Email, Blog, and Communication
Hello Everyone,
Just to let you know, the Burnaby School District has been having some difficulty with email. We sent a notice home on Thursday, but just so you are aware, if you have been trying to reach me and did not receive a response within 2 days, then I may not have received your mail.
Also, for students, please be aware of and think about a few things as regards our blog usage and communicating with Ms. D:
- Blog vs Email: A blog is for discussion around a particular topic. If you need to communicate with me or a classmate directly about something that involves just you, then email is probably the best way to communicate. How do you know the difference? Think about how we would handle it during a group discussion in class. A group discussion would involve things that benefit everyone, while a one-on-one discussion at my desk would be just between you and the teacher and only involve something you need.
- Tone and Audience: When you write on email or a blog, your tone is important. How would you ask for something in person? What kinds of words do we use to be polite? Why are we polite and how will it help us get what we need? Any of the words you use to be polite in person are even more important on email or a blog. The person you are talking to cannot see your face or body language, so all they have to work with are your words. A good rule of thumb is to take a good, long pause and think before you press the send button. Think about how the person on the other side would look at your email. If you received this question, would you respond well? Who are your talking to, as well? Is the question for a friend or a teacher? Do you talk differently with a buddy than you would with an adult?
- Blog Post Approval: All posts or responses you submit go through Ms. D for approval first. If your posting does not fit within the discussion or does not have the appropriate tone, then it may not appear. I don’t want you to be afraid of posting, because this is a safe environment to do so and to learn. Please do be thoughtful about what you put up there, because it is good social media practice and it will help you in the future as you use sites like these for education or otherwise.
- Response Time: I will respond when I have time, and unfortunately, I can’t always be on the site. Thus, if I don’t respond, please don’t take it personally or keep posting to ask me, “Why are you not answering?” It is because I am just taking time to do other things. Use email for a more direct response. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Please take some time to talk or to think about these things so you can be the best communicator possible in the future.
I hope everyone enjoyed the cold but beautiful weather today. The chickadees, redwing blackbirds and flickers were all having a grand time flying around in the sunshine behind my house today. See you on Monday when we will finish Rube Goldberg and take a look at the fuel cell cars with a partner. Three more weeks until the holiday!