Emails by @SeanDelahoy

Name: Sean Delahoy
Twitter: @SeanDelahoy
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: English
Position: HoD
5 Bits of Advice About:  Emails

1. Don’t make them your first priority in the morning as they will distract you from your teaching.
2. Don’t feel pressured to respond to them when you are teaching. Emails can wait, the students shouldn’t have to.
3. When writing them, keep it as short as possible and only send them to the people that need to know.
4. Try to only send them during working hours.
5. Whenever possible, have a conversation instead.

Emails by @Mr_Bunker_edu

Name: David Bunker
Twitter name: @Mr_Bunker_edu
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Head of Department
What is your advice about? Emails

1: Emails are a quick and convenient way to communicate, so are often overused. As a consequence, emails soon stop being quick and convenient if you actually want to communicate.

2: When sending an email, always ask yourself if it’s possible to sort out your request with a conversation. Often, this will be far more fruitful.

3: Be incredibly wary of sending ‘all staff’ emails. Don’t waste people’s time by sending them information, which is irrelevant.

4: Act on emails as soon as possible: Delete the obviously irrelevant, reply instantly where possible, or star/bookmark the email if the response requires more thought / time.

5: If it’s common in your school for people to send emails with requests during evenings or at weekends, please don’t read them until you’re at work. Get some rest.

Emails by Anonymous

Name: Anonymous
Twitter: None given
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: None given
Position: Head of Department
5 Bits of Advice About:  Emails

1. Never send an email to every member of staff unless it really, really needs to go to every single member of staff.
2. Check before you hit ‘send’. Did you click ‘reply to all’ by mistake? Have you given a first impression to colleagues suggesting you are illiterate? Spellcheck is good!
3. Don’t read school emails just before bed: you could end up with a sleepless night or an hour of extra work, rather than the duvet you crave.
4. Respond to urgent emails immediately, or risk forgetting them and incurring someone’s wrath. Cultivate the impression that you are organised and efficient.
5. Ask an experienced colleague to check important emails (eg to parents / SLT) before you send them. Copy in your mentor so he/she has the relevant info if required later.