How to not Fail classes- What to email Teachers late in a semester?

Hey, what’s up? It’s me, Seth Perler.

Parents, teachers, and maybe therapists—you’re going to like this one. In this video, I’m going to talk about what to do at the end of the semester when you want to make sure your child—who struggles with executive function—passes their classes.

Specifically, what should you email teachers?

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I go through this with the families I work with every single semester. I’m going to share a template I’ve used with families at the end of the semester.

Teachers—you might want to know what’s in this email, because it can help you be more proactive in your classroom and better support students who are struggling.

Parents—you can use this however you’d like. Take what works for you, leave what doesn’t. Feel free to pause this and jot down anything that resonates.

Therapists—you’ll also see how I approach this as a coach.

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So here’s the situation.

At the end of the semester, students who struggle with executive function often say things like, “Leave me alone, I’ve got this. My grades are going up. I’m catching up.”

But they’re always catching up.

The underlying executive function skills—the habits, the systems—aren’t actually in place. They’re constantly playing catch-up instead of building a solid foundation.

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Now, regardless of skill level, we still want our kids to pass their classes and get as much as they can out of their education.

But here’s the problem:

Parents are often unclear about what actually needs to happen.

You ask your child:

* “How’s school going?”
* “Do you have missing work?”
* “Any incompletes? Late work? Zeros? Tests to redo?”

And the answer is: “I’m fine. Leave me alone. I’ve got this.”

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So you try to investigate.

You check the portal. You look at teacher websites. You email or call teachers. You ask other parents. You try to piece together what’s going on.

But the core issue is lack of clarity.

You don’t know:

* What’s due
* When it’s due
* What’s missing
* What’s coming up

And that creates anxiety—that feeling in your gut:

“Is my kid forgetting something big? Are they going to fail at the last minute when we could have done something about it?”

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That’s where this email template comes in.

Its purpose is simple: to get clear, actionable information from teachers at a time when things can fall apart quickly.

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### Subject Line

I recommend using something like:

“URGENT – [Your Child’s Name]”

Why?

Because teachers get a lot of emails. You want to stand out—respectfully—so your message gets noticed and answered.

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### Who to Send It To

You have a few options:

* Send it to all teachers
* Send it to one supportive teacher
* CC the counselor or principal

If there’s a teacher your child doesn’t connect with or who hasn’t been very responsive, it can help to CC others so there’s accountability and a clear communication trail.

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### How to Start the Email

Always start positive.

For example:

“Hi teachers,
First of all, thank you for your support—we really appreciate everything you do.”

Then acknowledge their workload:

“We know you’re busy, and we don’t want to overwhelm you, but we need a few quick answers so we can support our child at the end of the semester.”

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This matters.

Teachers deal with a lot of pressure and misunderstandings. Always assume positive intent—they’re working hard to help your child.

You’re not attacking—you’re collaborating.

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### Questions to Ask

Here are some key questions:

1. How is my child doing in your class? (Keep it open-ended.)

2. Are there any missing or late assignments?

3. Are there any finals or major assignments coming up?

This is what I call PEPR:

* Papers
* Exams
* Projects
* Readings

These are the big, long-term tasks students often leave until the last minute.

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Also ask:

* Where can we find the study guides, rubrics, and due dates?
* Is there anything else we should know?

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### Additional Important Question

Teachers all operate differently. They:

* Grade differently
* Post assignments in different places
* Update at different times

So ask this:

“Where and when do you post important information (assignments, grades, updates)?”

This helps you avoid constantly guessing or checking multiple places.

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### How to End the Email

Keep it simple and respectful.

For example:

“We don’t need a long response—just a quick reply to point us in the right direction when you have a moment. Thank you for all you do.”

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### Add a PS (Important)

Add something like:

“P.S. We know you’re busy. If we don’t hear back, we’ll resend this tomorrow just to make sure it’s on your radar.”

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Why include this?

Because many emails get missed—not intentionally, just because teachers are overwhelmed.

This sets a clear expectation that you’ll follow up—politely and proactively.

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### Final Thoughts

The goal here is not to pressure teachers—it’s to get clarity so you can support your child effectively.

You’re collaborating, not confronting.

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Alright, that’s it.

My name is Seth Perler. I’m an executive function coach, and I share a lot of practical resources like this.

If this helped:

* Give it a thumbs up
* Leave a comment
* Share it with someone

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I’d love to hear from you:

At the end of the semester, how do you get clarity?
Do you have tips for communicating with teachers or supporting your child?

Drop your ideas in the comments.

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Most of all, my wish for you is this:

I hope you have real, present connection with your child today.
And I hope you experience peace in your heart and joy in your life.

Take care—I’ll see you soon.