I wanted to use this month's post to share some advice on using email. Whether you are a brand new teacher or a seasoned veteran, we can all use a little email etiquette guidance from time to time. Think of me as your own Miss Manners...
- Be informal, not sloppy. Your colleagues may use commonly accepted abbreviations in e-mail, but when communicating with parents or community members, everyone should follow standard writing protocol. Your e-mail message reflects upon you and our school corporation, so traditional spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply.
- Keep messages brief and to the point. Just because your writing is grammatically correct does not mean that it has to be long. Nothing is more frustrating than wading through an e-mail message that is twice as long as necessary. Concentrate on one subject per message whenever possible.
- Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING. Using all lowercase letters looks lazy. For emphasis, use asterisks or bold formatting to emphasize important words. Do not, however, overuse such devices. After a while it loses its effect.
- Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don't use Blind Copying to keep others from seeing who you copied; it shows confidence when you directly CC anyone receiving a copy. Be cautious with your use of CC; overuse simply clutters in boxes. Copy only people who are directly involved.
- Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact. Don't forget the value of face-to-face or even voice-to-voice communication. E-mail communication isn't appropriate when sending confusing or emotional messages. If you are upset about something and on the verge of sending a lengthy, emotional email, have a friend read it first. Often such emails only add another layer to the problem. Email statements can be taken out of context. Emails do not permit you to read the body language of the sender so you can often misinterpret the intention of the email. If you have a problem with someone, speak with that person directly. Because email can seem so informal, many people fall into this trap. Always remember that email is forever!
- Remember that e-mail isn't private. Employees can be fired for using e-mail inappropriately. E-mail is considered Seymour Community School Corporation's property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. You should assume that e-mail over the Internet is not secure. Never put in an e-mail message anything that you wouldn't put on a postcard. Remember that e-mail can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you've written. You might also inadvertently send something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment. There are times you will need to share information about a student with a colleague. When communicating about a student, we suggest you use initials or Student One/Student Two. Remember any comment you make about a student or parent in an email is fair game in a court of law.
- Be sparing with group e-mail. Send group e-mail only when it's useful to every recipient. Use the "reply all" button only when compiling results requiring collective input and only if you have something to add. Recipients get quite annoyed to open an e-mail that says only "Me too!"
- Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose. Don't just say, "Hi!" or "From Laura." Use this line to identify the purpose of the email. It could be helpful in searching for the email at a later date.
- Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail. It is the advice of Seymour Community School Corporation's Technology department to avoid opening any email that you do not recognize the sender. In addition, do not click on attachments from senders you do not know, these often carry a virus that can impact our systems. In addition, we suggest that you direct personal e-mail to your home e-mail account.
- Remember that your tone can't be heard in e-mail. Have you ever attempted sarcasm in an e-mail, and the recipient took it the wrong way? E-mail communication can't convey the nuances of verbal communication. Also, don't assume that using a smiley :) will diffuse a difficult message.
- Use a signature that includes contact information. To ensure that people know who you are, include a signature that has your contact information, including your mailing address, position, and phone numbers.
- Picture Attachments. Be aware that attaching pictures to an email and then sending it out to all employees will impact the entire email system. Pictures and videos eat up space on our server. If you have picture/video you'd like everyone to see or a notice for everyone, such as, an item for sale, you can contact Shawn Mahoney. We have an area on our staff website for this purpose.
The last thing I would share about email, is remember to delete. You should delete or archive emails that are not immediately relevant to your work. This keeps our system working efficiently. Remember to watch not only your mailbox but also your sent items. If you find your system seems bogged down, take a look at the number of emails in these areas. You may need to do some house cleaning! If you need help in learning how to archive, please contact Mr. Mahoney.
Quote:
Bill Gates Some suggestions taken from the following website:
