insidehighered.com STEM diversity network Howtodiscuss.com Academic Positions Moviecultists.com World Scholarship Forum Cleverism.com The Life Virtue Eliteprep.com Bid4papers.com

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How to Write an Email to a Professor (With Examples)

By Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

How to email a professor in 7 steps, email to professor examples.

Emailing your professor can be a daunting task.

Writing professional emails is never easy, but composing an email to a professor can feel especially nerve-racking. After all, your professors have a lot of control over your academic success and your future career, so you don't want to make a mistake.

So, how exactly do you write a successful email to a professor?

In this article, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide for how to write an email to your professor, plus a set of email templates you can use.

We’ve broken the process of emailing your professor into seven simple steps.

Step 1: How to Write the Subject Line

Start by writing a clear, concise subject line for your email.

Your subject line should be specific to your situation. Ideally, your professor should understand why you’re emailing them without even having to open the body of your message.

For example, if you’re emailing to request an extension for a research paper, you can use the subject line “Research paper deadline extension.” Or, if you’re emailing to ask for a clarification about the syllabus, you can use the subject line “Question about class syllabus.”

Step 2: How to Address a Professor in an Email

You should start your email with a formal salutation.

You can use formal greetings, such as “Dear” or “Hi,” followed by your teacher’s preferred title, whether that’s “Professor [Last Name],” “Mr. [Last Name],” “Ms. [Last Name],” or simply “[First Name].”

If you’re not sure about your professor’s title, “Dear Professor [Last Name]” is always a safe bet.

Step 3: How to Start an Email to a Teacher

Start your email by introducing yourself and explaining which class you’re in. For example, you might write, “My name is Hannah, and I’m a freshman in your ENGL 453 class.”

It’s common for professors to teach multiple classes, especially at large universities, so they don’t always know all their students by name. If you’re emailing from your academic account, they’ll likely be able to see your full name in the system, but it’s still better to be safe than sorry.  

Of course, if you’ve already established a working relationship with your professor, and they know who you are, you don’t have to introduce yourself. Instead, you can start your email with a friendly greeting, such as “I hope your week is going well” or “Happy Friday!”

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Step 4: How to Explain Your Request

Now that you’ve finished your introduction, it’s time to explain all the essential information about why you’re writing this message.

Professors lead busy lives, so try to keep the body of your email as concise as possible. Don’t use a whole paragraph when a single sentence would do.

Try to keep a professional tone while you explain your request. You don’t need to sound overly stiff, but you should generally avoid using slang or making jokes.

If you’re writing about an issue that includes personal details, such as a health issue or the loss of a loved one, it’s okay to be vague when explaining your reasons. Don’t feel pressure to include details about your personal life that you’re not comfortable sharing.

Finally, be specific about what kind of follow-up action you’re requesting from your professor, if any. For example, you can write, “Please let me know if it would be possible to extend the deadline,” or “Please send me your feedback on this draft at your earliest convenience.”  

Step 5: How to End an Email to a Professor

You can end the body of your email with a simple expression of gratitude. You can write something like, “Thank you for your understanding and support,” or simply “Thanks for your time.”

Step 6: How to Sign Off an Email

Sign off your email with a simple closing salutation, followed by your first name.

Keep it simple and polite. Popular choices include “Best,” “Thanks,” “Sincerely,” and “Regards.”

Step 7: Edit Your Email with ProWritingAid

You don’t want to send your professor an email riddled with grammar mistakes, especially if it’s your English professor! And even if they teach a different subject, like math or biology, you still want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.

Editing your email with ProWritingAid can help you avoid mistakes. Our editing tool will correct grammar errors, spelling typos, and weak word choices.

You can even ask the tool to help you ensure you’re using a formal tone so your email doesn’t come across as casual or unprofessional.

Now that we’ve gone over the seven steps for writing an email to a professor, let’s look at some examples.

Here are some email templates you can use, depending on your specific situation.  

Sick Email to Professor Example

Subject line: Missing class today

Dear Professor [Last Name],

My name is [your name], and I’m a student in your class [class name]. I’m writing to let you know that I won’t be able to make it to class today, due to health issues. [Insert details if needed].

Please let me know what material we’ll be covering so I can make it up before the next class.

[Your name]

Sample Email to Professor Asking for Help

Subject line: Help with [class name]

My name is [your name]. I’ve been really struggling with your class [class name] this semester, and I’m having a hard time understanding [details].

Would you have time to sit down with me and help me better understand the material? I would welcome any support you can offer.

Thank you in advance! I look forward to hearing from you.

How to Email a Professor About a Grade

Subject line: My grade for [assignment/exam name]

I hope your week is off to a good start!

I recently received my grade for [assignment/exam name], and it was lower than I expected. Could you please tell me where I lost points?

I know you have a busy schedule, but I would really appreciate more details, since I’m sure that information could also help me improve my grades in the future.

Thank you so much for your time!

Sample Email to Professor for Research

Subject line: Research opportunities in your lab

I hope you’re doing well!

My name is [your name], and I’m a [year, major]. I’m writing to ask about research opportunities in your lab next semester.

I’m really interested in the topic you’re researching because [details], and I have experience conducting research with [previous experience, if any].

Please let me know if you have any openings that might be suitable for me. I look forward to hearing from you!

How to Write an Apology Email for Missing a Class

Subject line: Missing class yesterday

I hope your week is going well.

I’m writing to apologize for missing your class [class name] yesterday. I was unable to attend because [details].

I know it was an important class and that I shouldn’t have missed it. I’ll do my best to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Extension Email to Professor Example

Subject line: Extension for [Assignment Name]

My name is [your name], and I’m a student in your class [class name]. I’m writing to request an extension for our assignment about [assignment details].

I’ve been struggling to complete the assignment in time because of [reasons]. I would really appreciate it if you could extend the deadline to [new deadline date], due to my situation.

Please let me know if that would be okay. Thank you so much for your flexibility.

Thanks again,

How to Write a Follow-Up Email to a Professor

Subject line: Follow-up re: [subject]

I recently emailed you about [topic].

I’m just writing to follow up on my previous email and make sure you’ve received it. If you have, please let me know when I can expect a reply.

Thank you again for your time!

Warm regards,

How to Email a Professor About Getting Into Their Class

Subject line: Joining your class [class name]

My name is [your name], and I’m a [year, major] at [school name]. I’m interested in joining your class [class name]. I’m really fascinated by [topic] because [reasons], and I’ve heard that your class is a must-take class for students interested in [topic].

I don’t know how much demand there is for the class, but I’m curious if there’s anything I should do in advance to increase my chances of getting into the class.

Thank you for your consideration! I look forward to hearing from you.  

There you have it—our guide for composing a clear and professional email to a professor.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah Yang

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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How to email a teacher about an assignment

In our student life, we need to write an email to the teachers regarding our assignments, projects, and other reasons. Hence, if you are looking at how to email a teacher about an assignment, we will provide you proper guidance on it, and you have to follow it step by step to email your teacher. Apart from this, we will serve you email samples so that you can get an idea from them.

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Steps to email your teacher-

Table of Contents

For a professional email, you have to follow these steps-

Make your mind-

Your first step is to be sure that you need to email your teacher about an assignment. If you face any problem while writing your assignment and can not seek a solution to other sources, you can email your teacher in respect of that question.

But initially, you should try to get the answer from your friends and other online sources because your teacher does not have much time to answer your question.

Your teachers have many responsibilities to handle, but if you are unable to get the answer and email is the last option, you don’t need to think a lot; email your teacher and ask his or her favor.

Use a professional email id-

It will be looking unprofessional if you use a non-educational or unprofessional email address. Use an email address that is appropriate for academic purposes. For example, you are using the email address have fun##[email protected]. It is an unprofessional id for educational purposes. It should be like [email protected], and it should include your first name and last name and then the domain of your id.

Include a clear subject line-

Your subject line tells the reader what your question is? and what you are going to ask your teacher. If you don’t know how to email a teacher about an assignment with an unambiguous subject, you can check the format online and ask your friends and peers. It should involve the course name and your query regarding the course. For instance-

• Query regarding (chemistry) assignment
• (Biology)- want to do a meeting

Use impressive email greeting-

Do not forget you are writing an email to your teacher so you must use greeting words for the teacher. Write the proper name of your teacher, and a comma should follow it. Do not use informal words like ‘hey, ‘what’s up’. Always use Dear Professor (last name). One more thing you have to remember: don’t call your teacher with his or her first name unless they allow you to do so. Write your email in a polite form.

If your teacher is Ph.D. then use Dr. before his or her name like-

Dear/Dr./Professor/Mr./Mrs./Ms. (last name). Dear Dr. Johnson Dear Mrs. Karlo

Do not forget to mention your name-

A teacher has to handle many students in his job tenure, and it is not always possible to remind individuals’ names. To save the recipient time and respond fastly, it is advisable to mention your name and course. You can write as-.

My name is Marry Carlo, from Chemistry 1D, Section 2.

Be straightforward in the body text-

Now it’s time to put your query and request in the body text after greeting the teacher and writing your name. Make a simple and clear statement so the reader can understand it without any hitch. When he or she is able to understand your point of what you are trying to convey, the teacher can give you a clear response.

Avoid extra sentences in your body and focus on your question because your teacher does not have unlimited time to read the irrelevant sentences in your body. Write your body text concisely.

For instance- I am facing problems regarding the Chemistry assignment , and I am confused about the chemical reaction. I want to meet you if you have time.

Come to an end-

Now politely end your email and leave a professional signature at the bottom of the text. For example, you can write-

Thank you for your valuable time, and have a nice day. Obediently, Marry Carlo

Do proofreading-

Now revise your text and make sure you have written the email in a formal context because now you know how to email a teacher about an assignment. Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes and correct them. To quickly do so, get help from a grammar checker . Utilizing the tool will completely eliminate the need for you to manually find and fix grammar mistakes in the email. Remove extra words from your text. Apart from this, avoid emojis and other informal words. Do not make your text complex and unclear.

Ask your teacher’s email address

Now your email is ready, but before sending it, you need your teacher’s email address. You can ask your teacher for the email address, and you can get it from other students, teachers, and even from the parents.

Click send button-

Now, after editing and getting the teacher’s email address, click the send button and check if it is sent or not; if yes, be patient for the reply; otherwise, click the retry button.

If you have to email your teacher for a letter of recommendation-

You can use this sample when you are looking for a recommendation from your teacher for the future. And give time to your teacher so that he can think about it and can give you a good recommendation.

From – sender’s email address

Date -Current date

To – Recipient’s email address

CC – When you have to send the email to more than one person, write their email address here otherwise leave this area blank.

Subject – Letter of Recommendation for………..

Dear Sir (last name),

My name is Marry Carlo. I was a student of (course name) in ABC school or college. Now I am thinking of joining an internship summer program for graduates at(place name). I appreciate your efforts in my growing time as a student. I need a recommendation letter for it, so i will be very thankful to you for writing it for me. I have attached the required documents file for reference.

I am waiting for your response.

Yours faithfully Marry Carlo

So the above sample of how to email a teacher about an assignment is sufficient. You can mold your answer according to your subject and situation.

When you have to fix the meeting with the teacher-

If there is a need to fix the meeting with the teacher regarding your assignment.

Subject- Meeting about(problem)

Dear Sir (last name)

My name is Rosemary, and I am studying in(course name) in the ABC college.I started to write my assignment for (topic name) and I have a query to check my command on the topic. I am confused between two terms(name those terms). I want to clear my doubt by discussing face to face, so if you have time, could I meet you in your office.

I am waiting for your valuable response.

Yours Sincerely Rose Marry

Some Do’s and Don’t of an email writing to teacher –

If you want to know how to email a teacher about an assignment in an effective way then you have to take care of some points.

Do’s-

• Email your teacher when necessary.
• Make a clear subject line.
• Write your email politely.
• Make it concise.
• Use salutations
• Use formal words or sentences
• Do editing before submitting.

Don’t-

• Do not over-explain your problem or query.
• Do not send emotional emails to your teacher.
• It is not recommended to communicate everything through email.
• Do not use complex or obscure sentences in your body text. keep it simple.
• Do not use casual words like Hey and what’s up.
• Don’t panic to get the response of your teacher. Give him or her time.

Conclusion-

Email is a fast and cheap mode of communication. It involves composing, sending and storing, and receiving messages. We use email for different purposes, and in student life, we have to send emails to our teachers and other students. Especially when you get assignments from your teachers, you should know how to email a teacher about an assignment because it can affect your academic grades. So follow the ways we discussed earlier to mail your teacher.

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How To Write A Clear, Polite Email To A Teacher — With Examples

Yes, even when you’re big mad.

Why is it that approaching our kids' teachers can spike our anxiety? Maybe it's past trauma from our grade school years. Perhaps it's the fact that emotions run high when it comes to our kids, so we know a tense conversation could be the outcome . Whatever the reason, it's something that we parents will definitely have to overcome since, at some point in each child's K-12 years , the need to communicate with their teachers will inevitably come up. Fortunately, it will probably be as easy as shooting over an email (especially in this digital age). But that prospect isn't without worries, either. You might even be wondering how to write an email to a teacher in a way that is appropriate, respectful, and conveys the point you're trying to make.

Depending on the matter you're reaching out to discuss, it could either be a breeze or perhaps a little awkward. But isn't that a big chunk of parenthood — facing awkward situations caused by the little people in our lives? With the right approach, this doesn't have to be one of them. So, if you're curious about the proper protocol, stick around for a few examples.

Subject Line

Teachers get a slew of emails, so keeping it short but informative will help them differentiate between an important email and one that can wait. It can also help them identify which one of their students it concerns and what it pertains to.

Instead of:

" Homework question… "

" Question about Gabe's math homework due this week "

If you've never met your child's teacher before (which might be the case for many parents these days), play it safe and stick with something polite and formal. A good rule of thumb is to address teachers the same way your child would.

"Hey, Sarah!"

"Good morning, Ms. Brown!" (And use "Ms." if you're unsure of their marital status.)

Email Body and Format

Teachers are busy! Remember, they have an average of 24 students. Keeping your email clear and concise is just one way to show your respect for their time. If the matter requires a lengthier conversation, don't jump right into the meatier stuff in your initial email. Instead, give the teacher a clear understanding of what you need to discuss, ask them for their availability, and, if possible, express your flexibility in setting up a chat.

"Gabe is having problems with some of his classmates that, from what I understand, are due to an incident on the playground a few weeks ago. He says Megan excluded him from a basketball game, which made him really sad..."

"I'm concerned about Gabe's relationship with his fellow classmates, and I'd like to set up a brief chat with you so we can resolve the issue. Please let me know your availability for next week. I'm flexible."

Tone of Voice

Teaching isn't an easy job, and most teachers do it because they truly care about the education of children — including yours. Using a respectful tone when emailing your child's teacher is not just an option; it's simply the right thing to do. If a teacher has done or said something that you feel is inappropriate, remain respectful and take up the matter with the principal or other school official, if necessary.

"I don't appreciate that you've been sending home so much homework. It's really a lot to deal with, and it's overwhelming for my child!"

"Keeping up with the homework assignments has been a bit of a challenge for our family. Is it possible to make some adjustments?"

Attachments

Sometimes you may need to add an attachment to your email, like if your child is out sick and you need to submit their makeup classwork. Make sure your email mentions any attachments, and name each attachment appropriately. Also, remember that most email servers allow a maximum of 25 MB per attachment. Sending a link to a cloud drive is a great alternative to attachments.

Like the greeting, ending your email with a polite sign-off shows your respect and may even increase your chances of a quicker reply.

"Talk to you soon! – Gabe's mom"

"Thank you in advance for your time and reply! Sincerely, Melissa Smith (Gabe's mom)"

The next time you need to reach out to your child's teacher, you'll know exactly how to start and write an email that follows protocol and doesn't leave your index finger hovering over the send button in doubt.

Additional Tips for Emailing Teachers

Gone are the days of sending your kid to school with a note. Well, not completely, but email is instantaneous and way more efficient than using children as messengers. But these email interactions can sometimes be a little tricky and stressful. So, here are a few tips you can use when communicating with your child's teacher via email.

• Use your professional email address if you have one. Messages are more likely to get lost in your personal one.
• Before you add a link or attachment, ask yourself if it’s vital to the message. You don't want to clog the email with information the teacher may not need.
• In the email, push for a phone call or a face-to-face meeting. With kids, few issues can be resolved via email. It's best to get in front of the teacher if you can.
• As parents, we go to bat for our cubs no matter what, and you can still do that without hurting the relationship you have with your child's teacher. If you're especially teed off or emotional, take a beat and come back to writing the email a little later. You'll write a much clearer and concise email if you give yourself a little time.

*Keep in mind teachers don't blame parents for their child's actions. An educator's job includes juggling 10 to 20 children, each with their own personality and needs. It's important to remember to give teachers the benefit of the doubt. Teachers are part of the community used to raise a child, so try to see them first as team members instead of adversaries.

This article was originally published on March 18, 2022

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Aug 8, 2022

How to email a professor with 22 different examples

Learn how to email your professor (and what to avoid doing) and check out 22 sample emails to help you get started.

Lawrie Jones

Table of contents

Is there anything more nerve-racking than sending an email to a professor?

Every student will need to send an email to a professor at some point, whether you're asking for an extension, explaining an absence, or a little extra help. But how do you write an email to a professor?

In this guide on how to email a professor, we break down the steps to writing better messages. You'll learn the structure of a good email to a professor (and what to avoid).

And if this is not enough to convince you that it's easier than you might think, we finish off by providing 22 sample emails to a professor!

If you want to impress your professor with perfect grammar, make sure to try Flowrite :

How to send an email to a professor

So, how do you write an email to a professor? Professors are professional people who will be used to traditional email etiquette. That's not to say that you can't introduce some individuality into your emails; it's just important to show respect. 

You'll understand your relationship better than we do. You can be a little less formal if you feel it's appropriate.

Following the correct email etiquette is essential – and easy. In this article we break it down into steps to illustrate what we mean. We've also written about proper email etiquette on our blog before:

It's also important to keep emails short and to the point. Professors receive hundreds of messages daily and don't have time to delve too deeply to get the information they need. Say who you are, what you want, and why you're messaging upfront.

Should I send an email to a professor?

Classes can be busy, and a professor's time can be limited, so email is an ideal way to communicate with your Professor. Emails enable you to go into detail, create lists and spend time crafting a complex message.  

If your question or comment is urgent or sensitive, consider whether it's better to book a meeting or pull them aside for a chat. 

Only you can decide whether to email a professor.

How long should I wait for a reply?

Professors are people with busy lives and professional responsibilities, so you may need to wait for a reply. But how long should you wait for a response from your Professor?

There are no hard and fast rules on how long to wait for a reply, but the general rule is to give it two or three days before sending a follow-up. You can learn more in our guide on how to write a follow-up email.

Email format for messaging a professor

The email format for a professor should be familiar to anyone who understands the basics of messaging. Here's how it works:

• Subject line

• Body copy

• Signature

If you're unfamiliar with how to write a formal email, check out Flowrite blogs that delve deeper into what makes a great subject line, how to greet someone, appropriate sign-offs, and striking the right tone of voice. 

Subject line for an email to professor

Your subject line should spell out exactly what your message is about. Why? Because professors get hundreds of emails daily, they'll need a reason to open and respond to yours. 

We've provided some examples below.

How to greet a professor in an email

Professors should always be addressed using their titles. You can open an email in a few ways, such as:

• Dear Professor 

• Hi Professor

Avoid casual openings, such as "hey" or "how are you doing?". Instead, always uses your Professor's title to show respect, even if you start an email with "Hi" or "Hello."

How to address professor in email

We've covered the importance of using a professor's title in an email, but there's more to it. When discussing how to address a professor in an email, we're talking about the tone of voice – and getting that right can be tricky.

You'll want to be personal, but being too familiar can cause problems. We've written before about how to hit the right tone, so start there. Our examples below show how we've put this into practice.

How to start an email to a professor

An excellent way to start your email is by stating who you are and explaining what your message is about. As we've established, professors receive hundreds of messages every day, so they'll skim-read your message. Unless you're clear with what you want, you could find it binned.

You can see 22 examples of how to address your emails and get to the point as soon as possible.

How to sign off an email to professor

There are several ways you can end an email you a professor. Traditionally, you'd use "your sincerely," but today, you can be a little less formal. Some safe email endings to a professor include:

• Kind regards

• Yours sincerely

Email to professor examples

So, we've explained the basics of emailing your Professor; now it's time to put it into practice with samples. Here are 22 email to professor examples that should cover any scenario. So, whether you're asking for advice, access to a class, or a little extra support, we've got a template for you. 

22 sample emails to a professor

Here are 22 examples of how to email your Professor. These should cover a whole range of situations that you could find yourself in. As with all our templates, use them as inspiration, and be sure to adapt them to your specific situation. 

Ready to get writing to your Professor? Then let's begin.

1. How to write an excuse email to professor example

2. how to email professor for extension example, 3. how to email professor asking for extra credit example, 4. how to email a professor about failing a class example, 5. how to send a follow-up email to a professor, 6. how to write a formal email to a professor example, 7. how to email a professor about getting into their class example, 8. how to email a professor about a grade example, 9/ how to introduce yourself in an email to a professor example, 10. how to ask professor to accept late assignment email example, 11. how to email a professor for a letter of recommendation example, 12. how to email professor about missing class example, 13. how to write a polite email to a professor example, 14. how to write a professional email to a professor example, 15. how to write a proper email to a professor example, 16. how to ask a question to a professor email example, 17. how to write a reminder email to professor example, 18. how to reply back to a professor's email example, 19. how to email a professor about research example, 20/ how to schedule an appointment with a professor email example, 21. how to email professor about being sick example, 22. how to write a thank you email to a professor example, closing words.

Writing emails to a professor can cause mild anxiety, but it doesn't need to be so. We hope that breaking down how to email a professor into steps and providing a massive number of samples will help.

It's essential to understand the principles of crafting professional emails, such as an email to a professor – now it's time to put it into practice.

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How to Write an Email to a Teacher: The Ultimate Guide [+ Expert Tips and Templates]

How to write an email to a teacher:.

• Ensure you have a good reason for emailing.
• Use their school email account.
• Choose the right time to email a teacher.
• Craft a detailed subject line.
• Greet a teacher respectively.
• Be concise and clear
• Format your email for better readability
• Be polite and show gratitude
• Label any attached files properly
• End an email with your full name, class, and institution

In the post-COVID world of distance learning and online classes, emailing teachers is a sign of good manners, a channel for submitting essays and other assignments , and a chance to resolve any educational issues officially.

This article is your ultimate guide on how to write an email to a teacher. Try to remember and follow the tips mentioned here, and you won’t have to blush for your writing mistakes and low manners anymore.

Table of Contents:

• Your reasons for emailing a teacher
• Best time to email a teacher
• Subject lines
• Email structure and format
• Your tone of voice

Attachments

• How to end an email to a teacher
• Practical tips on how to email a professor
• Don’ts of how to email a teacher
• How to write an email to a teacher: templates

When It’s OK and Not OK to Email a Teacher

Emailing teachers is a formal procedure, so you shouldn’t burden them with dozens of messages every time you have a common question about a paper’s due date or general information about the course. Before you decide to email a professor, check the following information sources:

• the course syllabus
• the FAQ section of your teacher’s online discussion board (if they have any)
• the assignment description

The big chances are that you’ll find answers to your question there and won’t need to email a teacher. Teachers deal with many students and get dozens of emails daily, so why bother them with issues you can solve yourself?

And yet, there are some good-enough reasons when an email is a must. What are they?

Your Reasons for Emailing a Teacher

Jessica Robinson, Educator and Content Creator for The Speaking Polymath , suggest a deciding factor that can help students understand whether they should send an email to a teacher or not:

“If a teacher gets involved with students for assignments and homework only, it’s best to write an email on nothing but work. But in the case of more personal relationships and a teacher’s openness, it’s OK to write emails related to emotional problems as well. Bullying or any other insecurities at school can be a reason to address a teacher and ask for help.”

Good-enough reasons for emailing teachers :

• Inform about your illness or any other emergency
• Say that you’ll be absent in class and why
• Ask for an appointment to see a teacher during the office hours
• Submit completed assignments
• Thank a teacher for a meeting, guidelines, or any other help
• Apologize for wrong behavior in class

When is it not OK to write an email to a teacher?  

Zach VanderGraaff, Music Teacher managing DynamicMusicRoom.com , shares his insights:

Rachel Coleman, Independent Education Consultant at CollegeEssayEditor.com , adds:

“Every teacher will set different standards for their relationship with their students. Some are more formal; others are more informal. The rule is to let the teacher define the boundaries and abide by them. If your teacher gives out her cell phone at the beginning of the year and says, “Text me if you need help on your assignments,” then you can assume texting is OK. If a teacher says, “Please only email me with the following questions: confusion about a homework assignment or grade, needing to miss class, requests for a letter of recommendation,” then it’s crucial to stay within the parameters of this instruction. But never assume! When in doubt, ask!”

Best Time to Email a Teacher

Zach also admits that emailing any time is OK, as long as you understand a teacher has boundaries too and can’t respond right away:

“ During the day, we have some time to send quick, short emails, but for the most part, we’re too busy teaching to respond with emails that require an in-depth answer. Want to increase the chances of getting a quicker turnaround? Then stick to the morning before school or toward the end of the afternoon. Most teachers do some emailing when they first get there and at the end of the day.”

Surveys confirm:

Teachers are more likely to open emails in the morning,  between 7 am and 11 am , and then in the late afternoon,  between 3 pm and 5 pm , when students have left school. So if you want to get a reply asap, organize your sending time accordingly.

Source:  Agile Education Marketing

Please avoid emailing teachers on weekends or holidays. Plus, it’s wrong to spam your teacher’s inbox when they don’t reply after hours.

Remember that teachers don’t spend all of their time at school. It’s best not to email them outside of their working hours. When you respect their personal life, they’ll be glad to help you as much as possible. For time-sensitive questions, don’t send emails less than 24 hours before you need a reply.

So, here’s a recap:

• Try not to email a teacher on weekends and holidays.
• Send your email during a teacher’s working hours.
• Don’t expect an immediate response: give them 1-3 days for a reply.
• Avoid spamming a teacher’s inbox every second hour; respect their time.
• Keep timing in mind when emailing on time-sensitive issues.

How to Start an Email to a Teacher

Two issues to consider here are your email’s subject line and the way you greet a teacher. It’s the first thing they see besides your name, so it’s critical to follow a few rules.

Subject Lines

The #1 rule:  Make your email subject line as clear as possible.

Teachers have dozens of students and receive dozens of emails. The detailed subject line will help them understand who you are, what you want, and how time-urgent your message is. 

No-no subject line examples:

• Homework question
• Assignment query
• Answer asap, please
• I’ll be absent tomorrow

Strong subject line examples:

• CHEM 112: Question about a lab on Monday
• Class meeting on Tuesday: 9:30 am
• Citation page for coursework: APA or MLA to use?
• Class 23: Confirming thesis for the assigned paper

They communicate the point to a teacher and help distinguish your email from colleagues, administrators, and other students. Plus, these subject lines are short and clear: They make a teacher understand the topic and urgency of your message.

Rebecca Rogers, School Teacher, author of this  super cool TikTok account , confirms:

“I tell my students to make sure the subject line tells me what their email will be about because that will tell me how quickly I need to open that particular email. For example, if I have 20 emails to go through, I am more likely to open one with some urgency in the subject line first because I assume it needs my immediate attention. PLEASE DO NOT TYPE YOUR ENTIRE MESSAGE IN THE SUBJECT LINE! PLEASE! I AM BEGGING YOU.”

Her colleague Jessica Robinson, Educator and Content Creator for The Speaking Polymath , suggests students include their names in email subject lines:

Other indicators such as the title of your class or the date of upcoming meeting can be helpful too. Consider examples like these:

• John Doe, class 42 – Question about research paper
• Tom Smith – Query regarding assignment on Geometry
• Biology 201: On the submission for Lab 3
• Lisa Martin: On upcoming meeting on Wednesday, 11 am

So, here goes a recap :

When emailing teachers, make your subject line  short  (less than ten words) and  clear . Be as  specific  as possible: A teacher should understand at once who’s emailing and what’s the concern. Include  your name and class  to help a teacher identify you among dozens of other students.

The general rule here:  Be polite and formal.

• Start with “Dear Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms. Last Name” if you never met a teacher before or it’s the way you refer to them in class.
• Feel free to start with “Hello” or “Good morning/afternoon,” but make sure to personalize your greeting with names.
• Double-check the spelling of a teacher’s name. If in doubt, consider a school website, a faculty directory, or a syllabus to make sure you address a teacher correctly.
• Don’t be over casual, avoid greetings like “Hey” or “What’s up,” and try not to call a teacher by their first name unless it’s how you refer to them in lessons.

Rebecca nails it:

Long story short, consider your relationship with a teacher and the expectations of your institution. Refer to educators in the same way you refer to them in lessons. When emailing a teacher from different schools or colleges, please do your best to address them formally.

How to Write an Email Body

When emailing a teacher, some students forget about structuring the email body right. When  sending a complete essay  or any other assignment, it’s especially true: Students attach a file and click Send without adding any text to the email body.

It’s wrong!

Please always include a message in your email. Not only does it help a teacher understand the context of your message, but it’s also a sign of your good manners and respect.

Here’s how to write an email to a teacher, its body in particular.

Email Structure and Format

Remember that teachers are busy, so make the email body  as short and straightforward as possible :

The ideal variant would be to keep it to five sentences or fewer. If that’s impossible, make sure to use short paragraphs and bullet points — therefore, your email will be quicker to scan. Yet, try to be concise and keep the email body fewer than 150 words. If you can’t express your message in 100-150 words, then maybe it would be better to email a teacher about a meeting in person.

Your email to a teacher is not a  narrative  or  personal essay , so please avoid a flair of creativity. Stay concise and formal. Keep a single idea to one paragraph, and break them up for better readability. As Will Peach, medical school student and education blogger behind WillPeachMD.com , says:

“Don’t make your email an unsightly block of text (trust me, no teacher enjoys deciphering these).”

Speaking of formatting your email, please use standard fonts and text colors. Bold, italic, or underlined texts are OK if they help you convey a message or highlight crucial information (data, time, etc.), but say no to flashy fonts (those too large or too stylish) and rainbow text colors. Have mercy upon a teacher’s eyes!

That’s what Janice Wald, Teacher and Blogging Coach behind  Mostly Blogging , recommends writing in email bodies:

Here goes an example of how to email a teacher:

Your Tone of Voice

Being straightforward in emails doesn’t mean being sniveling or extra apologetic. When emailing a teacher, please keep your tone respectful .

• Avoid complaints about how much you dislike an assignment or how unfair a deadline is.
• No smileys or emojis — it’s OK to keep an email controversial, but it needs to be up-to-point.
• Avoid super long explanations, cliché statements like “I hope my email finds you well,” and saying how you’re sorry about disturbing a teacher. Be direct to the point.

Here’s a practical tip:

Write a draft of your email in Microsoft Word or any other word processing software, not in the email program (Gmail, Outlook, or whatever you use). It will allow you to avoid  grammar and spelling mistakes , as well as accidentally hitting Send before you’ve finished and proofread your email.

Emails to teachers often involve sending different attachments (complete assignments, tests, applications, etc.). If that’s your case, please follow a few rules:

• Do not attach files with no explanations.  In the email body, provide specific details about what you send and why. (Example:  “As you requested, I attach my critical essay here because I’ll be absent in class next Monday.” )
• Make sure to name your attached files appropriately.  Include your name, class, the name of your assignment, and its number (or due date) if possible.

How to End an Email to a Teacher

Some students believe they don’t need to close an email because their names are evident in their email addresses. However, it’s a writing etiquette and your chance to add a personal touch to your formal email and show respect most teachers appreciate.

So, close your emails to teachers with courtesy.

First,  sum your email up in one final sentence to spark a faster response. Consider variants like:

• Thanks in advance for your reply.
• I’ll look forward to your reply regarding my thesis statement .
• I will wait for your response before sending the complete test.

Second,  remember to show gratitude and thank your teacher even before they respond. Phrases like “Thank you for your time” or “Thank you a lot for your help” positively influence how a teacher digests your information and regards you as a student.

And third,  try to use formal closing lines. “All the best,” “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” or “Best” followed by your full name are great options to consider. Please avoid closings like “Cheers,” “Thanks,” or “See you tomorrow:” They are too casual for these reasons.

Schoolteacher Rebecca Rogers suggests:

Practical Tips on How to Email a Professor

Now that you know how to write an email to a teacher, here goes a quick recap:

You can also try to improve your email and teachers’ expectations even more with the following practical tips:

• Email a teacher only if you can’t find the necessary information in your class syllabus, school website, etc. Check all the options first; maybe you don’t need to write that email at all.
• Use a teacher’s school email address. It’s more professional, allowing them to keep all the correspondence with students in one place. 
• Keep your email short and up-to-point.
• Remember about a proper greeting and closing.
• Draft your emails in a word document to avoid accidental sending. When finished and ready, copy-paste your message to the email program.
• Proofread and edit your email if necessary. Make sure to avoid spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes.
• Check the tone of your email. Stay formal. 
• For complicated questions you can’t format into a 100-word email, it’s better to ask a teacher for an in-person meeting during their office hours.

Eric Kim, Co-Founder at  LA Tutors , sums it up:

Don’ts of How to Email a Teacher

• Don’t email with questions you can ask in a class tomorrow. Respect a teacher’s time and privacy.
• Avoid colloquial or disrespecting language, common jokes, and personal topics. 
• Don’t email a teacher with super time-sensitive questions. It may take them 1-3 days to reply, so keep timing in mind.
• Avoid slang, jargon, abbreviations, and emojis.
• Try to avoid contradictions in your email.
• Don’t write emails in CAPS.
• Say no to stylish fonts, super large or small font size, and bright text colors.

Faisal Nasim, Director of  Exam Papers Plus , adds:

“The ONLY time you should email your teacher is if they have given you a school email account. If you’ve found a personal email address for them by some other means, do NOT email that account.”

• Don’t email to complain about other students or ask for extra credit.
• Avoid writing when you are sad or mad, and don’t use multiple exclamation marks.
• Don’t use textual language in emails.
• Never email teachers for purposes other than school-related. Avoid personal topics.

How to Write an Email to a Teacher: Templates

Below are a few templates (samples) you can use for writing emails to teachers. But before sending, make sure to customize and personalize them accordingly.

When asking a question:

When asking for a recommendation:

P.S.  This template comes from Kate Sonnenberg, Tutor at KS College Success . Thanks for sharing, Kate!

If you need to ask for an appointment:

When you need to inform about your absence in class :

Following up with a teacher who hasn’t respond to your email yet:

Any questions or concerns left on how to write an email to a teacher? Feel free to ask our team for professional writing or editing help !

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Our Writing Guides

Sample Email For Sending Assignment To Professor

• January 11, 2023
• Academic Emails

Communication between professors and students is normal in the educational field. Students are advised to reach out to their professors if they have any academic challenges.

Emails are the preferred means of communication between faculty and students. To facilitate this, most educational institutions provide both faculty and students with professional email addresses.

Students looking to submit assignments and other relevant documents can send them through these emails. To make it easier to send emails to your professor, we’ve also created some templates, that can easily be modified for the purpose.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re sending an assignment on time or you missed the deadline, we’ve put together some great emails to make things easier.

Use Proper Title

Use school email, formal tone, correct grammar, identify yourself, clear and brief, explain your situation, don’t forget attachment, wait patiently, clear subject line, end formally, school website, course syllabus, other students, template 1: assignment submission, template 2: assignment submission, template 3: late assignment submission, template 4: requesting feedback on assignment, template 5: delivering first part of assignment (multiple part assignment), tips for emailing professors.

There’s no need to worry about the content of your email to your professor. Simply follow some basic and professional curtsy to avoid any problems while increasing the chances of a positive response.

You should avoid using informal titles when addressing them. Keep in mind you’re addressing their station and using their official email address.

No one wants their school to think they’re over-friendly with one of their students. School administrators have access to these emails so you should address the professor properly.

Additionally, professors put in a lot of effort to achieve their titles. So, you should address them as such.

If they aren’t yet professors, address them as Dr. if that’s what they are. Addressing a professor as Dr. could end up causing problems.

Students may not consider it a big deal but professors appreciate it when students use the title, they worked their hardest to earn.

Examples: Dear Professor {{ Last name }} Dear Dr. {{ Last name }}

In this age of information, colleges worldwide provide their students with emails they can use to communicate with their peers and faculty. Any communication between faculty and students is expected to pass through these emails.

Students are usually forbidden from contacting professors through their personal email addresses. Not only does this help you the student but it also helps the professor.

The school would be able to moderate any conversation between staff and students and the emails can easily be retrieved in the event of any investigation.

Contacting a professor through their personal emails is a good way to get them into trouble or receive no response from the professor.

They expect work-related emails through their official email addresses. Contacting them through their personal email addresses could end up annoying them.

It doesn’t matter how close you may be to the professor. You should always use a formal tone in your emails. Refrain from using emojis and other slang that are considered informal.

Keep in mind that the professor is not one of your peers. Using formal language is a sign of respect for the professor and their station.

You’re writing to the professor at their formal station. Ensure that you use a formal tone when communicating with them. Additionally, any sign of over-friendliness between students and professors could lead to questions.

No one likes reading bad vocabulary and this includes professors. They expect students at that level of education to have good writing skills, especially when writing simple emails.

To avoid common grammar errors, students can use tools like Grammarly to identify and rectify such mistakes. These tools are completely free and integrate well into your favorite email client.

That said, it’s worth noting that these tools aren’t perfect. So, it’s advisable to go through your writing even after Grammarly corrections have been made to avoid any mistakes.

It doesn’t matter how entitled you may be feeling, you should always be polite in your emails, especially to people in authority. Even if you dislike the professor, you shouldn’t show it in your email.

Try your best to be polite in your email, unless you’re looking for a negative or no response. The professor would most likely skip over your email if your tone isn’t polite.

Don’t give the professor unnecessary work to do. They have busy schedules and the last thing they want to do is spend the next few hours looking through their student list to identify who you are or which class you may be in.

Introduce yourself, your class, and section (if applicable) in your email or add it to the email signature.

Don’t write them an entire essay, it isn’t an assignment. Keep your message as short as you possibly can, while maintaining all necessary formality.

Professors receive emails from different sources daily and wouldn’t have the time to read through your long email. So, it’s advisable to keep your email short and to the point while maintaining a polite tone.

Explain what you need from them as politely as you can. Don’t just demand something from them as if you’re entitled to it. They would simply ignore your email and focus on more pressing matters.

If you’ve already discussed what you need from them earlier, you can politely remind them in a single sentence. You don’t need to remind them of the time you met and everything that occurred.

If you’re submitting an assignment, you should ensure that it’s properly attached. Those things can be quite tricky sometimes.

Can’t remember the number of times I sent an email informing someone of an attachment only to receive a response that I didn’t attach the documents.

Ensure that the assignment is properly attached before you click send on your email. That said, most professors would excuse the mistake so long as the deadline for submission isn’t up.

Don’t send a hundred reminder emails. You can send a reminder after 24 hours, if your email requires them to respond. Otherwise, you should simply wait or you can visit their office within.

Remember that the professor might not view something as urgent in the same way that you do. They can be working on more serious problems than you are.

Therefore, if your request is urgent and you haven’t heard from them, you can go to their office. Sending them a ton of email reminders won’t advance your cause.

It’s okay to send reminders, but you should be mindful about when, how often, and how you do it.

Depending on how urgent your request is, you can send them a reminder if you don’t hear back from them within a day or two.

Don’t wait till the last minute to send your assignment or contact your professor. While it’s advisable to submit your assignments before the deadline, you should still send them even when the deadline is passed.

Don’t wait around wondering whether they’ll accept it or not. Simply forward the document and also include an apology for the late delivery and the reasons in as few sentences as you possibly can.

It doesn’t matter how genuine your reason may be, professors won’t have time to read long excuses. So, try and simplify it for them as much as possible and they may accept your excuse with a warning or a few lost points.

If you want a response, don’t forget to include a subject in your email. Every day, professors get a ton of emails from colleagues, students, and other academic and non-academic sources.

If your email doesn’t have a subject line, it will just be ignored. The subject line can be something like this:

Example: Assignment Submission – {{ Course Title }}

Thank them for reading your email before ending it. If you didn’t provide them in the first paragraph, you can add your complete name, class, and section numbers when you sign off.

Example : Thank you Sincerely {{ Your full name }} {{ Class and Section }}

How To Find Your Professor’s Email

If this is the first time you’re emailing this professor and you don’t have their email address, you can find it by following any of these approaches.

You can locate your professor’s official email address on your school’s website. Most colleges feature faculty pages where you may learn more about specific professors, including their contact information.

You can also look at the course overview page on your learning management system for the professor’s contact details.

The course syllabus is another area where you can find the professor’s professional email address. The course syllabus often includes their contact information as well as attendance policies.

Most likely, you weren’t the only student who occasionally had to email the professor. You can get the professor’s email by asking your friends. You’ll probably get some advice on how to look for the email if none of them have it.

Sample Email For Sending Assignment to Professor

Email Subject  Assignment Submission – {{ Full name }}

Email Subject  {{ Assignment/Class name }} – Assignment Submission

Email Subject  Late Assignment Submission – {{ Your name}}

Email Subject  {{ Assignment/Class name }} – Assignment Submission and Feedback Request

Email Subject  {{ Assignment/Class name }} Assignment Submission – Part {{ Number }}

Hi there and welcome to UnitWriter. My name's Chris, an expert in crafting effective email templates for all occasions. I created this blog to share my knowledge, by offering tips and templates to help get you started on your emails. Hope it's been helpful

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The Best Practices for Emailing a Teacher About Being Absent

Last Updated: April 25, 2023 Fact Checked

Sample Emails

• What to Write

Email Etiquette & Tricks

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 449,274 times.

It happens! Sometimes you have to miss school. Whether you have a doctor’s appointment during math class or wake up sick with the flu, everyone misses class occasionally. But how can you let your teacher or professor know you’ll be out? A quick email can solve all of your worries and keep everyone updated. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to write an absence email to your instructor so you can stay in their good graces.

Things You Should Know

• State when and why you’ll miss class at the start of your email (and be honest about it).
• Express your apologies for being absent to show the instructor that missing class is the last thing you want to do.
• Ask your teacher or professor for any work you may miss so they know you put your studies first.
• Attach any homework or due assignments to your email to stay up-to-date with your coursework.

What to Put in Your Email

• “Out Sick 3/10”
• “Missing Class on Friday”
• “ENGL 101 - Absent due to family emergency”

• “Good morning, Mr. Dickson,”
• “Dear Professor Smith,”
• “Mrs. Evans,”

• “I wanted to let you know that I will not be in class today because of an unexpected family emergency.”
• “Unfortunately, I cannot attend your lecture on Friday because I have a doctor’s appointment.”
• “I am emailing you to inform you that I will not be in class on Monday, July 17th.”

• “I recognize that we have a paper due on Monday, so I’ll turn it in on Friday instead.”
• “I understand that our Virginia Woolf presentations are due today. Is it possible to record my presentation and send it to you?”
• “I went ahead and attached last night’s homework to this email.”

• “Can I come by during your office hours on Tuesday to pick up the handouts?”
• “Is it possible to get a copy of Friday’s lecture?”
• “What will be focused on in class that day? I’d like to complete any and all work I’ll miss to have ready for you when I return.”

• “I apologize for any inconvenience my absence may cause.”
• “Thank you for understanding. I’ll make sure I have all the required paperwork for you when I return.”
• “The last thing I want to do is miss class, but this was the only appointment available.”

• Stick with a closing like “Best,” “Thank you,” “Regards,” or “Sincerely.”

• The teacher or professor’s email address is typically listed in the syllabus but can also be found on the school’s website.

• For instance, if you know you have a doctor’s appointment on March 16th, email your teacher about your upcoming absence on March 8th.
• If you wake up sick and can’t make it to class, email them as soon as you’ve decided to stay home.

• Ask your doctor’s office for an absent note before leaving the office, even if you don’t think your instructor will ask for one. It’s always better to have it just to be safe.

• Take a picture of a physical assignment with your phone or scan a PDF copy with an app like DocScan .

• Run your email through a grammar checker like Grammarly to catch any mistakes you may have missed.
• Ask a friend or family member to read over your email for a second pair of eyes.

Community Q&A

• Keep your tone polite and formal in your email. Using slang or emoticons can detract from the credibility of your email. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• If your teacher has a no-email policy, don't email them; instead, tell a friend to pass along a written note for you or call the school office to report your absence. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
• If you have the teacher's personal email address, don’t use it unless the teacher has specifically asked you to. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/effective-e-mail-communication/
• ↑ https://www.bu.edu/com/files/2021/11/WC_emails_to_profs_and_TAs.pdf
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/email-etiquette-for-students
• ↑ https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/writing-resources/different-genres/sending-email-to-faculty-and-administrators
• ↑ https://mhanational.org/how-talk-your-professor-about-your-mental-health
• ↑ https://ugr.ue.ucsc.edu/email

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• Sep 19, 2019

How to Write a Good Email to a Teacher

Have you ever written an email to a teacher and received a late reply, or one that didn’t really answer the question you were asking? In less than a paragraph, your emails make an impression on the person reading them, which affects the timeliness and accuracy of their response. Whether you’re in high school or college, email communication with teachers and instructors is common. At some point, you’ll find yourself having a question about an assignment and composing an email to get this answer. Below are tips for sending excellent emails that will increase the chances you receive a quick and helpful response, while respecting the teacher’s time.

Note: “Instructor” and “teacher” are used synonymously in this article. If you’re writing to a high school teacher or college instructor, the same principles apply.

Use formal greetings

Many times, student start emails with “Hey” or no greeting at all. Always start with a greeting; this is friendly and courteous to the recipient. For example, start with “Dear Mr. Gonzalez” or “Hi Ms. Smith.” If you have never met the instructor or teacher before (maybe you’re trying to get into a full class or switch sections), always start with “Dear,” as this is more formal.

Dear [Name] ,

Hi [Name] ,

Good morning [Name] ,

Good evening [Name] ,

Use formal closing lines

Always include a send-off, especially in your first email. “Sincerely” is always a good option. “All the best” and “best regards” are also formal, appropriate options. Always include greetings and closings to make a respectful and courteous impression.

Sincerely, [your name]

Best regards, [your name]

All the best, [your name]

Personalize greetings with names and double check spelling

If you received an email with a simple “Good morning,” or “Hi,” would you feel like the email was personalized to you? Always include the person’s name in the greeting if you are sending it to a specific individual. Check your school’s website, the staff/faculty directory, or the syllabus for names. Always, always double check the spelling of names . A misspelled name can create a negative impression. Show the instructor you took the time to address them correctly.

Use formal titles, then follow suite

Unless your teacher or instructor specifically states they are comfortable with a first-name basis, always start formal. Particularly with college instructors, pay attention to how they sign off their emails. If they sign back, “Molly” or “Julio,” then you can address them by their first name in your next email (as they have referred to themselves this way). If you’re not sure what title to address someone by (e.g. “Dr.,” “Professor,” “Mrs.,” or “Mr.”), do a quick search on your school’s website, and check the syllabus. What title does this person use for themselves?

“Dear Dr. Morales” instead of “Dear Molly”

“Dear Mr. Johnson” instead of “Dear Julio”

Compose in Microsoft Word, not in the email program

Draft your email in a word processing software, not in the email program itself (i.e. don’t compose in Gmail, Outlook, etc…). It can be embarrassing if you accidentally hit send before you’re finished composing and proofreading the email. Composing in a word processing software allows you to run spellcheck and a grammar check before sending the email. Copy and paste the message into the email program when you’re done.

Provide context for the instructor

Especially in college, your instructors may have hundreds of students. Make it clear in your email which class and section of theirs you're in. Providing the specific class and section will help the instructor most quickly understand your request and answer efficiently. When they have to figure out what class you’re in, this eats up their time and will delay their response. For example, “I’m in your SOC 101, Sec. 8 class on MWF from 10-11am.”

Say thank you

Everyone likes being thanked. Your teachers and instructors are happy to help you, but they are busy. Acknowledge that their time (like yours) is valuable, and say thank you somewhere in your email. For example, “Thank you for your time” or “Thanks for your help; I really appreciate it!”

Want to create an even more positive impression? If you visit a teacher during office hours, send them a quick email thanking them for their time meeting with you.

Keep it concise

Leave it fewer than 150 words. This word count isn’t a hard and fast rule, but the more concise your email is while still including all the relevant information, the more likely you are going to receive a quick response. When teachers have to read through lengthy emails and determine what the student is asking, it takes more of their time. Being concise also forces you to think through what you’re trying to let the teacher know or what you’re actually asking.

Consider meeting in person

Can’t express what you’re trying to say in fewer than 150 words? Maybe an in-person visit is better. Office hours or one-on-one meetings with instructors can be a great opportunity to build a personal relationship with the teacher. Take advantage of office hours to get the most out of your school experience.

Proofread, spellcheck, and capitalize

When instructors receive emails in “text-lingo” with abbreviations, uncapitalized words (like “i”), and misspellings, this can portray the student as “sloppy” or “lazy.” You don’t want your instructor to think that you don’t care enough about the class to reread the email and catch these typos. Cast yourself as a professional, and use emails as practice for future workplace communication.

Write a specific subject line

One of the most important elements of an email is the subject line. The subject line immediately tells the recipient of the email what the message is about. Subject lines catch attention, and a clear, specific subject line is more likely to be answered correctly and efficiently than something vague like “Class” or “Question.” In your subject lines, include the class and specific request. For example, “ENGL 201: Question about homework” or “CHEM 112: In-person or Canvas submission for Lab 1?”

Here is an example email to a college instructor using these principles:

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: BIOL 112: Citation Style Preference for Paper 1

Dear Professor Gonzalez,

I’m in your BIOL 112 Sec. 002 course in Building 1, TTH from 1-3pm. For the BIOL 112 literature review assignment due Sept. 30, which citation style should we use? APA, MLA, or another style?

Thanks for your time and help!

Mindy Manners

Works Consulted/Additional Resources

Panter, M. (2019). How to write a professional email. AJE Scholar. https://www.aje.com/arc/editing-tip-professional-email-writing/

Potter, D. (2017). How to write a perfect professional email in English: 7 Useful Tips. Grammarly. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/professional-email-in-english/

Sehgal, K. (2016). How to write an email with military precision. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/11/how-to-write-email-with-military-precision

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“It’s not just consumable things, money or this or that. Sometimes it’s just once again, attention from a loved one, right?” explained Luke.

Encourage them to take practice tests. One study found students who had brief retrieval practice tests before a high-stakes test remembered 60 percent of the material, while those who only studied remembered 40 percent. A Texas A&M study found repeating information out loud moves content from short-term to long-term memory. Also, avoid all-nighters! Cognitive performance is controlled by our body clocks, meaning our learning and memory is higher in the morning, not at night. Instead, get a good night’s sleep and study in the morning.

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Division of Student Life

No such thing as a silly question: answers to questions you might be afraid to ask.

Whether you just arrived at Iowa or have found a familiar rhythm on campus, you probably have questions. And like many students, you might be too shy to ask or you might not know where to go for an answer.

We’re here to help.

Here is a list of questions — and answers — on topics you might want or need to know.

1. What should I do if I feel anxious or if I’m struggling mentally? How do I find help?

First, know you are not alone, and there’s nothing embarrassing or shameful about reaching out for help. We know it can be intimidating, but finding the right resources is the first step to feeling better.

The UI has various mental health services that you can access no matter what you are going through, including anxiety, depression, substance use, eating disorders, trauma, grief, identity development, and relationship concerns.

If formal counseling isn’t for you, several student support groups offer space where you and others with shared experiences can talk. You can drop in to any of these groups at any time.

The UI also offers several free workshops that focus on managing stress and anxiety. Check out the workshop options at Student Wellness and University Counseling Services, which cover topics such as mindfulness, sleep, motivations and procrastination, anxiety, and distress coping skills. These workshops help you build effective skills so you can better manage stress and anxiety.

If you think counseling services would be helpful:

• Contact University Counseling Service at 319-335-7294 or email [email protected] . UCS has locations on the west side of campus (3223 Westlawn) and the east side (Suite 1950 in University Capitol Centre). Individual and group therapy are offered.  
• If you are unsure what services may be best for you, UCS staff can guide you in the right direction through an initial consultation . Please know you will be asked to fill out paperwork if you visit UCS for the first time or if it has been more than three months since you were last seen. More information on what paperwork may be needed will be provided during appointment scheduling.  
• In addition, you can receive 24-hour support through the UI Support and Crisis Line by calling or texting 844-461-5420 or chatting on this page online . You can use the line anonymously if you wish to do so.  
• You can also schedule a same-day, one-time appointment with a counselor if you would like to talk about an immediate issue or develop a plan to work on your well-being without ongoing therapy.

2. What do I do if I feel sick?

We understand that you don’t want to miss anything or fall behind in classes, but we recommend that you do not try to go to class if you are sick. Contact your professor to let them know you are sick, see if there is any makeup work you might need to do, and ask a classmate to provide notes for you.

If you think you may have an illness more severe than a common cold or you just want peace of mind, a visit to Student Health could help get you back on the mend sooner. Student Health is located at 4189 Westlawn and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. You can call 319-335-8394 to make an appointment or schedule one online.

There is no cost to visit Student Health; a student health fee is included in the fees you pay each semester. You might be charged for other things related to your visit, such as lab work, medications, or medical supplies. Those charges will be submitted to your insurance, and, if you are a first-time patient or change health insurance, you can fill out this form so Student Health has that information. Charges not covered by insurance can be paid with cash or with your U-Bill. 

If you are unsure if a visit to Student Health is best, you can contact the Student Health Nurseline at 319-335-9704. The Nurseline can help you decide if you need to make an appointment, how to take self-care measures, answer medication questions, and more.

3. I started Iowa with one major, but I’m having doubts if this is the right one for me. What should I do if I’m considering switching majors or colleges?

Don’t worry! Many students switch their majors. The idea of what you thought you wanted to do might look much different now that you have started college, or you may not love your area of study as much as you thought you would.

First, your academic advisor is a great resource. Set up a meeting with them to talk about what you’re not loving about current classes in your major, what classes you do enjoy, and your interests. Your advisor can also help you figure out the length of time it would take to complete your degree if you decide to switch.

If you’re a first-year student, it’s likely your advisor is in the Academic Advising Center . But if your advisor is located within a college and you are thinking about a switch in majors that would also require a switch in colleges, your current advisor is still the best person to lead you in the right direction. You could also contact the Academic Advising Center to speak with an advisor about exploring other majors.

If you want to start thinking about a new area of study, looking at the general catalog can give you more information. You can also access sample plans on MyUI that will outline what an eight-semester plan for a new major may look like.

The Pomerantz Career Center also has resources for exploring majors and career options, including career assessment s. Iowa has more than 200 majors to choose from, so be assured you will find something that both excites you and helps you reach your career goals.

4. What should I do if I’m feeling overwhelmed with my courses or I’m failing a class?

First, don’t panic. Many students feel overwhelmed with their class load from time to time.

Speaking to your professor or teaching assistant is the first step. Your instructors will be able to give you a good picture of where you stand in a class and what you can do to get your desired grade. Professors and TAs hold office hours, and having one-on-one conversations with them can help you make a study plan or get a better grasp on the course material.

Your academic advisor is also a good resource, especially if you would like to change your schedule. They can go over the pros and cons of dropping a class.

If you are considering dropping a class, here is what that process will look like:

• Keep in mind that you need 12 credits a semester to keep your full-time student status. Dropping below 12 credits could affect financial aid and scholarships. If you are concerned that dropping a class would affect your financial aid, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.
• You can drop a class on MyUI before the sixth day of the fall or spring semester, but it’s a good idea to speak with your academic advisor first.
• After the drop deadline has passed for a semester, you can still request to drop a course, but you will need your academic advisor’s approval.

If you don’t want to drop a class but your grade is slipping, take advantage of tutoring resources . You can find academic help for specific courses, helpful tips in videos and worksheets, a private tutor or workshop, or a free supplemental instruction session.

5. Campus seems so big and I’m afraid of getting lost. How do I find my way around?

Navigating campus can be overwhelming when you first arrive and everything is new. There are plenty of campus maps to choose from, and it’s a good idea to walk to any buildings you’re unfamiliar with to find where your class will be held.

The UI campus is very walkable and bikeable, and those are main modes of transportation you will see students using. Students can also use Cambus for free around campus; here is a map of where bus routes will take you.

The main routes are the red and blue routes, which travel the entire campus. A helpful way to remember the direction red and blue routes go is “Blue to Burge, Red to Rienow.” The red route goes in a clockwise direction, and the blue route goes counterclockwise. Cambus also operates an Interdorm route, which goes to the residence halls and the Pentacrest.

The Transit app will show you real-time bus arrivals, departures, locations, and the closest bus stops. By subscribing to alerts on the app, you will be notified of service changes or severe weather impacts.

While we understand why you might like your vehicle on campus, you don’t need to bring one to get around and we encourage you to use other transportation. If you do bring a car, you will have to pay for a permit. More details on how to do so are here . 

6. I used to play sports in high school, but that’s changed since I started college. How can I stay active?

Without sports and high school gym classes, it can be an adjustment to incorporate staying active into your college routine. Luckily, Iowa has many opportunities for you to get exercise (not to mention you’ll get your steps in walking around campus to your classes).

• Campus Recreation and Wellness Center: This is perhaps the most well-known recreation facility, located on the east side of campus. Not only does it include all the gym equipment and weights you might want, but it also has an indoor climbing wall, swimming pools, a jogging track, and basketball and volleyball courts. It also has the Wellness Suite, where staff provide fitness assessments, nutrition counseling, and more.
• Field House: Located on the west side of campus, this space houses basketball, volleyball, and badminton courts; a cycling studio; an indoor track; and a weightlifting room. It also has a swimming pool.
• Fitness East: Fitness East is in Halsey Hall, and it can be accessed through the walkway between Halsey Hall and the IMU Parking Ramp. While this space is smaller than other facilities, it has all the gym equipment you need for your workout.
• Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex: Located on Prairie Meadow Drive on the far west edge of campus, this space has indoor and outdoor tennis courts, pickleball courts, cardio equipment, and weights.

All enrolled UI students can access any recreational services facility, but you must present your student ID to get in. The cost to use the facilities is included in your student fees.

If you need something more structured, Iowa has many intramural sports teams you can join if you miss doing activities with a team or competing.

7. I’m away from all or most of the friends I grew up with. How can I make new friends and find a new community at Iowa?

Making new friends is hard, no matter what age you are. If you’re a recent high school graduate, you may have grown up with the same people and friends for most of your life. While trying to make new friends can be intimidating, the new people you meet in college can be some of the most meaningful relationships of your life. Just remember: You are not the only one trying to make new friends.

If you’re living in the residence halls, start by introducing yourself to people on your floor. You can also leave the door of your room open as a sign you’re welcome to visitors. 

Attending campus events that pique your interest can help you connect with other like-minded people. In addition, joining a student organization — even if you stick with it for only a semester — can help you meet new people. If you don’t know where to start with finding the right student org for you, schedule a meeting with a Leadership and Engagement advisor to talk about your interests and get connected.

You can also meet new people by getting  a job or volunteering on campus.  

Again, know that many other people are also looking for new friendships. Asking someone to grab a cup of coffee after class or to meet you for a weekend lunch session will likely make their day as much as it will yours.

8. Being away from home for the first time is harder than I thought it would be. What can make this easier?

No matter how far you may have traveled to become an Iowa student, it’s normal to feel bouts of homesickness, especially if it’s your first semester on campus. Here are some tips:

While it may seem counterintuitive, try to limit your trips back home because they could prolong your feelings of homesickness. Staying on campus for longer stretches of time can help it become more familiar to you and will help Iowa feel more like a new home.

Iowa also has so many ways to get involved. Be it a club, intramural sports, or a job, getting involved on campus can make you feel like you belong here (and you’ll make new friends).

Having new, yet familiar experiences can also help you feel more at ease. For example, if you enjoyed spending Sunday mornings at your hometown’s local coffee shop, find a new place to get your caffeine fix. If you liked spending your mornings at the gym, head to one of our great recreational facilities.

Time is the best way to work through this new transition, and know that you can talk to anyone on campus about how you’re feeling. Also, remember all your loved ones are just a call or text away.

9. This is my first time having to budget and be responsible for my own finances. What are some money tips relevant for me?

Budgeting can be hard, even for people who have been doing it for years. This may be the first time you’ve really had to think about all your monthly expenses. Making a plan to manage your money will be less stressful in the long run because it will help you create some savings and will make unexpected expenses less scary — while also building good habits for the future.

Many tools are available to help you create a budget, from just writing down a plan in a notebook to using an app. No matter what method you use, all budgets are made roughly the same way.

First, figure out what time span you want to create a budget for. Weekly or monthly budgets are common, but you could also create one for an entire semester. Next, determine your income for that time frame. Then, add up your fixed expenses (U-Bill, car payments, cellphone, etc.) and variable expenses (groceries, gas, entertainment, etc.). Once you subtract expenses from your income, you can determine if there are any areas where you’d like to save or how much money you have left over to save.

If you’re not sure what your expenses are for a certain time span, make a note of the money you spend during that time frame and see if your habits are on par with your goals.

Also, make sure you’re being responsible with any credit cards you may have. Even though you don’t have to worry about charges put on the card immediately, you don’t want any surprises when the bill arrives. Building credit is a good practice to start, but making note of charges to credit cards is equally important.

Lots of financial wellness resources can be found here . If you’re struggling with budgets or have other financial questions, meet with a financial aid advisor by scheduling an appointment on MyUI or email [email protected] . 

10. How do I balance academics, social life, and my other commitments?

Once you step onto campus, it’s probably tempting to jump headfirst into everything that piques your interest, but piling too much on your plate can lead you to feel stressed out or overwhelmed. Academics, jobs, student organizations, having fun with friends — it’s important to have all these things in your life, and finding the right balance for yourself is key.

Establishing a routine (that still leaves time for fun and spontaneous ice cream runs!) is a great way to feel balanced. After you get used to your class and homework schedule, figure out what you want to prioritize and determine if you’re using your time effectively. If you feel you’re lacking in one area, make it a bigger priority the next week.

If you’re struggling academically, you can connect with Academic Support and Retention for more resources to help you succeed. Also, Student Care and Assistance can help provide a personalized assessment of how you spend your time and ways you can adjust your schedule to match your priorities.

The Student Life Development Fund: provides support for the Vice President for Student Life to support all departments and units across the division. This fund is utilized to support many priorities and initiatives across the division.

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Time management for school homework assignments.

I feel a strong need to discuss the significance of homework. There is nothing that irritates a teacher more than students who procrastinate completing their homework assignments.

Throughout the remainder of this writing, I will offer ideas for doing homework. I am writing it specifically for students; therefore, it is imperative that parents share this important information with their school-aged children. Now let’s begin with the following athletic analogy.

Coaches, first and foremost, want all their players to gain positive experiences from athletics. To accomplish this goal, the participants need to be as committed as their coaches. A major part of that dedication includes hours upon hours of drills.

Although the majority of athletes hate drill work, they know that to be successful in their sport, it is a very necessary evil. As with athletics, the same is true with the academic realm as well. But in the case of studies, it is known as that dreaded activity referred to as “homework.”

The key to proper homework preparation is “time management.” Many students do not know how to wisely organize their daily studying routine. Hence, homework is either turned in late or never completed. Furthermore, such problems can lead to student anxiety and feelings of always being in a rush.

What I want to share with you from this point on are some helpful hints for homework. Likewise, I also devised a generic time schedule for “after school” study habits.

Helpful Homework Hints

1. Try to eliminate dead hours. Accomplish something every free moment of the day. Research has demonstrated that an hour of daytime study is worth an hour-and-a-half of studying at night.

2. Always allow enough time to eat good, nutritious meals. As they say, “You are what you eat.”

3. Do not follow a schedule that could cause lack of proper sleep. All evidence supports the importance of acquiring the basic eight hours of sleep a day.

4. Determine how much time you really need to study each subject area, and develop your homework schedule accordingly.

5. When you are faced with lengthy homework projects, double the time you think it will take and start early. Keep in mind, big assignments always take longer than you originally expected.

6. During the day, look for small blocks of time in which you can get minor tasks accomplished. For example, if you take a school bus to and from school, you could be reading a chapter in one of your textbooks at these times.

7. Always schedule your most difficult homework during a time of the day when you feel totally alert. This time will vary from student to student.

8. When studying at home, select a homework site with no distractions. You can’t learn when the television is on or family members are having discussions near your study area.

Generic Time Schedule for After School Hours

* 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Recreational or Sports Practice Time.

* 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Chore Time, etc.

* 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Evening Meal.

* 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Homework Time. (Note: Allow 10 minutes of each hour for a study break.)

* 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Recreational Time for Watching Television, Calling or Texting Friends, etc.

* 10:00 p.m. – Bedtime

To be quite honest, at first you can anticipate having some difficulty putting together a daily time schedule for homework and other activities. Here is where parents can assist their child, having more lifetime experiences in organizing their personal and professional affairs.

Moreover, please realize that your child’s schedule may need to be revised or adjusted from time to time.

I have one final tip for students who take their schooling seriously. Even if you are not sure how to complete a homework assignment for a certain class, always hand something in when it’s due – be it right or wrong. Believe me, this is very sound advice from my own educational experiences.

With the above approach to studying, all your teachers will realize that you have made sincere efforts to perform homework assignments. Likewise, should a completed homework paper be incorrect, your teacher will know where you are having learning problems. Thus, your teacher will be able to guide you toward better understanding of the material being taught.

On the other hand, when students fail to hand in homework assignments, their teachers will think they don’t care, and nothing can be learned by anyone. Hence, the bottom line is: “Do Your Homework!”

Bill Welker, EdD, is an educator who has 40 years of experience as a K12 classroom teacher in both public and private schools. He was the recipient of the prestigious “Jasper N. Deahl Award” from West Virginia University for his accomplishments as a certified reading specialist.

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How to Write Effective Emails

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When your future is on the line, your emails need to outshine the inbox competition.

Texting, tweeting, LinkedIn messaging, and all forms of social media are valuable and worthy of your thoughtful curation. After all, they all contribute to your reputation, or your personal brand. But email is probably still your best bet for productive correspondence with employers, alumni, and professors.

Follow these steps to write an excellent email:

• Ensure that your writing displays your judgement, follow-through and ability to synthesize information into key points.
• Indicate your attention to detail and professionalism by making your writing error free, easy to follow, visually clean, and clearly stated.
• Include and describe information in the way that is most meaningful to your audience. What are your readers concerns or challenges? How can you make what you say relevant or helpful to them?
• Provide context – where you met, who you are, how you got their name, and your reason for reaching out. Give enough information, but remain concise and to the point.
• Make your “voice” mirror the tone, language and/or culture of the organization the recipient represents.
• Ensure that what you need is clear – to make a decision, to take certain actions, to respond by a certain time, or just to feel complimented or appreciated.
• Make it searchable, informative, and directly related to the subject of your message. Do not hijack a thread; if you are starting a new conversation, start a new email.
• There may come a time when you are comfortable enough to speak more casually with the recipient of your message, but it is always better to play it safe (and professional) than sorry.
• Use a proper salutation (Dear Mr., Ms., Dr., or Professor) and sign-off (Best, Thank you).
• Avoid abbreviations or slang.
• Write complete sentences, using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, avoiding nicknames.
• Use exclamation points sparingly and hold off on emojis.
• It should be immediately clear to the recipient what you want. Don’t make them work to figure it out. The military uses the acronym BLUF= Bottom Line Up Front. You can back this up with the background info.
• Give your recipients all the information they need to take the action you’re requesting.
• This includes giving contextual information, details, or data that is necessary, and presenting it in a logical, cohesive way.
• If there is a deadline, say so. It will hurt you and the person you’re contacting if you don’t. If you don’t need a response, say so.
• Take your time writing and revising. If the reader will need to do a lot of scrolling, it is too long.
• Limit each sentence to just one idea. Divide long, winding sentences into shorter ones.
• Break your message into concise blocks of 2-3 sentences each. Short, bite-sized paragraphs are the most readable.
• Use bullets or numbered lists when you have discreet points to make.
• Omit unnecessary words & phrases, clichés, and passive voice. What can you cut and yet not lose meaning? When you aim for originality and clarity, the result will be tighter, more powerful, and to the point.
• Do not forward a lengthy thread and say “see below.” Do the work of summarizing relevant points for your recipient.
• You will annoy your reader if you ask questions you could have looked up yourself. Instead, tell them the steps you’ve already taken before asking for clarification or their opinion.
• Make questions specific vs. vague.
• Rather than asking multiple questions, request a meeting or phone call to discuss.
• Asking a bunch of questions puts pressure on the recipient to spend a lot of time formulating a response. (Which means you might not get one.) You’ll learn a lot more in a quick conversation. If you do this, provide your availability.
• Take a break (10 minutes or a day) and look at your draft with fresh eyes. You’ll almost always be able to make it better. This is particularly important if you feel emotional about the topic. Write, wait, then take out the emotion.
• Wait to type the address into the To line until you are ready to hit send. This avoids accidentally sending a draft.

Get Connected 815 Literacy Lounge highlights Black authors, homework club

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Get Connected 815 opens its Literacy Lounge to area youth to foster a love for literacy and help students with schoolwork.

On Saturday, area residents gathered at 312 Irving Avenue to celebrate local Black authors and dive into the world of reading. The event highlighted several local authors and the anticipated book release of Frederick Jamerson Jr.’s “If I Was Three.” The 28-year-old author credits his children and mother for his book.

“It’s based on the growth spurt of a three-year-old and what they have learned and what they have accomplished as they’ve gone through the age of three,” Jamerson said. “It has a learning curve in there for ages three to six and up.”

Gracie Hill, a national best-selling author and Rockford local, partnered with Get Connected 815 to create a literacy lounge for local youth.

“I’ve partnered with Get Connected in an effort to put together a literacy lounge,” Hill says. “This is an opportunity for the youth to come and read, be read to and we’re hoping that we’ll help them to build a passion and a love for reading.“

Hill notes that the Illinois State Board of Education found that less than a third of children in Winnebago County public schools read at a third-grade level.

“As school has started, we are going to be offering a homework club. So we will be helping children with their homework no matter what the topic is... we are really trying to build a large support around the effort of literacy,” Hill said. “Reading is the foundation of all of our learning. You have to be able to read fluently.”

Hill hopes children across the area will realize the importance of literacy and learning through the event and visit the Literacy Lounge from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

Copyright 2024 WIFR. All rights reserved.

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Missing Assignment Email to Teacher: 25 Example Emails

Want to reach out with a Missing Assignment Email Template to your Teacher? Here are some professional email templates:

Start with “Dear Teacher” or “Dear Mr/Ms[name]” Then proceed with

1 |I am writing this email to inform you that I forgot to submit my assignment. It was due today, but I didn’t have time to finish it in time. I apologize and I hope you understand.

2| I am very sorry to report that I have not completed my homework yet. I did not have time after school today and would like to do it now. I am sorry for submitting it late.

3 | I apologize for my late submission today. My little brother was sick yesterday and needed to go to the doctor, so I stayed home with him. Thank you!

4| I apologize for not submitting my missing assignment to you. I was facing some issues with the assignment and hence could not submit it to you. I am very sorry for this mistake, but I hope you can understand that it was beyond my control.

5|I am sorry for not submitting my assignment. I have been feeling unwell and didn’t have time to finish it. I should have it completed by tomorrow morning. Thank you for your time and patience in this matter.

6|I did not submit my assignment on time because I forgot about it. However, I have done it now, and you can find it attached below. Please accept my apologies for taking so long to get it to you.

7|I am sorry for not submitting my assignment. I know that this is unfair since it is due on Monday, and I would like to apologize to you. I am extremely sorry for the delay and hope you can give me some time to finish it.

8|I’m sorry for the delay in submitting my assignment. I have been busy and have had trouble finding free time to complete the assignment. I plan on getting it done next week and resubmitting it.

9|I’m sorry I have not completed the assignment, I will do it immediately.

10|I am sorry, but I will try to submit it as soon as possible.

11|I’m sorry I didn’t submit my assignment. I was busy with other things but I will submit it asap. Thank you for understanding.

12|Sorry for not submitting my assignment. Here is a corrected version of the missing assignment, along with an explanation of the situation that caused me to miss the deadline.

13|I am writing this email to inform you that I forgot to submit my assignment. It was due today, but I didn’t have time to finish it in time. I am sorry for the inconvenience and I hope that it will not affect my grade.

14|I apologize for not submitting my assignment to you. I must have missed the email announcement. I will be more careful next time. I apologize for being so careless in the future please forgive me.

15|I’m sorry for not submitting my homework. It was a mistake on my part and I apologize. Thank you for being understanding.

16|I apologize for not submitting this assignment.

17|I just realized that I missed the assignment. I am very sorry and have it submitted by tomorrow.

18| Dear teacher, I just realized that I missed the assignment. I am very sorry and have it submitted by tomorrow.

19| I am sorry I have not submitted my assignment, this is my first time having an email sent to you, hopefully, it is better next time. Yours sincerely,

20| I am so sorry for not submitting my assignment which is due on 2024. I did not have time to do it as I did not know where to start and therefore was not able to complete it on time.

21|I am sorry to report that I have not completed my assignment. While I am fully aware of the importance of completing my work and contributing to the class as a whole, extenuating circumstances beyond my control have prevented me from getting started. Please accept my apologies and know that I will make every effort to correct this situation while maintaining a high level of performance in all other aspects of your class.

22|I’m sorry for the delay in submitting my assignment. I apologize and will ensure this does not happen in the future.

23|I apologize for not submitting the assignment. It was an oversight on my part and I will double-check to make sure it is submitted tomorrow.

24| I am sorry for not submitting my assignment on time. It has been a busy week at school and I hope you can forgive me for this mishap. I will make sure to submit it immediately.

25| I would like to express my sincere apologies for not submitting my assignment on time. I understand that this is unacceptable. I sincerely apologize for the delay.

Close off your email with something like:

• Thank you for your consideration,
• Many thanks,
• Best regards,
• Thank you for understanding.

For more missing assignment emails addressed to a Professor Missing Assignment Email Template (Opens in a new browser tab)

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