How Often Do You Email Your Child's Teacher?

I email 2-3 times a week, but I told her that I would upfront. She is all about open communication and reciporcates the emails. I am an over involved mom. That's just who I am and I am open to tell people that.

My 2 sons hardly ever, unless there is an issue. My DD has special needs so we have to be in contact a lot more. So far I have emailed almost every other day.

Yikes, I can't imagine 20-30 sets of parents e-mailing that frequently. With the exception of volunteering in in her class, everything else can be handled through the office. If they get the same questions over and over, the office will know the need better notices. Plus, if you are volunteering in her class, you can probably get a minute with her. I would not need to know the daily behavior situation. I could have talked with my daughter and been updated of there was a problem. I just don't need to know every detail.

I only "annoy" the teacher with emails if it has to do directly with my kids work and/or behavior. If I want to know about picture day or anything else that the girls at the front desk can answer, then I call them directly. Good luck!

Your kids must be little?? Mine are in 3rd and 6th grade, and I haven't had the need to email either of their teachers yet. But maybe that's because I know the system! But yeah, email is definitely the way to go (over calling or sending in notes), in my opinion. I imagine your child's teacher won't act annoyed, even if she is. So maybe try emailing less than once a week unless it's for something serious?

ETA - I just read some of your other responses. I agree that teachers need to communicate with you (that is their job) but all the questions you've listed (change in pick-up schedule, volunteer hours, scholastic books, picture day) could all have been answered by someone in the main office. Teachers are BUSY and they'd rather be teaching (or planning lessons) than answering questions about picture day! Not trying to be harsh, but just something to think about.

I email when I need to and I don't think what you have emailed is out of reason. Maybe more than some parents, and probably more than the parent who is not involved at all.

As long as you are being respectful and your questions are valid (i.e. not looking for trouble or complaining about nonsense) then you are ok. I think most prefer email to phone tag, so you are probably handling it just right.

Our kids have an agenda that they take back and forth with them. They use it to write down their homework assignments, and it is also a communication log between parent and teacher. It is a good system. I will email the teacher if it is something private, but not very often.

Learn from Lisa O's answer, if you email the teacher twice a week she will stop responding even when it is about the child's vision! I'd say I email the teacher 3-4 times a yr. but if I was volunteering in the class, I'd need to interact with her more.
Sounds like email works for this teacher. Where I teach, many teachers check email frequently and many do not. Maybe you could find out if some questions should be directed to the office or the PTO mom in charge of picture day or volunteers. General advice so you dont become THAT parent (LOL) Keep your emails to the point, not two pages long. Seriously. And before you email or call about an injury, behavior problem, peer problem etc TALK to your child and find out all the facts. We hate emails about so and so called my son a ___ and we have long conversations trying to figure who said what and it turns out it happened in an afterschool program we know nothing about. Or Bobby yelled at me which turns out Bobby yelled STOP because your kid kept poking him. Just looks like you cant be bothered to talk to and listen to your child but want us to take care of everything. Emailing about a change in pick up is not annoying, it's important and not letting us know would be annoying. As a parent, I love teachers who respond to emails !!

I hate to break this to you but you're that ONE parent!! lol!!! Seriously tho, I would try to combine my questions into one email per week, if that! Also, can you check the website for newsletters or notices or even call/email the school secretary for answers to some of your more general questions?

But either case, I think emails are the best route to go. Provided you have the correct email!! I just went thru this with my daughter's teacher - sends home an assignment and at the bottom he states that we should contact him with any concerns. Well, I emailed him, waited, emailed again, no response. Then getting desperate for an answer, I called the phone number he has posted on the school website - it had been disconnected!!! I was absolutely furious!!! My daughter finally had to talk to him - he gave her the correct email and stated "I guess they haven't updated the emails yet!" Wouldn't you think that should have been priority for the first day/week of school!!! Crazy!!!

Good luck!!

Given the list of what you say you are emailing about, I think you are doing just fine! I have emailed about 3 out of 4 of what you have as well, as have most moms I know. Our teachers just forgot to put the due date on the scholastic book order =)

Bottom line, so long as you are not emailing with ridiculous things, and you will know what they are, you are FINE. The list of your emails above is perfectly acceptable. Email is great - she can answer at her leisure when it is convenient for her.

My kids' teachers encourage emails. It is easier for them to respond. Of course, my kids are older, too... so there is no class folder that comes home every day or anything like that. They are middle and high school.
Also, our schools are very up to date technology wise, and the entire district uses a "Powerschool" web program that all the students assignments and grades are loaded into (at least on a weekly basis, some teachers are more efficient at this than others).

I have emailed a few of my kids' teachers for various reasons... so I have sent several emails now. But not more than one or two to any one teacher, being that the have a different teacher for each subject...
I picked up my kids early for a dentist appointment (I emailed their last teacher of the day about that in advance, just an FYI for them), I emailed one asking when a grade would be posted (the teacher had not posted ANY for 2 1/2 weeks into the semester, nothing.. not even an assignment title), and I sent one the first day or two of school regarding a schedule change for my son (change of teachers on day 3, and he didn't get the syllabus).
I really do try to keep it to a minimum, especially since the kids are at the age where they should be handling most of this stuff on their own. But when I think it will be beneficial to the TEACHER as well, I do email.

When they were in earlier grades, I sent, probably on average, one or two a month to my daughter's teacher (except when she was having an issue with pull-out challenge classes at the beginning); and probably a few times a month to my son's teachers (he was notorious for wanting to go in early to work on something, and I needed clarification that the teacher was available, etc).

ETA: Ask the teachers. Some may have a different preference for contact. All of the teachers my kids have say email freely. Also, their online web stuff is set up to send out automatic notifications of homework assignments (depending upon the individual teacher's wishes to use the program). Several of their classes, they aren't even issued a textbook. The teachers provide links to the online textbook.
Let the teacher's use of technology also sort of be a guide for you. :)

I'm guessing this is for elementary school.

E-mail is the most efficient way to communicate with a teacher for quick questions.

Look at it this way...
If you send a note, then she has to make sure your child gets it and it gets into his backpack. Although it seems minor, it can be a distraction.

At the end of the day, I'm sure the last thing a teacher wants to do is make phone calls.

Just something you might want to consider... Could some of these questions be better directed to someone else at the school? Many schools have a volunteer coordinator. Also, the teacher really doesn't have much to do with school pictures.

This year, only once, and she didn't respond to my email. :( I had to end up sending a note a couple of days later and she responded then.

Last year, I did send the Kindergarten teacher emails whenever I had a quetion and/or concern and she was really good about responding back to my emails. She seemed to prefer emails and was good about checking them.

I guess it depends on the teacher but I would think email would be the easiest method. If she's responding to your emails than I would continue with that method of contact. I prefer the email method myself b/c I work FT and am only at the school on Fridays. I don't really get to talk to the teacher on Fridays b/c she only comes out for a brief second to claim the kids and rush them into class and shut the door. After school, some other parent is usually talking to her so I don't hang around. The note worked but I hate to send notes that can be lost etiher by my child or by the teacher who doesn't realize what the child is handing her and sets it aside and forgets about it. I have found, by past experience, that calling the teachers is touch and go because they're in class, in meetings, etc. and when I do get them on the phone they're usually in a hurry so I don't use that method.

As often as necessary, but not for anything frivolous. In many schools, email has replaced the note in the backpack and some schools have blogs or Edline or other electronic means because it is the best way to reach a teacher. Some years we emailed more often, and some teachers more than others. You might also want to find your school's listserv or PTA page or something in case some of that information can be gotten from other parents.

I am a teacher communicator. Plus, she has a notebook in a binder that is for those communications as well. I find that I talk to her ALL the time but my son has ADHD, there was an issue with his 504 that we are handleing AND I am the scholastic books chairperson (she assits), so it is what it is and I am "that" mom who is involved in my son's education and school and remains in communication with those that are important.

ON average.. I email the teacher once or twice a week..

-sometimes an email.. she responds.. then I respond...

then for awhile.. nothing is going on... so I might not email for 3 weeks..

I have been very disappointed with the teachers not responding to my emails.

For example .. I sent in an email saying my child could not see perfectly.. but the eye dr said no glasses at this time.. I wanted her to be aware so he could sit close if he needed to see somethng... I thought I would get at least an OK... she sent no response..

I have emailed each of my kids' teachers twice so far this year. I would do it more except, like you, I don't want to be "that parent." My emails were regarding my son in 1st grade not having a clue what was going on (turns out he didn't know enough to bring home the folder full of papers until week #2 so that was why I had no idea what was going on), and my daughter who has anxiety issues and is brand new and needing the teacher to understand what she is going through without her being able to read the note that I would have to send in with her. Both seemed fine with it. I am sure you are not the only one.

On average maybe 3-4 times a year, unless I'm responding to a message that he or she sent either to me specifically or the class parents as a group. For my older kids, they have teachers to whom I have never sent an e-mail. Some teachers literally didn't know how to use e-mail and would say "I have an e-mail address because the school makes me but I don't ever open it so please send a note in" and other would respond so quickly I wondered if they were just texting on their phones all day and not teaching. My questions have usually been related to getting help sorting out a backlog of missing assignments for my oldest son, whose IEP includes organizational help, or giving a head's up that my daughter would be availing herself of the teacher's after school help and some brief notes on what she was having trouble with. This was when she switched schools mid-year and wasn't comfortable communicating or advocating on her own behalf yet. I never had to initiate e-mails with the younger boys' teachers last year (hoping for smooth sailing this year too).

I'm kind of shocked that anyone (not you, other responders) think that e-mailing multiple times a week is a reasonable expectation. Outside of an IEP, I think that's excessive and obnoxious but I guess it's up to the teacher to set boundaries...or not.

Whenever I need to.

I am big on communication and if I have a question, I'll email the teacher. I had to email about my boy's lunch numbers, a few times for my daughter's homework, one for her infected ear, etc. I find it is an easy way to communicate and have no problem doing it. All of my kids teachers are okay with me doing it, and they are friendly and professional with their response back.

I also pop into the school and chat with them, so that I know them and they know me. I feel like my kids get a better education when the teacher and parents know each other.

I try to keep it to a minimum, and ask questions that can ONLY be answered by her, such as homework, class rules, etc. I think I've sent her 2 emails, within the first 2 weeks of school, one about homework, and one about their daily routine. She was very nice & responded quickly and was happy that I asked the questions.

For things like volunteer hours, Scholastic book questions, and picture day, I probably would've just called the office, or checked the school website. Like a PP said, this is all general info that anyone at the school should know.

Bothering the teacher with questions that aren't specific to her or her class probably IS going to annoy her, especially since the info you're requesting is relatively easy to get. I do think you kind of might be "that" parent.

Think of it this way - she has what, 25 kids in the class to keep track of? Which means, 50 possible parents to deal with, 25 kids to deal with, and all of the corresponding emails, phone calls, notes, and personal visits to attend to, each and every day. This is in addition to internal requests and her daily teaching duties. Anything you can do to be more self sufficient when it comes to finding information is probably greatly appreciated by the teacher.

I can't stand that I do it, but I seem to email every other day. Sometimes I tell her in the email, no need to respond and she still does.

This teacher is still a little new. It is her 4th year of teaching and I don't feel she is as organized as the K teacher was. I figure it will all get better in another couple of weeks.

I always find it easier to e-mail and most teachers we have had and know prefer it as well. School has been in session 2 weeks and I have e-mailed twice. I think an expected portion of a teachers job is to communicate with you. Although I would like to read an answer from a teacher on this...anyway even if your are that parent and even if she is annoyed - too bad. Perhaps not a popular answer but it is not like she is doing volunteer work, this is job and communicating with you is a part of that job. I would hope a teacher would rather parents be on top of things then not know what is going on. Our teachers encourage as much communication as possible and I never feel bad about asking them a question even if it may be something small or insignificant, I think of it as strengthening the lines of communication!

I asked a friend who is a principal and he said "involved parents are great. Crazy parents are not". So, I label myself an involved parent.

I have a child with ocd and anxiety. I have e-mailed her teacher several times this year. Last night one of my other children asked me what her teacher said about her and I realized I hadn't checked on either one of my other daughters.

When Caroline was in kindergarten last year I e-mailed her teacher all the time.

I worry about being that mom. But, like someone else said, that's who I am. The school knows who I am. The good, the bad and the ugly :) I even e-mailed the principal last week.

I email the teacher if I want her notified of something right away, absences, behavior questions, or any other issues that present themselves. I don't do it all the time, only as needed..

For my special needs daughter, we have built into her IEP that we're to have daily communications with her teacher. She's still in 4th grade so she has one main teacher and this still works. For all of her teachers since kindergarten, e-mail has been the prevalent form of daily communication. For most of the teachers they've even initiated contact a 2nd time during the day or even once in the evening.

I have to e-mail them about her previous evening if it has bearing, and about her morning which I do right after she gets on the bus. Her teachers thank me profusely because it helps to plan her day. They know if they need to start her with a sensory break and what type. They know if she should get an extra snack or not because she threw her breakfast on the floor. They know how to greet her off the bus if she got on crying because the flowers she picked for art class wilted before class started and she was obsessing over it. They need to know if she's allowed to buy lunch that day and what foods she has to avoid or how the lunch has to be adjusted.

Absolutely imperative that we have that daily communication.

For my other daughters, we have once or twice weekly contact at minimum. For my eldest daughter, it will end up being two or three times weekly through e-mail AND at least once a week by phone because of some of her issues with ADHD. That's just how it is every year. She's pleasant, but a challenge.

With my youngest daughter, once a week is sufficient and really just a formality.

our school encourages emails. my daughters 4th grade teachers emails all the parents everyday about the events of the class and we are welcome to email as often as we like. my sons 2nd grade teacher likes that we email as in the morning she is getting ready for class and although she will chat with you it is easier with email. so yes in a nutshell i email. have a great day :)

I don't probably enough.

We are required to notify the office for changes in schedule, and they relay the message to the teacher.

We've been in school for a month and I've emailed her once. Talked to her in person twice.

She said to email if we needed. I just haven't emailed.

I don't think she minds if its really important or directly relates to your child.

I know as a Girl Scout leader I am more bothered by the lack of response than I am of those who email/txt/call all the time. I would rather they call/txt/email. Even just an "ok" or "I understand" so that I know they go the message.

ETA: Like others said we are high tech school district...anything I really need to know is on the website or sent home in the daily emails from the district and school. We then get phone message reminders and text reminders.

I haven't emailed my child's teacher at all this year. I do however see her each morning at drop off and speak to hear then with any questions/concerns or I sent a note.