Is it a good idea to email underperforming students?

Question

Is it a good idea to email underperforming students?

I am teaching an upper division class and a midterm is coming up. I looked at homework scores and noticed a few students who were not doing well. I decided to email them in a non accusatory way asking if everything was okay and if there was anything I could do to help. I said I wasn't judging, I just wanted to know if I could help and reminded them of office hours.

I have never done this but I have heard of some people doing this. Does this has positive outcomes? Has anyone done this and had a student show up to office hours or start performing better? I also don't want to pressure or scare off students.

Answer 1

TLDR: It's a very good thing.

Full answer: I've been a teacher previously (not private lessons, I had a work contract with my country's public body in charge of education), and I used to do this. It turned out to be a positive thing to do, for the following reasons:

• It allowed me to spot that one student that was having a really hard time with personal (medical) issues they did not dare to mention to the teaching team. Once they opened up about their problems, first to me and consequently to the rest of the pedagogical team, the situation clearly improved. And being aware of the support the teaching team had to provide released quite some pressure from their shoulders. I was warmly thanked by said student at the end of the year for opening the discussion about it.
• It also allowed me to spot the students who do not care. In particular, the ones that said they would make an effort, had a (very basic !) additional homework given by me, and did not do it. Which turned useful at the school council, in which we discussed what to do with the students who failed (allow them to retake the year ?).
• It overall gave me a good reputation as a teacher. Not because I was good above average at my subject, not because I was clear above average in my explanations, but because I cared about the students above average in my behavior. Or at least, that's what other teachers told me, and what quite some students told me at the end of the year.
• Lastly, if that's what's bothering you: Since I kept everything professional, i.e. I ensured I did nothing that could be interpreted as "the teacher getting into the students' private lives", I couldn't be reproached with anything. I was their teacher on a subject, they were clearly failing, because I cared about them I contacted them in an appropriate way (the email adresses they were supposed to use for teacher communication, fyi) to check that everything was alright, and if possible I offered them to discuss the matter during office hours at the school.

So it seems to me that you really care about our students, and that's a great thing. Offering to provide more efforts on your side so that your students succeed is a noble attitude for a teacher !

Edit to clarify something following a relevant comment: I am not American, but French, and I taught in a public higher education system specific to my country (won't get into details about it, it'd be irrelevant). Thus, the local culture might have played a role in my whole experience with this email situation, and this cultural factor may affect the outcome for someone doing the same thing in a different setting.

Answer 2

I'd suggest that how useful this is, is contextually dependent, including such factors as how many students are performing poorly.

If only one is performing poorly, then it's almost a no-brainer to reach out and touch base for what the unique circumstance is. If a few, then it can make sense. If you have a large number of failures (due to very large lecture course, or environment where large percentages of students regularly don't have advance preparation), then I'd suggest that it would be too much of a drain on the instructor's time to expect this in every case. Don't commit the instructor to a protocol like this all the time.

Answer 3

As you describe it, I think it is fine, especially if you invite them to come talk to you.

Note, however, that some courses are required of students outside their major field (some places anyway) and the students may rather naturally be less involved/engaged/interested in those. Probably this is less likely for upper division courses, though.

And, for those for whom the course is important, triggering a bit of self reflection on their part might be a good thing.

Answer 4

I think reaching out without making students feel like teacher is bugging is important. How students feel about you when you reach out to them depends upon how you approach and treat them on other occasions such as advising, mentoring, daily interactions etc. So it's not just one time thing. It should be incorporated in and validated by your other actions and personal attitude. It should be part of your overall personal and professional brand.

Answer 5

Is there a reason not to mail all students such offers and make clear that you will try to account for personal issues and offer additional help for managing to get better grades?

You want to communicate that you're not only a teacher but also a caring person. Why don't you communicate it to all people instead of only to the people you see struggling? Who knows which of your students get good grades, but at the cost of not having any energy left afterward? Don't assume you can see who is having issues by their output.

The most important thing you want to communicate, and it should be communicate to all, is that you have an open ear and nobody has to fear to come to your office hours. A nice mail to all would be a good sign that one has nothing to fear by asking for help if needed.