How to Write a Letter to Your Child's Teacher

This article was co-authored by Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed.. Kathy Slattengren is a Parent Educator and Coach and the Founder of Priceless Parenting. With over two decades of experience, Kathy specializes in helping parents build strong, loving relationships with their children. She has helped thousands of parents around the world through Priceless Parenting's online classes, presentations, coaching, and books. Kathy holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Psychology from The University of Minnesota and a Masters degree in Education and Instructional Design from The University of Washington. Kathy is a member of the National Parenting Education Network, the US Alliance to End the Hitting of Children, the International Society for Technology in Education, and a founding member of Parent Learning Link. Priceless Parenting has been featured on ABC News, Komo News, King 5 News, National PTA, Parent Map, and Inspire Me Today.

There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

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Most parents need to contact their child’s teacher at some point during the school year. There are many reasons you may need to write the teacher from introducing your child to excusing him for illness or an appointment and even addressing problems. Most teachers use email, which can make correspondence easier and faster, but you can also write a traditional note or letter as well. By thoughtfully composing an email or a letter, you can establish an open and strong line of communication with your child’s teacher.

When writing a letter to your child’s teacher, start with a friendly greeting, such as "Dear," "To," or "Good morning." Then, open the letter with the reason why you’re writing using a positive tone. Close the letter with a professional closing like "Best" or "Thank you" and your name.

Emailing Your Child’s Teacher

• Introduce yourself after you’ve moved or your child is starting in a new school
• Discuss a problem
• Ask questions about assignments or your child’s performance
• Request a meeting
• Inform the teacher about special circumstances such as disabilities or family issues
• Excuse your child because of illness or an appointment.

Collect necessary information. [1] X Expert Source

• Ask your child what she calls her teacher or search the school’s website for her name.
• Have copies of any supplemental documents ready. For example, if your child has a disability, you may want to include a copy of the doctor’s diagnosis and any educational placements documents. [4] X Research source

Compose a first draft. Use the information you collected to write a draft email to your child’s teacher. This gives you time to completely state your concerns, consider what you’ve written and make changes. [5] X Expert Source

Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed.
Parent Educator & Coach Expert Interview. 23 June 2021.

• Avoid writing the email address in the “to” field so that you don’t accidentally send the first draft.
• Keep the draft as concise and brief as possible. [6] X Research source
• Keep the tone of the email personal, polite, and professional. [7] X Research source
• Include a brief introduction with your and your child’s names and why you’re writing. For example, write “Dear Mrs. Maier, My name is Teresa Lutz and I am Sophia Lutz’s mother. I am writing because she is having difficulty in math class.”
• Aim to keep the body of the email between 1-3 paragraphs. Address any issues or concerns you like. You may also want to consider asking the teacher how you can help support her and your child in a constructive manner.
• Close the email by thanking the teacher for her consideration and offering your contact information for further consultation. For example, “Thank you for your consideration about Sophia’s difficulties. Feel free to contact me any time by email or phone at (555) 555-5555. I look forward to working with you to find a solution to Sophia’s problem.” [8] X Expert Source

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• Avoid using any accusatory language with the teacher.
• Use verbs such as understand, collaborate, and talk.
• Use adjectives such as positive and proactive.
• Combine words in phrases like “I understand from Sophia she’s having a difficult time with math. She and I would like to make a proactive change to this and we are wondering how we can work with you to improve her performance.”

• Be direct. For example, “I have a work trip to a museum and would like to take him with me for an extra-curricular learning experience. Could you please let him and me know what homework he will need to complete when he returns to class on Friday?”

• Check that the revised email has an introduction, body, and closing that are honest and as positive and proactive as possible.
• Read the letter out loud to yourself, which can help you notice possible mistakes or phrases that may say accusatory or negative. [10] X Research source
• Consider asking a friend, your spouse, or other educational professional to read the letter. This person can make suggestions on the letter to make it stronger or more positive.

Put in a pleasant greeting and closing. After you’ve made changes to the draft, write in a pleasant and professional greeting and closing. This can help make the teacher more receptive to the letter and set the tone for a constructive response. [11] X Expert Source

• Write the greeting how your child addresses her teacher. For example, “Dear Mrs. Maier” followed by a comma. If you are not sure if the teacher is married, use “Ms.” Instead of “Mrs.”
• Avoid using the teacher’s first name unless you’ve met her before and she’s extended the offer to call her by her first name.
• Close with “Sincerely” followed by a comma. Consider also writing “I look forward to hearing from you” followed by sincerely to prompt the teacher that you’d like a response.
• Include your name and how the teacher can contact you.

• Make sure to the files are in an easily accessible format.

• Copy any other necessary parties such as your spouse or another teacher involved in the matter.
• Consider blind copying yourself to have an extra copy of the email as well as make sure the email successfully sends.

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Proofread the final draft. Read over your email one final time before sending it. This can minimize the risk that you forgot to include something or made mistakes.

• Specify a date if you need a timely response. [13] X Research source
• Follow up on your email or letter if you haven’t received a response within a week.