I was on Facebook the other day and I saw a few of my friends who are also professors talk about email etiquette for their students. Several were talking about the trends they were seeing in their classes about how students address them in email correspondence and what are some of their concerns.
In my classes, this is a very important point I try to share with my students. I do have two pet peeves when it does come to my class culture and I share this on the first day of class. The first one is being on time and the other is proper email etiquette. In the six years I have been teaching, these have not changed for me. However, they have evolved.
I have adopted both an email and social media etiquette policy for my classes, which I have integrated into my syllabi each semester. However, there are some other points for professors to also do along with establishing this policy.
- If you want students to do something, you have to show them how to do it: I have found with my classes if I show them examples of good email structure and format, they know what I am looking for. I also try to practice what I preach as well. Provide students initially with some templates they can use in class which they can use even after the class is done.
- Show your class good and bad examples: It’s one thing to talk about your expectations, but it is important to show students what you are expecting and what will not be good to do in your class. I have found this to be very effective, especially when it comes to social media correspondence like on Twitter. You have to essentially take on the role of an etiquette coach in and out of the classroom for your digital and social media communication practices.
- Highlight and praise students who do well in email / social media etiquette: I do this all of the time – recognizing students who are meeting your expectations on this front and praising them in class as well as online is a good motivational factor for other students within the class. Especially on social media because I do let my students know in class many professionals, practitioners, and brands/agencies are watching the class hashtag and this is an opportunity for them to see me (as the professor) praising a student for professionalism in class.
- Insist on proper etiquette for the class: Some best practices do not change – focus on respecting each other and do share examples of what NOT to do. Focus on what are some of the things you would want to see from the students and remind them of this each time you see something come up via email or on social media.
- Set your standards for your class as a professor: I do let my students know ahead of time the only two reasons why I do not answer emails is either because I may have not seen it or I am having issues with my email – but I do provide them with my other email address to make sure they can sent it there. Second reason why I may not answer the email is due to it being filled with spelling mistakes, not properly addressed, and not professional. When they do talk to me, I do ask them to review their email back to me and I ask them if they would send this email to their boss of their dream job. Most of the time they say no – which I remind them to treat my class as they would their dream job.
There are a lot of resources out there for email etiquette for students and professors as well as social media etiquette. The thing you have to do for your classes as professors is to determine what you want the students to do for the class. Students are not mind readers and you have to make sure you are communicating your expectations in class, on your syllabus, and within your class culture and community.
Hope you all are having a great day.
Best Wishes,
Karen