Throughout the last academic year, I sent students weekly emails in each of my courses; I aimed to keep students connected during the period of extreme social distancing. Some of my courses were asynchronous, some were synchronous (via Zoom), and others were a flipped classroom format (asynchronous study units in preparation for synchronous classes on Zoom).
I spent time and effort creating those emails and was determined that they wouldn’t get lost in the tsunami of correspondence that students receive from the college and beyond. I am happy to report that in interviews for my research, I heard from several students that the emails were helpful and supportive during the overwhelming year.
I knew that many students were exhausted, overworked and distraught with the burden of studying online. I was aware that time management, productivity tracking and keeping up-to-date were significant challenges for many. My emails explicitly addressed those issues in many ways.
What were the main characteristics of the weekly emails?
1. I tried to keep a regular format, making it easier for the students to navigate the text and find what they were looking for. I aimed to contribute to a sense of stability and routine in a period of great uncertainty.
2. The subject of the email was always the same, enabling instant recognition in the inbox. I included the name of the course and “weekly email from Nikki”.
3. I divided most of the text into small chunks, adding colour and visuals to increase readability. I used numbering, bullet points, and icons to make the letter stand out from all the others they were receiving.
4. Although the correspondence was routine and similar in format, wanting to arouse curiosity, I tried to add an element of surprise in each email.
5. I worked hard to make the information clear and accessible for all students. There was considerable repetition and many reminders.
“Have you completed Unit 1? If not, It is still open, and you can do the work.
Have you completed Unit 2? If not, It is due tomorrow. All the materials are in the Moodle in the file named “Unit 2: Learning”. We will be discussing learning and development in the session tomorrow. Come prepared! Please don’t leave the tasks to the last minute” (11.11.20).
6. I tried to make the tone of the email personal and accessible, almost chatty. I usually opened with “Dear All” and signed off with my first name.
7. Each email contained a checklist of tasks that the students were supposed to be completing, together with due dates. Sometimes I added links to the tasks on Nearpod or ThingLink, and I invited the learners to check their progress and use the list to make sure that they were up to date.
“Have you played the games on the Moodle in preparation for Thursday’s lesson? If not, now is the time! You can play as many times as you like until you are happy with your grade” (11.1.21).
8. I tried to convey a sense of community, despite the lack of face-to-face meetings. I usually wrote in the first person (singular or plural), emphasising the connection between us.
“I’m looking forward to another semester of engaged learning and lively participation with you” (17.2.21).
“We are all devastated by the Lag B’Omer tragedy at Mount Meron. Like me, I’m sure you are finding it difficult to concentrate on everyday matters in light of the terrible events” (2.5.21).
9. Often, I gave the student cohort feedback on their participation in recent classes or study tasks.
“Thank you again for your enthusiasm and participation last Thursday. Meeting you in smaller groups allows me to get to know you a bit better and for you to be more active. We had some interesting discussion about Generation Alpha and the practical application of our understandings in the classroom” (3.11.20).
“I enjoyed watching you engage with one another and work collaboratively on the Hexagon Thinking activity last Thursday. I saw that you were thinking deeply about the concepts and working hard to explain your knowledge” (17.11.20).
“Your Flipgrid videos are fantastic! Don’t be shy; you’ll learn from producing the short video, and we will all learn from your personal experience (11.11.20).
10. The emails reflected the multicultural nature of the groups. Having Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze studying together, I made an effort to refer to the holidays and festivals of the various groups as they occurred throughout the year.
“Happy Easter to all who are celebrating this week” (4.4.21).
“I sincerely hope that this email finds you well in this sensitive period with its unique mix of memorial days, independence celebrations and Ramadan traditions” (14.4.21).
11. My letters’ opening and closing often pointed to seasonal, national or international events.
“I hope you are all keeping warm and dry in this stormy weather” (13.12.20).
“I am finding it difficult to believe that semester break is flying past so quickly. I know that you have been extremely busy in this period, but I hope you have found some time to enjoy quality time with your family and friends” (17.2.21).
Sometimes I mentioned challenging events we were all experiencing. I wrote about coping with COVID 19 and staying safe; I also expressed my condolences to the (many) students who lost family members in the pandemic.
“I hope you are all healthy and preparing for the rigid lockdown which is approaching. Although it is heartbreaking that schools will be closed again, I am optimistic that when they reopen, your practicum will be calmer and more significant” (6.1.21).
“I hope that the lockdown is treating you well and that you are looking after yourselves. I believe that those of you doing practice teaching this year will soon receive an invitation to be vaccinated – another step towards a healthy reopening of the schools and Oranim” (11.1.21).
I openly expressed concern for the well-being and safety of all during a period of battle and upheaval in Israel.
“I sincerely hope that you are all feeling safer and calmer than in the last fortnight. Although it never ceases to amaze me how quickly life in Israel returns to the routine hustle and bustle, it will now take time and a concerted effort for many of us to regain a sense of personal security, trust and stability. If you would like to talk to me about how you are coping with the aftermath of the horrific period we have endured or need help getting back on track with your studies, please contact me, and I will try to help” (23.5.21).
I also made a point of acknowledging the academic challenges the students were facing.
“I enjoyed meeting group B last Thursday, and thank you for your active participation in the lesson. I have been thinking about how many of you described your feelings at the beginning of the semester – heavy, overloaded, overwhelmed, confused. I hope that you are settling back into your routine and that your student lives are looking a little brighter” (14.3.21).
“After over a year of social distancing, the academic community is preparing for the significant move to teaching and learning face-to-face. For some, this may be a great relief, and it may be stressful and unsettling for others. I trust you will all find a way to make the most of the final two months of the academic year. I know that the teaching staff is there for you if you require assistance” (14.4.21).
12. Every email contained a sincere and explicit invitation for students experiencing adversity to contact me to receive support and, if necessary, academic consideration. I knew many students were dealing with academic, emotional, medical, social, and economic hardship. I wanted them to remember that I was there for them and someone they could turn to.
“As always, If anything is troubling you, or you wish to ask a question, please feel free to contact me immediately” (17.2.21).
“Please write to me if you are struggling to complete the coursework or don’t understand the tasks. Don’t wait until the last minute” (27.10.21).
13. Often, I added extras towards the end of the email; these were links to interesting media items connected to the course topic or humorous images to lighten up their day. In a course on narrative writing, I added weekly quotations about writing with visuals.
“Maybe this comic from “When’s it hometime?” – a series about teaching in elementary classes will make you smile” (14.3.21).
“Recommended viewing: Watch this informative and reassuring ten-minute video called: “How to STOP WORRYING about your ACCENT once and for all!!”. It features a teacher who teaches year 12 equivalent courses at an Australian university” (2.5.21).
“I’m happy to share a video created by an elementary school for English day – a positive message in these dark days” (13.5.21).
14. In many emails, I referred to my own professional learning in the transition from face-to-face to online teaching.
“On your Moodle, you have anonymous course feedback questionnaires. It is essential for me to learn what you think about my teaching and the structure of this course. Your feedback is a crucial part of my professional learning. Thank you to the 11 students who have already answered the brief questionnaire; I take your comments very seriously” (11.1.21).
I intend to continue writing weekly emails to students in all my courses, both online and face-to-face. I believe the effort is worthwhile and that the contribution to students is significant.
Do you communicate in similar ways with your students? Have you achieved these goals differently? Have you experienced something similar as a teacher or a student? I would love to hear your thoughts on what I have shared here about my weekly letters.
