Teacher · 2 of 4
Write the hard parent email
The email you have been putting off, drafted in your voice, in six minutes. It says the hard thing kindly and asks for one specific thing. It will not know the family; you still read it once and send it yourself.
The tool
Claude
Long documents, careful writing, and following detailed instructions without drifting. The intro blueprints are written for it first. The free plan is enough for this.
Say what happened, get a draft
copy, paste into Claude, change the parts in [brackets]
Help me write an email to a parent about [their child has missed four homework assignments this month]. Warm, direct, under 150 words. State what happened, what I have already done, and one specific thing I am asking them to do. No blame, no jargon, and do not promise anything on my behalf.
What good looks like
An email you would send after changing two words. If it apologises for existing or says "reach out", tell it to be plainer.
Make it sound like you
copy, paste into Claude, change the parts in [brackets]
Here is an email I actually sent last term: [paste one]. Rewrite the draft above so it sounds like that person wrote it. Same facts, same ask. [paste your old email]
What good looks like
It should lose the words you never use. If it copies your old email's content instead of its tone, say "only the tone."
Read it as the parent
copy, paste into Claude, change the parts in [brackets]
Read the email as the parent would. What is the one line that might land badly, and what would you change? Then give me the final version.
What good looks like
One honest note and a final draft. You still read it once and send it yourself.
Watch out
Never paste a child's full name, grades or anything from their file. "Your child" is enough.
Now with your own thing. Same steps. The one on the fridge counts.