Communicating with Instructors

Getting Started

A positive connection with instructors depends on effective communication. Students and parents are encouraged to communicate with instructors. 

At Athena’s there are several ways to communicate with the instructor: 

  • On-topic verbal interaction during the webinar.
  • On-topic text-chat interaction during the webinar.
  • Email. 
  • Messages through the Athena’s messaging system.
  • Office hours (when available). 
  • Individual appointments. 

Details about the communication methods above are located in the Athena’s Handbook. 

Remember to contact your instructor with questions and concerns before emailing Athena’s administration.

Communication is very important in helping to create a positive and rewarding experience at Athena’s.

Remember to communicate with the Athena’s instructor about anything that impacts the learning process such as: 

  • Feeling excited about the subject matter.
  • Feeling like there is too much challenge.
  • Feeling like more challenge is needed.
  • Questions about an assignment, classroom, course, etc.
    Remember to search before sending! See the “Search before Sending!” tip below in the Emailing & Messaging section below. Instructors are here to help, but many questions (like finding the Academic Calendar) can be answered easily without assistance from the instructor or administration.
  • To let the instructor know a webinar will be missed.
    Remember to watch the webinar recording when it works with your schedule. 
  • To let the instructor know about an awesome resource about what the class has been learning about that they would like to share with the class. 
  • Anything else that users would like their instructor to know. 

Emailing & Messaging

Depending on the situation, try the following:

  • Reread instructions or directions.
  • Ask an adult for help with understanding instructions or directions.
  • Look in the Athena’s Resources areas (including this site) for clarification or help.
  • Look in the Athena’s Handbook for clarification or help.
  • Look at the Athena’s website.
  • Look for information on the Internet.

Example:

Persephone really wants to know if her class has a webinar on a specific date. She searches the Athena’s classroom and website. There she finds the link to the Academic Calendar!

Ah, ha! Persephone found the answer all by herself!

Remember: Search before sending!

There are two ways to contact your instructor:

  • Message through Athena’s Message System on the classroom website
  • Email through an email account

Users should determine if they should email or message the instructor.

  • Messages via Athena’s Message System:
    The message system on the classroom website is perfect for correspondence that would require a shorter response.

Example: Persephone wanted to tell her teacher how much she enjoyed the webinar. Persephone uses the message system for this message.

  • Messages via Email:
    Email is the perfect choice for correspondence requiring a longer response or if adding attachments (like screenshots) is required.

Example: Persephone is having some trouble with one of the forums in the classroom and needs help. She and her parent (Demeter) start troubleshooting by looking through all of the information in the Resources section, but she hasn’t been able to solve the problem. She wants to make sure her teacher understands all the steps she’s taken to solve the problem, so she is going to list all the steps and also send a screenshot. Persephone uses her email account to email her teacher the information.

Persephone remembers to copy her parent (Demeter) so that her parent will know that she’s contacted her teacher. 

Remember: Parents and trusted adults cannot be copied on the messages sent via the message system. Users should send emails to their teachers if it is important to copy their parents or trusted adult on the email.

Instructor email addresses are located in the Introduction & Instructor Email section of the corresponding virtual classroom.

To find the Message Center at Athena’s, follow these steps:

  1. Log into Athena’s classroom site.
  2. In the upper right-hand side of the screen, next to the profile picture and user name, look for the speech bubble. 
  3. Click on the speech bubble to view the message center. 
    If there is a white dot on the speech bubble, a message is waiting.

Users are able to message fellow students and instructors. 

Writing the email or message

An effective subject line should let the teacher know what the email is about.

*Reminder: Be sure to include your name in the email so the instructor will know who is sending the email! 

Include the following in the subject line of your email or first line in your message if messaging through Athena’s:

  • The name of the course.
  • Something to let the teacher know what the email is about.

Subject Line Example:
History for Whovians 8 AM Section – Missing next week’s webinar

Remember:

  • Use formal language and proper grammar.
  • Make sure that the message is well-written and grammatically correct. It’s important to make a good impression.
  • Do not write in all capitalized letters. IF YOU WRITE LIKE THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING!
  • Use professional fonts– your message/email should be easy to read.
  • Write proper sentences with subjects, verbs, correct punctuation, and correct spelling.
  • Always be polite:
    • Use “please” ~ “Can you please…?”
    • Use “thank you” ~ “Thank you for helping me.”

Greet the teacher with a respectful tone.

How to start the email:

  • Dear Dr. or Prof. Name
  • Hello, Dr. or Prof. Name

Avoid:

  • Addressing your teacher with only their first name.

Example:

  • Hello, Headmistress Athena,

*Reminder: Be sure to include who is sending the email so the instructor will know who is sending the email! (e.g. student’s name)

When emailing an instructor, keep these points in mind:

  • Begin by explaining the reason you are sending the email. Start the email with a single sentence explaining the purpose of the email.
  • If asking a question, be very specific.
  • Include information that will help the instructor to understand the reason for the email.
  • Remember to be polite and raise any concerns without being confrontational.
  • The tone of the email should focus on what you think.

Examples of pieces of information to share when emailing or messaging:

  • Student name
  • Course name
  • Course week
  • Assignment title
  • URL
  • Steps taken to try to solve an issue
  • The error message or specific problem
  • Dates and/or times
  • Screenshots

Remember: Teachers cannot read your mind (even though Athena’s teachers are working on learning that ;-). Remember to be very specific and clear in your email.

*Reminder: Be sure to include who is sending the email so the instructor will know who is sending the email! (e.g. student’s name)

After explaining the body of the message, thank the teacher and include your name/signature.

Users may choose to use a closing like:

  • Thank you
  • Regards
  • Best
  • Sincerely
  • Much obliged
  • Or another traditional and/or respectful closing

Then include your name/signature.
If it is not included in the body of the email, write the name of the class on the line below the closing words so that the teacher to know what class you are in.

For example:

Thank you,
Persephone
History for Whovians 7am

Example 1 of 2:

Persephone is going to miss a webinar, so in the body of her message she writes:

Hello, Headmistress Athena,

I am going to be going to a young-Greek Myths conference next Thursday, November 27 so I won’t be able to make it to our next History for Whovians class at 7AM webinar. I will make sure that I watch the recording of the webinar and complete the Required Activities when I get back from the conference.

I hope you are having a great week!

Sincerely, Persephone

Notice that Persephone made sure to add enough information to let her teacher know exactly what was going on.

 

Example 2 of 2:


Persephone noticed that one of the links in the course assignment list isn’t working anymore. (Athena’s Educators go through the information in the classroom every year to make sure the links are working at the beginning of the course, but the Internet is ever-changing, so sometimes students will find a link that doesn’t work.)

Dear Headmistress Athena,

While going through the information in History for Whovians 7am Week 3, I clicked on the link in the Highly Suggested section titled “The Crystal Palace.” Unfortunately, when I click on the link, it goes to a page without information on it. The message says the link has moved, and the new link is now this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace

Is there anything else I should look at?

Thank you,
Persephone

Before pressing send

Before sending the message, ask these questions:

  • Am I sending this message/email to the right person?
    Remember: Contact your instructor with questions and concerns before emailing Athena’s administration.
  • If sending an email, is there a proper subject line?
  • Is the teacher addressed with a proper salutation?
  • Is the message/email specific?
  • Is the message/email polite?
  • Is the message/email respectful?
  • Is there a line that could be interpreted the wrong way? If so, change it to sound better.
  • Does the tone of the message/email concentrate on your perspective and not what you want the teacher to do?
  • Did you double-check your grammar, punctuation, and spelling?

The email or message is ready to send!

After pressing send

After sending the message/email, please be patient with the reply. Teachers are often busy people and an immediate response might not be possible. Usually, however, Athena’s instructors reply within 24 – 48 hours. It might be closer to 48 hours if the email is sent over the weekend or during a holiday.

If a response has not been received in a couple of school days, please send a follow-up email, especially if there is an urgent question that cannot be resolved easily.

When writing a follow-up email: 

  • Be brief and polite.
  • Acknowledge the first email, explain what is going on and say something like, “I just wanted to check back with you in case you didn’t get my first email!”
  • If needed, ask for assistance. 
  • Remember, teachers are there to help, but they may need some time to write back.