A Guide to Email for Student Teachers 
This guide has
been prepared to you to help you create a positive and professional impression
every time you send an email to your supervisor, cooperating teacher,
professor, or anyone who may formulate a professional opinion of you. It is intended to help you portray
yourself in the most professional and intelligent way in a very informal
communication medium.
Greetings – Have a
greeting. Do not just launch into
your message. It can be a brief as
“hello” or “greetings”, or as formal as
“Dear…”
Use meaningful subject
lines - A subject line should pertain
directly to your message and help people anticipate the context of your message
before they read it. The subject line should be brief and does not need to be a
complete sentence.
Quote the email to which
you are responding – especially if the original email is not
included in the text. Help people
who get scores of emails each day by giving enough information to understand
the context and intent of your message.
Use spell check! - Everyone
expects a teacher’s written and verbal communication skills to be
flawless!
Use grammar check! - Everyone
expects a teacher’s written and verbal communication skills to be
flawless!
Use proper punctuation! - Everyone
expects a teacher’s written and verbal communication skills to be
flawless!
Use a professional email
address - What was fun to use as a college student with your friends
will not create the professional impression you are seeking.
Signatures – Sign
your name. Don’t make the
reader have to decipher who wrote the message from the email address. Yes, student teachers have been known to
send emails without identifying themselves.
Fancy Text - Keep in mind that although your email reading software
may show bold, italics, etc., your receiver’s software may not. This
could confuse the reader.
Check your
E-Mail daily - A prompt response reflects positively on your responsibility and
initiative.
Capital Letters - Be aware
that using capital letters can be interpreted as shouting.
