Email+Templates

As a group we are very deliberate about tracking our students grades and success. Beyond, and in addition to, the grade reporting that ASU does, it is very handy to send out the action item emails. Always set up a clear expectation for our students with clear actionable items (such as dates for meetings). Also, it is good practice to send a follow up email to all important verbal communications.


 * __ First email of the semester template: __**

Hi Class,

Welcome back to a new and exciting semester! My name is //**BLANK**// and I will be your instructor for your course, Sustainability Science for Teachers (SCN 400). Just a quick note before we start school:  This class is taught as a hybrid course. i.e., there are both online and in-person requirements. Thus, we will only be meeting in-person one day a week: every //**Tuesday**// from //**1:30 - 2:45pm**// in room //** PEBW 140 **//. Our first class meets face-to-face on //**Tuesday, January 12th, 2015 at TIME **. // Please be sure to bring your laptop or digital device to the first class, as we will be using it for some of our in-class activities.   I am very excited to meet you all, and I look forward to a great semester! Please do not hesitate to contact me at **//EMAIL ADDRESS//** should you have any questions. Best, XYZ  


 * __SCN 400 : A brief note about your grade __**

Hi Student XYZ name,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I want to start a conversation about your current grade in our class. Currently, you have a <span style="background-color: #faff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">73% <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and I just want to make sure that you start trending upwards, and not downwards, as the semester moves forward. You had missed <span style="background-color: #faff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 assignments <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and received zeros on those, which is why your current grade is not where I know it should be. Submitting proof-read and thoughtfully crafted work each week is an important part of this class. Zeros are a grade killer. I know this class is rigorous, so hang in there and save time each week to do the work. I would love to meet with you to discuss further. Please set up a meeting with me in the next two weeks before <span style="background-color: #faff00; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">date <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> so we can talk strategy for moving forward.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Best, //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instructor //

__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">SCN 400 : Follow up to your current grade **__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hi Student XYZ name,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a follow up to an email I sent you on <span style="background-color: #faff00; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">date <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, I want to have a conversation about your current grade in our class. Currently, you have a <span style="background-color: #faff00; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">68 //__%__//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and I just want to make sure that you start trending upwards, and not downwards, as the semester moves forward. You have missed many assignments and received zeros on those, which is why your current grade is not where I know it should be. Submitting proof-read and thoughtfully crafted work each week is an important part of this class. Zeros are a grade killer. I know this class is rigorous, so hang in there and save time each week to do the work. I would like to meet with you to discuss further. Please set up a meeting with me in <span style="background-color: #faff00; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the next two weeks before date <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> so we can talk strategy for moving towards a passing grade.

There are fall, spring and summer sections of this course that you will have to enroll in if you fail to pass our class. So please take this seriously, I don't want that to happen to you.

Talk soon!

Best, //Instructor//

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> __** SCN 400: Submitting Assignments in Blackboard **__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hi class,

A quick note before we get much further into the semester...

Please only submit work in Blackboard by clicking the "Write Submission" or the "Browse My Computer" buttons (pictured below). The Comments field should __not__ be used, unless you want to provide me with a quick bit of commentary in __addition__ to your submission (example: "This was so interesting! I really enjoyed this assignment.") The Comments section undoes any formatting from your work, and clumps the words together in one giant block of text, which can be quite difficult to read and grade. ;-)



Thanks so much! Let me know if you have any questions. // Instructor // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hi Student XYZ name,
 * __ Email about extra credit __**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thank you for emailing me. Unfortunately, I do not believe in extra credit. The credit has been given throughout the regular assignments, quizzes, and the various elements of the final project. Extra credit makes those assignments not as valuable. Likewise, it would not be fair for me to give extra credit to you and not to the whole class. Everyone has a million things going on from work to school and because of that, I need to remain fair across the board. Equity is very important to me as an instructor. I trust you understand that I aim to be firm and fair with all the students in the class. Connect with me if you have any questions or if there are other elements that we need to discuss. I am here to support you. Warm regards, //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instructor //