Email Replies

When I get an important (either to me or someone that is important to me) email, I try to reply within 12 hours of getting the message. If I can’t give a solid answer, I confirm that I got the email and I’m working towards getting an answer for the person.

If a parent of a student emails me, I try to reply as soon as possible. If a parent contacts me, they usually have a concern or a problem. If they have a problem, I do not want it to escalate where we are reacting instead of solving the problem. If they have a concern, I want to ease their worries as soon as possible just the way I would want to be treated if I was that parent.

Recently I had a graduate student ask for a zoom meeting which we’ve done several times already. I have no problem meeting with students when they have questions or concerns. When she asked for a specific date and time, I set up the meeting so we could meet at her convenience. Unfortunately, I waited 15 minutes and she never showed up. So, I emailed her that since she didn’t show up, I left. I still have no reply to my email with an apology or an excuse.

I also had an undergraduate student who has not turned in several assignments and her grade is dropping. When I emailed her about my concerns, she did not reply. After a week, I finally had to refer her to our academic assistance team.

If I’m taking a course and the instructor emails me asking for a response, I would definitely consider this an important email and respond as soon as possible. I want to show this person respect and make sure that I answer any questions that are required.

Not replying to an important email is rude and disrespectful. I don’t feel you have to reply immediately but replying within a reasonable amount of time is the right thing to do. When you don’t reply, you come across as unreliable and uncooperative.

Replying to emails can help you be more successful in the classroom and in life.

How do you feel about replying to emails? Please share.

Photo by Stephen Phillips - Hostreviews.co.uk on Unsplash

Tour Etiquette

When we recently went on a tour of Russia, I realized that some people don’t know about etiquette when taking a tour. Sometimes people are rude and don’t realize it because no one mentioned the things you should do or not do so I thought I would bring it up. This works for tours locally or far away.

When you are given a description about the tour, take it seriously. If it says there is fast paced walking over distances, think about your ability. If you don’t think you can keep up, don’t go and hold up the whole group. There may not be places for you to sit and rest if you get tired. Staying on the bus might not be an option.

When getting off the bus, let the people in the seats in front of you off the bus first. Remember which bus and what seat you were on and return to the same bus and seat when you get back on.

Ask the guide if it is safe for you to leave things on the bus first before leaving anything. The guide will let you know if the bus driver is staying with the bus and if the bus will be locked. Never leave anything valuable like your wallet.

When the guide is speaking, be quiet. Even if you aren’t interested in what the guide is saying, other people are and may be distracted if you are talking. They also might not be able to hear the guide over your speaking.

Keep your eye on the tour guide. Don’t wander away and get lost. The group doesn’t want to waste valuable time (that they paid for), looking for you.

If you are given time to wander and given a meeting time, plan on being at the meeting place five minutes early. Do NOT arrive late. This is not fair to everyone else and this cuts into the time you can be exploring other places.

If you are in another country, learn how to say thank you in the local language. The local people appreciate your effort.

These are just some helpful hints that that I think all people (including students) need to learn to do when on a tour. It will make the trip more enjoyable for everyone and keep you from being “those people” that others talk about after the trip!

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Being Alive

In No Zombies: Stop Going Through the Motions and Live Life from  Cool Cat Teacher Blog by coolcatteacher@gmail.com, Victoria A Davis, Cool Cat Teacher, asks,

“I wonder how many people will reach the end of their lives and wonder if they really were alive?”

I think we need to teach our students about etiquette with electronic devices. I see too many young people missing out on so much of life because they are fixated on their electronic devices. Too much of life is missed because of this!

Let me disclose that I love my mobile devices and would stay on the too long if I didn’t monitor and control my own usage of them. This is also something that should be taught to our students. I have learned that I have other interests that require me from being on my electronic devices.

One of my pet peeves are people who have loud and long conversations on their phone in public places like restaurants, stores, and even restrooms! I have answered a phone if it was an important call that I couldn’t miss and ask the person to hold on until I could go to a more private place. Otherwise, let it go to voicemail and check it later!

If you are with other people in an eating establishment, it should be a device free area unless you are sharing photos with others.

Today at McDonalds, someone was watching a video with the sound on so everyone had to hear it. No one wants to hear you laughing at a video they don’t want or care to see or hear! Either use headphones/earbuds or turn off the sound!

If you are outdoors where other people are trying to enjoy nature, do not talk on your phone, listen to music, or otherwise disrupt their quiet enjoyment of their surroundings.

It is great to take a lot of photos (I am guilty of this!) but also move the camera away from your face and look around. Appreciate where you are away from a camera! Memories are good to capture but they mean more if you remember the actual experience.

When given a choice of online interactions or real-life interactions, always, always opt for the real life ones. We should never get to where we prefer artificial or online interactions over real life ones. The real-life interactions are more meaningful in life that others. Nothing can take the place of meeting people face to face, feeling emotions, and using our senses that we don’t always use online.

What do you do to make sure that you experience life first hand? Please share!

Photo: Live by Anton Sim

Travel Etiquette

Maybe we travel so much that we take it for granted that many people know certain etiquette when traveling but we shouldn’t. So, I decided to make a list of things we should remember when traveling. These are not in order of importance; just in the order that they came to mind.

1. In hotel corridors, speak softly because someone might be resting/sleeping.

2. Make sure you park in a designated space and don’t take up 2 spaces. There might not be enough parking for everyone if you do.

3. Don’t turn your TV up so loud that the people next door can hear it.

4. Don’t yell in your room over the loud TV that it bothers people in other rooms.

5. Don’t let your hotel door slam.

6. When you see something exciting along the road, don’t stop and block traffic. Pull over to the side of the road.

7. Just because you are awake early in a campground, doesn’t mean that everyone wants to get up the same time you do.

8. Just because you like to stay up and party in a campground, doesn’t mean that everyone else likes this also.

9. If you see someone struggling to put up a tent, offer to help. They might be grateful that you did.

10. When in a crowded tourist area, step to the side if you are going to stop and look for something in your bag or look at a map. Don’t block the aisles.

11. Call and let the hotel know if you will be arriving late.

12. If a special ceremony is going on somewhere, talk softly as not to disrupt the ceremony

What other advice would you offer? Please share.

Original photo by Pat Hensley

E is Etiquette

According to Merriam-Webster: “the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life”

It seems like we don’t teach etiquette anymore. These are the things that can make you stand out as special – in a good way. These are things that make you feel good about yourself because you are doing nice things. These are the things that make people know that you were brought up “right” and have good breeding.

Here are some of the things that I don’t see on a usual basis anymore (and would like to):

·      Men holding doors open for women (I don’t care if it is sexist, I like it).

·      Holding doors open for the people behind you entering the same door.

·      Sending handwritten thank you notes.

·      Saying please when requesting something.

·      Letting people out of an elevator before entering.

·      Not talking with food in your mouth.

·      Sending an RSVP when you can or can’t attend an event.

·      Setting the table with forks, spoons, and knives in the correct spot.

·      Calling people to see if it is alright to visit them.

·      Dressing appropriately for different types of events.

·      Talking in soft voices when inside public places.

·      Not talking on cell phones in restaurants.

·      Not texting or talking on you cell phone when you are visiting with other people.

·      Allowing other people to go first through doors if you both arrive at the same time.

·      Cleaning up after yourself if you make a mess somewhere.

·      Not gossiping about other people.

I think as a teacher, these are some things that I could teach my students. They are little things and would make them look good when they are around others. Some are just good common sense items.

What are some etiquette that you would like to see others show? Please share.