Students don’t always know how to use office hours well, especially when they’re nervous about grades, feedback, or difficult conversations. A little upfront guidance can help them approach these meetings more confidently and make the most of your time together.
Use the suggestions below to share expectations with students in your syllabus, on Canvas, or in a brief announcement early in the semester.
When Students Schedule a Meeting About Grades or Difficult Topics:
If students are meeting with you to discuss their grade or another sensitive matter, it can help to outline the process in advance.
You might let students know that:
- If they are requesting a change of grade, they should be prepared to offer clear evidence to support their position (e.g., graded work, rubric, or policy references).
- You may not make a decision immediately; instead, you’ll review their concerns and communicate a decision by a specific date and time.
- Your primary goal is their learning, and any recommendations you make are meant to help them succeed in the course.
- Follow-up questions are welcome, and they can reach back out if anything is unclear after the meeting.
Consider including a brief paragraph in your syllabus or LMS explaining these expectations for grade-related conversations.
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Email Etiquette for Contacting You
Remind students that emails to instructors are a form of professional communication. You can invite them to look up examples of professional emails and share a few simple guidelines:
Encourage students to:
- Use an appropriate greeting and salutation (e.g., “Dear Dr. [Last Name]” or “Hello Professor [Last Name]”).
- Include key information in every email:
- Full name
- Course title and number
- Section (if applicable)
- A brief statement of the purpose of the email
- Write a clear, specific subject line (e.g., “Question about Exam 1 review session” instead of “Question”).
- Use complete sentences, standard spelling, and a respectful tone.
You might provide a sample “good” email and a short template for them to adapt.
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How Students Should Prepare for a Meeting
Explain how students can get ready before they arrive at office hours so the meeting feels focused and productive.
You can suggest that they:
- Review relevant materials beforehand (syllabus, assignment instructions, lecture notes, graded work) and bring them to the meeting.
- Arrive on time, especially if office hours are busy or scheduled in short blocks.
- Be ready to describe:
- What is confusing or challenging
- What they have already tried (studying strategies, practice problems, reading notes, etc.)
- Understand your expectations for how to greet you and interact during the meeting (e.g., whether to knock, wait to be called in, form a line, or join a Zoom room).
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What to Do During the Meeting
Let students know what you expect from them at the start of the meeting so they stay engaged and leave with a clear plan.
You might emphasize that students should:
- Actively engage with you and with any resources you recommend (campus support services, supplemental materials, practice problems, etc.).
- Ask follow-up or clarifying questions when something still doesn’t make sense.
- Take notes on advice, strategies, and any recommendations you offer.
- Summarize next steps at the end of the meeting (e.g., “So my plan is to…”) to ensure you both have a shared understanding of what comes next.
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Instructor Tip
Consider taking a minute at the end of class to invite students to:
- Draft a professional email that they would send to request an office hours meeting
- Write down three questions they might bring to office hours about an upcoming assignment or exam.
You can quickly review or discuss a few examples to normalize and demystify the process of reaching out.