like most technological advances, email is both a blessing and a curse. emailing with students really exemplifies how it can be both. its of course good because they have access to me, and i have access to them, when im not in my office. it is also bad because they send emails more than they should (in my opinion). i actually dont have an attendance policy, but that doesnt stop students from emailing me when they won't be in class. and i appreciate it, usually; its good to know if a student cant make it to class, and that it matters to them that they are going to miss! but what is a bit of an overshare is when they are sick, and they give me the details..the number of times i have read the word "puking" in an email is too many!
here are some of my favorites:
"I'm really sorry but I'm home sick today - A bunch of people at my house have been sick and I woke up today with a sore throat and a fever :("
"I had to leave work early because I am feeling super sick to my stomach and have been throwing up since. I believe I must have ate something last night or this morning that did not sit well with me because I am now feeling quite awful."
"I'm sorry, but I will not be in class today. I slept like crap last night and I have a horrible migraine...grrr."
"I was not able to go to class on Monday due to the fact that I was sick."
"So I won't be able to make it to class today...I think I ate something bad last night and I've been throwing up for the past hour."
"This finals period has been an absolute train-wreck. It started with me getting the stomach flu, where I spent three days in bed throwing up."