Responding to Student Emails

[pennswoods]

Since moving to Sweden, one of the other things I find really aggravating and where cultural norms clash is in student email requests. As I mentioned in my last post on education in Sweden, educational socialization is different from that of the US. There are no titles used and there is an emphasis on democratizing education such that students are meant to have a greater say in the system. This leads, I find, to more demands of accountability from the students to the teachers which take the form of more accusatory emails than I am used to getting from students in the United States. The below is an example of one I received today from a student who was put out that she/he bought the wrong books for class and wants me to explain why I changed the reading list at the last minute. I did not - she/he was obviously looking at an outdated reading list, but the fact that she/he felt entitled to ask that I justify myself is what I find grating.

Hi! I would just like to ask why you changed the course littratture list in the last minute. Because I thogut I had bought all the books. But now i turns out that I have the book "Test your pronunciation" by Michael Vaughan-Rees and i do not have "The ins outs of English pronunciation" by Sylvén and Liss Kerstin! I like to know why becasue it said the first book until like a week ago and I bougt all the english books to part 1. And the books are not cheap, so I really would like to know why, I could have used that money for food instead of a not needed book. From Future Student ****************** On bad days, when I'm feeling really stressed out, this type of email angers me. Rationally, I also know that some of what I am encountering are differences in expectations and perhaps linguistic and pragmatic norms because my students are having to compose these emails in a second language. (Though I do get a fair number in Swedish as well). This is where being able to dig deep and compose a compassionate but informative response is necessary, even when the email puts me in a bad mood. And this takes some mental space. Fortunately, I am done with teaching/observing for the day so I was able to compose the below response, which I think is sufficiently understanding and informative (and also requires the student to maybe look up a few words).

Dear Future Student, I am sorry to hear of your situation. The course list has been in place for some time and is what was consulted when we began scheduling course meetings and the examination date back in January . The official list of course readings is always available via the L&S website. Here is the link, and If you scroll down to part II you can see the official reading list. http://edu.mah.se/sv/Course/EN431B#Syllabus It is often a good idea to check this official list and to email your instructor if you note a discrepancy between what is listed there and what is listed on the course outline. Because students don't always know about this online resource, I posted a bulletin to the It's Learning site on March 3rd as a reminder with the list of required readings for part II to give everyone ample time to purchase the books before our first class meeting. Books are indeed not cheap. As an American, I learned this myself when I was a student and found myself paying upwards of US 500 (over SEK 3000) per term for textbooks. This can be a real hardship and this is why I posted the bulletin on March 3rd so that students could budget or make plans for alternate copies. If you cannot find a way to sell back the Vaughn-Rees text, you may still find that it provides a good number of short exercises for self-study which you may still find useful and which you may be able to use with your own future students. If you cannot afford to purchase the required text, perhaps you can make arrangements with a colleague in a different section so that you might be able to share the text between. This is again something my classmates and I had to do in certain semesters. It is not as ideal as having your own text, but it is one way of managing the cost of education. Best, pennswoods ****************** I think this worked as it elicited the following response. The student is still out money for a book they are not required to have but seems to feel like I heard them and gave their concern fair consideration although they seemed to have seen older texts listed there. Those were changed back in January, so I can only imagine that this student is an early-bird and bought the books early. *********** Hi again! First of all, thank you for the fast answer. The link you sent me, I looked att that before and then it said "Test your pronunciation". But I'll make the best of it. I just wanted to be sure. See you next week Future Student ************** Phew. On to my next student email.

Comments

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

First of all, I think your response was perfect. You pointed out what you did, didn't accept blame, suggested solutions, and showed the student how to avoid similar situations in the future. And you managed to be way more polite than I would have felt like being.

I think it's a generational thing as much as cultural thing. This generation of students... well, I won't use the word "entitled" or indulge in the old canard about expecting to be rewarded for everything because those answers are oversimplified, but I do think today's university students expect there to be discrepancies in grading and subjectivity in just about everything, so the ambitious ones try to press it to their advantage. I have a sneaking suspicion you're going to see a lot of that student. I hope it's in office hours, because the kind that only come to see you to argue points on a test are just annoying.

I would say "You wouldn't believe the stuff I hear every quarter after exams," but I think you absolutely would. Like "Can I have partial credit because I misread the question?" (No.)

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

Ugh! You probably have to deal with so much more of this than I do. Makes me feel silly for struggling with it. But I seriously did not get a PhD in replying to student emails, and this is SO NOT MY DIVISION yet it's a big part of my job too.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

I'm lucky to have a get-out-of-whining-free card, since I can always say, "You'll have to talk to the professor about this." I may have to repeat it a few times if the student's got a good head of steam going, though :D

[foxestacado.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a way more considerate and sympathetic email than I would have received from some of my professors. I would have just received, "check this list: [url]" in response.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

I think there are times when I might send a terse email or just not even respond to an email that is pissing me off because it is just unreasonable (e.g. I just submitted this make-up paper 2 weeks late but I need the grade right away! Please grade it right away!)

I put so much effort into this email because this class has not started yet and I want to get off on the right foot. Students who are already pissy and annoyed with me before the class even starts will pose more of a problem. If I can at least make them feel heard, some of them might try a little harder and push themselves.

*adjusts shiny green Slytherin hat*

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You are a patient, compassionate, and diplomatic person. I'm sure you are a better teacher than I could ever dream of being.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

I am not naturally this way and just wanted to send a snarky reply (hence the emotional space needed to master myself). But I also want to get this student on my side and now they might feel like I care/have listened to them/am compassionate and that could help get them to listen to me in turn.

I'm hoping anyway.

This could also backfire and result in them sending lots of whiny emails.

[sofisticat.livejournal.com]

I think you wrote a wonderful response. Your students arelucky. Not all professors would take time to write suh a lengthy and considerate reply.

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

You gave them a very kind, thoughtful, and nice response to their whiny email. It doesn't sound like an exceptionally whiny email; it sort of sounds like an American whiny teenager.

I still say my favorite teaching story of yours is from Texas, when you had your students meet at a Mexican restaurant so you could talk over drinks. You are the coolest professor!

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

Wow, they do come across as pretty entitled, your response is perfect! With second-language-students I usually take into account that they might not have meant their message to be impolite but just come across as that, but their e-mail really does not seem to leave a lot of room for interpretation there. I'd like to be as professional as you.

[magnetic-pole.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday to you, P! May this next year be full of new adventures and new joys. M.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Have a great birthday, Penns.