Is anyone else besides me running into problems with projects due to email not getting through? Here’s some examples.
1. I’ve been working on a project with a local high school British Literature teacher and a partner school in Wales since October. It’s been derailed because both schools seem to be catching each other’s emails in their spam filters. What’s the chance of that?
Solution? After the Wales teacher gets back to school after being sick, we’re setting up a VC so they can talk and plan this for once and for all!
2. February 14 we’re running a MysteryQuest International. A MQ International is a special MQ with only one U.S. school and everyone else from different locations in the world. I have emailed one of the coordinators the numbers to call for the videoconference from four different email addresses (don’t ask why I have so many) and still I don’t know if they’ve received the information yet.
Solution? Four emails from four different addresses to two different addresses at the school. Not sure if it worked yet.
3. Read Around the Planet. How can so many school spam filters catch those crucial match emails?
Solution? Login to the TWICE registration system and look for the big match reports to find all your partner details.
4. Read Around the Planet. “My partner hasn’t replied to my email.” Are you hearing this from your local coordinators or teachers yet? I am.
Solution? Call them! Maybe the school is on winter break. Maybe their spam filter caught your email. Maybe they are home sick with the flu. Maybe their school had a snow day. Call them! Pick up the phone! Find out why they haven’t answered yet! Patiently and graciously of course.
Next time you wonder why someone hasn’t emailed you back, pick up the phone! Here I must admit that I’m 120 emails behind. Back to work to catch up!
On the other hand, I am so far behind in email that I am spending time answering emails and then finding another email that duplicates or changes the request. Then I send the “Oops…disregard the previous email” message.
Funny you would post this today…I have told two of my districts this exact same thing. Try the phone.
Back to scheduling test calls!
[…] a miscommunication on my part. (NOTE to coordinators: if you have to switch a teacher or building, be sure to follow-up the email with a phone call!) I totally goofed on that, but all was well. I watched an excellent Texas Independence Day […]
[…] take a long paragraph to explain something in an email, call the other person. Janine wrote about the efficiency of the phone during Read Around the Planet connections. (Make sure your phone number is included on all your […]