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How to respond to student email...?

 
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:23 am    Post subject: How to respond to student email...? Reply with quote

I got this email last night from a former student.

Hello, Pest2?

I'm XXXX(Maybe you can't remember me. I did English camp in XXXX middle school).

How are you these days? (I have a stomachache)

I write this letter because of I want to say sorry for you.

Might be you couldn't remember,, you went to meet restaurant(등갈비 restaurant) in front of xxxxxx APT(in side of xxxxx.) didn't you?

I went there too. so I saw you. but I was too shy to say hello Pest2 teacher(I was with my family.).

I'm so sorry about that.

I think you will understanding me how I'm shy..(hu~~!)



I'm so sorry, so I will promise with you right now. If I saw you or different forign teacher, I will say hello? How are you? Please just forgive me this time. okay?



Good bye and I hope see you later again.


A couple of ideas came to mind... like telling her its OK not to say hi if she wants. But I remember she is a really nice student and I find it interesting she felt bad enough to dig up my email and apologize. She isnt even my regular student; She was at a different school during winter camp 9 months ago... So I was pretty amazed to get the email.
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SuperHero



Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Student,
Thank you for your email. don't worry about not speaking to me. I understand that you were nervous. Next time I hope you feel confident enough to talk to me. I enjoyed teaching you and hope that you are doing well.

Have a great day.

pest2
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The Perfect Cup of Coffee



Joined: 17 Jun 2007

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't.
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RedRob



Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Location: Narnia

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Perfect Cup of Coffee wrote:
Don't.


Why would that be PCC?
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I get a few random e-mails and/or text messages from students each week. You have to be careful, or you can really upset their interest in learning English by saying the wrong thing. I usually write a short blurb like Superhero posted, or if it's a girl who keeps sending me meaningless cell phone text messages, I tell her my wife and I are somewhere doing something -- see you in class. That usually keeps them from writing back.

The guys who write me are usually obsessed with learning English, or are the types who have few friends. One guy is like that, and he loves to write about basketball. I know very little about the game, so I never have much to say. I encourage him to visit me during office hours to talk, which he sometimes does.

Sometimes female students get crushes, or more likely in my case, they just see me as a father-figure type who is caring or kind. This especially happens with the ones who are from far away and living on their own (common theme with guys too), and have too high a moral standard to throw themselves into sleeping with some boyfriend to make themselves feel better (women, not guys.. haha). I suppose they're lonely.

I usually end up joking with them, and trying to be a matchmaker for them, "Hey, what do you think about Min Sub? I think he's a nice guy." I usually mention a guy who they don't like, so they laugh a lot.
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pkang0202



Joined: 09 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like to encourage their English. I'll make sure to ask them a question at the end of the mail/text message so that they'll try and write back a reply.

You can say something like, "Your English has improved. Keep studying English and I know you will get better. Did you have a good (insert holiday, weekend, vacation, whatever here)? You are a very good student."

I get a lot of text/emails from my students saying how much they like me as their teacher and that they respect me. They say I'm a lot of fun and they hope I don't go anywhere.

I just thank them for writing me and I always tell them to keep practicing English.
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Milwaukiedave



Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think PK and SuperHero's ideas were good. I also think bass's response is a good way to go if you feel like responding would be inappropriate.

I've gotten a few emails from my elementary students when I taught in Incheon and responded to them. My way of looking at it is that eventually, they'll forget me and move on after a few exchanges.

That being said, you as an individual really have to decide what your comfort level is and also look at the student's age as well.

Even given the fact that is what usually happens, I appreciate the fact that they miss me after I left. To me it means I did a good job and made a connection with them as a teacher.
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some good ideas. Thanks to everyone... Yeah, generally I dont give my email out so this hasn't happened yet... but its always nice to have a student remember and appreciate you, of course.
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Milwaukiedave



Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pest,

It is possible, when you leave your job that they will bug you for your email address (as I'm sure you've guessed that will happen). It's best to decide ahead of time how to respond. I gave mine out to the students that asked (actually I had old business cards that I handed out) and the students really like that.
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TECO



Joined: 20 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SuperHero wrote:
Dear Student,
Thank you for your email. don't worry about not speaking to me. I understand that you were nervous. Next time I hope you feel confident enough to talk to me. I enjoyed teaching you and hope that you are doing well.

Have a great day.

pest2


Obviously, this is the correct / professional way of dealing with such situations.

I've had it happen to me also and, although I find it kind of irritates me, try to respond in a similar manner.
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The Perfect Cup of Coffee



Joined: 17 Jun 2007

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RedRob wrote:
The Perfect Cup of Coffee wrote:
Don't.


Why would that be PCC?


Future new headline: "Foreign teacher in e-mail chat scandal with student"

Just leave it alone and ignore, it's not like they're your student anymore.
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iiicalypso



Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: is everything

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always have a separate email account that I use for my students. I don't have very many who will write just to write, but I encourage any English practice at all.

I agree that a short, polite response is in order. I get the feeling that most of the students who write to me are just trying to show off their English, so I just give them a polite response, occasionally correcting a few mistakes, and send it off. I have a couple who write regularly, and it is quite pleasurable to see them making strides to be understood.

I understand that people are sensitive to communicating with students, and fearful of being misinterpreted. This is why I use a separate account, and I have given my coteacher the password. I don't know that she ever checks it (I doubt it), but by keeping my personal life personal and my school life public, it eliminates the perception of a problem. Not a perfect solution, but better than doing nothing.
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iiicalypso wrote:
I always have a separate email account that I use for my students. I don't have very many who will write just to write, but I encourage any English practice at all.

I agree that a short, polite response is in order. I get the feeling that most of the students who write to me are just trying to show off their English, so I just give them a polite response, occasionally correcting a few mistakes, and send it off. I have a couple who write regularly, and it is quite pleasurable to see them making strides to be understood.

I understand that people are sensitive to communicating with students, and fearful of being misinterpreted. This is why I use a separate account, and I have given my coteacher the password. I don't know that she ever checks it (I doubt it), but by keeping my personal life personal and my school life public, it eliminates the perception of a problem. Not a perfect solution, but better than doing nothing.


Yeah, the short professional response plus the separate email acct are good ideas. In my case, since I'm leaving in 7 days, the separate email probably isnt necessary.. .but if I were getting emails more often Id do it.
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