{"id":"ind-tch-phone-use-parent-email","audience":"teachers","category":"writing-emails","technique":"tone","title":"Email a parent about phone use in class, facts first","free":false,"task":"You're emailing a parent about her son's phone use in class. Keep it under 90 words, plain text: the first sentence states the specific behavior and how many times this week (no \"I hope this finds you well\" or \"I wanted to reach out\" opener), then the one step you've already taken, then one specific ask of the parent phrased as a question. No labels about the student, no comparisons to classmates, and nothing from the hallway rumor. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.","materialLabel":"Your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"MY NOTES - Ms. Ferraro, Grade 10 Biology, Period 5\n\nStudent: Jordan Pierce\nPhone use this week (school rule: phones in backpacks during class):\n- Mon: texting under the desk during the lab, I asked him to put it away\n- Wed: watching videos during the quiz review, I asked again\n- Thu: on his phone during the quiz itself; I took the quiz and he finished it after class\nSo: 3 times this week.\n\nWhat I've done: moved his seat to the front row on Thursday.\nWhat I'd like from home: talk with him about keeping the phone in his backpack during class; or ask if there's something going on.\n\nOther:\n- Another teacher said she heard Jordan is \"glued to some game\" at night. Not my info.\n- His grade is a B-.\n- He's honestly one of the funnier kids in class.\n- Mom's name: Mrs. Lena Pierce; prefers email.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":90},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 90 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part instead: \"4 sentences, each under 20 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Warming up first","why":"The AI opens with \"I hope this email finds you well\" or \"I wanted to reach out\" and the facts come later.","fix":"Add: \"No warm-up. First sentence: phone use during class, 3 times this week.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Too many asks","why":"The AI asks the parent to do several things, as statements.","fix":"Add: \"Say I moved his seat, then one ask as a question.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Labels and rumors","why":"The AI calls him \"distracted\" or repeats the game rumor.","fix":"Add: \"No labels, comparisons or the rumor. Facts only.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Ignoring where it will be pasted","why":"AI loves bold and headings, which show up as stray ** and # symbols in the email.","fix":"Name the place and the format: \"For the email. Plain text, no bold or headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Leads with the facts","patterns":["first sentence","lead with","start with","3 times"]},{"label":"Makes one ask","patterns":["one ask","one (specific )?request","single"]},{"label":"Rules out labels","patterns":["label","disrespect","no judg","facts only"]},{"label":"Skips the rumor","patterns":["rumor","game","hearsay","not my info"]},{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]}],"hint":"Parent emails about behavior go best with facts first and one clear ask. Tell the AI the order, the count, and what never to include.","rubricLabels":["The first sentence after 'Dear Mrs. Pierce,' states the behavior (phone use during class) and that it happened 3 times this week, with no 'I hope this finds you well' or 'I wanted to reach out' opener anywhere","Mentions the seat move to the front row and makes exactly one ask of the parent, phrased as a question (about talking with him about keeping the phone in his backpack)","Uses no labels about Jordan (disrespectful, addicted, defiant, distracted), makes no comparisons to classmates, and doesn't mention the game rumor or his nighttime habits"]}