Case
Parent Disregard to Learning

I have a parent who emails me constantly about her child on a daily basis. The emails vary each time, but they are very rarely about academics and more about me "checking on her children." For example, before Christmas break, she emailed me to see if I would check her child's Ugg boot and let her know what size it was because she was out shopping. This particular parent is a stay a home mom currently, but she was a middle school teacher before she had children. I'm not sure how to stress to her what is appropriate and what is not when it comes to emailing your child's teacher. We have a great parent support group at our school and this particular parent has a great deal of influence. My school also has a strict policy that we are to respond to all parent emails withing 24 hours of receiving it. I'm not sure how to address this particular parent without causing an uproar in my classroom and for the school.

Posted on: 03/15/15 | Views: 950
Solution #1
We also have a strict policy on the response time to parent emails, however, we can only answer emails before and after school. I would let the parent know that instructional time is very important and you will use the time the students are in school for instruction. If she chooses to email you throughout the day, her emails will be answered at the end of the day when the students have all gone home. Hopefully, that will deter her from interrupting your day with nonsense emails.

That sounds like a brilliant solution.

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Solution #2
I would try to relate to her on the teacher level, just explain to her how you are bombarded with emails regarding academics and that's where you feel you are the most useful.
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Solution #3
I would set some serious boundaries around the emailing. We simply do not have time teach and be on the computer all day. I would set up expectations at my first parent night explaining that you have limited computer time during the day, and that you will return any email that is about an academic, social, or behavioral concern about their child. It sounds like this parent is taking advantage of the situation if she is Higher upper in the PTO or something. I also would let this parent know what you find to be inappropriate.
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Solution #4
Send out a group email to all parents stating the same information explaining that "I am here to help your child learn. If you email me during school hours with anything other than academics then I will be answering after the school day is over. Other than that I will email during specials." This way the parent does not feel pinpointed out and there is proof that if you need to go to an administrator about disrupting emails. The parent will hopefully stop if they know they will not be getting an answer right away and you are also following the 24 hour rule.
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