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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

You dont contact teachers when theyre on annual leave do you?

36 replies

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 20:30

Im on a course with all adults and we have a piece of coursework due in early next week. We have been on easter break since 27th of march. Tutors have been off since wednesday last week. (wednesday was last day) We have a group chat on whatsapp and some members have posted that they have emailed subject tutor with some questions regarding the assignment. They have had no response (could have told them that would be the case) so one member who happens to have tutors personal number from something they worked on a while ago has said they will text her on the personal number. I suggested she wont have seem her emails and is on her holidays so possibly will ignore a text too. He then suggested he would email the course co-ordinator to "chase her up" if he got no response from a text! Am i being silly or is it completely unreasonable to pester a tutor while they are on leave regarding something that could have been asked at any point up til wednesday of last week?

OP posts:

Orangeanddemons · 08/04/2015 20:31

Mine contact me all the time to ask questions, or send me work.....

SandStorm · 08/04/2015 20:33

In that situation I would send one email with no expectation of a reply but I would never text or call. Tutors shouldn't be on call 24/7!

Sirzy · 08/04/2015 20:33

Yanbu in that they shouldn't be contacting them on the private number and they are entitled to a holiday.

Ideally though they should have made it clear to students in advance what dates they would not be able to respond to questions so students could plan around that if you have a deadline soon after the holidays.

Silvercatowner · 08/04/2015 20:33

Tutors in HE and FE don't have school holidays. If they are on AL then they may not answer - but they may well be at work this week - many of my colleagues are.

Runningupthathill82 · 08/04/2015 20:35

I teach in HE. Most of my students have contacted me while they've been on holiday, and I've always replied.

TwoOddSocks · 08/04/2015 20:36

I used to be a tutor for a university course. I think people are welcome to email whenever they like, although might not receive a reply if I'm on holiday. Calling or texting on a personal number is way OTT though. I was usually happy to spend extra time emailing students back and would so at my earliest convenience. I wouldn't appreciate being chased up though, giving extra help is a favour.

Original poster

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 20:38

"Mine contact me all the time to ask questions, or send me work....."

Dont you mind? Is this normal?

"In that situation I would send one email with no expectation of a reply"

That is what i would think reasonable.

"Tutors in HE and FE don't have school holidays. If they are on AL then they may not answer - but they may well be at work this week - many of my colleagues are."

I didnt realise this, so even if the building is closed (it is since wednesday) the tutor may still be on the clock?

OP posts:

queenofthebored · 08/04/2015 20:41

Its unreasonable - My DP's Easter "break" has been spent marking and doing tons of admin in prep for finals as it is, its up to adult students to get organised in term time and not leave things to the very last minute. As he is a nice chap he would reply although I would be fuming at the cheek, as I think he and other educators deserve a holiday the same as the rest of us.

BlinkAndMiss · 08/04/2015 20:43

If the tutor hasn't responded to the email then I'd leave it at that, if she was going to be available then she would respond to that email. I don think the students should be 'chasing up', HE teachers may not get school holidays as such but they do have annual leave and then often have other projects they are involved in when their students are not expected to be in lessons with them. Students shouldn't expect them to be on call whenever they need.

Wait until the start of the next term or until she responds to the email.

TwoOddSocks · 08/04/2015 20:44

I didnt realise this, so even if the building is closed (it is since wednesday) the tutor may still be on the clock?

They may still be at work but if they're researchers this is their time to get their real work done. It's publish or perish and while some enjoy teaching and most try to do it well it's the research that makes their career and gets them their next grant or professorship. It's also their opportunity to go to conferences, travel to give talks at other institutions, or meet other collaborators. They're not sitting around waiting for students who need help. (Although personally I was happy to help when/if I had the time).

Fuckup · 08/04/2015 20:47

Depends weather you are talking about university of college really. Actually no my dad used to work in a college and was in, and contactable by email, even when the building was closed. Holidays were dictated to by when they chose annual leave, not when they students were off iyswim. In a university this is even more the case though, as most lecturers have research and other work during 'holiday' time.

Therefore I think yabu, unless the teachers expressly said "I'll be on leave so won't reply until I'm back" or words to that effect.

Original poster

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 20:49

Yes i agree, i think if she intended to be available to students then she would do that via her emails- the fact that she hasnt tells me she isnt available and i dont think it is fair to have another tutor contact her or to contact her on a personal number. Honestly im a bit surprised at how an adult cant see it is unreasonable to do that.

OP posts:

Original poster

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 20:51

my dad used to work in a college and was in, and contactable by email, even when the building was closed

But if he didnt get back by email would he have been happy to have students call his house or personal mobile? I have no problem with them emailing her but surely leave it at that?

OP posts:

clam · 08/04/2015 20:53

Well, I guess that if the tutor has a problem with being "chased up" I would she won't reply.

Are the questions about things that the tutor will have been over several times already dh has this all the time.

Discounted · 08/04/2015 20:53

I've contacted mine this week, never occurred to be not to and from his response, he's had several people asking the same question!

We have assignments due in Friday, if they don't want contacting during the holidays, they need to set different assignment dates IMO.

but, yes, this is a university and both my tutors have been on leave and therefore uncontactable during "term-time". I don't have a telephone number for them though, only email.

Original poster

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 20:56

Yep thats true clam. I guess i was just asking really if it was ok/normal (the calling on personal number part) as i was quite surprised it was suggested, but yes she is free to ignore or respond as she sees fit.

OP posts:

keepsmiling2015 · 08/04/2015 20:59

I would send an email or a text/voice mail. Why not? If they reply great- if not then you'll hear from them when they're back to work. Not really an issue.

clam · 08/04/2015 21:00

There should be no expectation of a reply, but some tutors would do so - dh usually does, but reserves the right to ignore if he wants! If he was feeling peeved about it (if it was something he felt had been already dealt with comprehensively before the end-of-term), he might text back something along the lines of "As my 'out of office' response indicates, I'm on leave at the moment and will contact you about this upon my return to work."

queenofthebored · 08/04/2015 21:02

Unless the person concerned gave out heir personal phone number and said feel free to contact me with questions about assignment during the holidays then doing so is unreasonable. Contact on a work phone or work email is reasonable based on the fact they may not be on AL. Was the assignment set on the last day of term?

We once had a student call on boxing day they had - without being asked - done a practise essay emailed it on 23rd Dec and were chasing up feedback - so this sort of thing makes me unreasonably grrrrrrrr-y

Discounted · 08/04/2015 21:04

I kind of agree clam, I think anyone who's on leave should be uncontactable, but if OP and her course mates have work due in at the start of next week, is it reasonable for the tutor to be uncontactable for the two weeks beforehand? i.e is it reasonable for an assignment due date to be immediately after a holiday and for tutors not to be contactable during the holiday?

Original poster

SurlyCue · 08/04/2015 21:05

the assignment was set almost two weeks before we broke up for easter.

OP posts:

clam · 08/04/2015 21:08

I suppose it partly depends on the nature of the query. Dh has had a few students basically wanting him to write their bloody assignments for them, with email after email about structure and content. As I said, he usually obliges, but not always.

AerialGymnastics · 08/04/2015 21:14

My Father is a university lecturer. He is delighted to receive emails from his students during holidays. At the end of term he tells his students when he is/isn't available and leaves a note on his noticeboard / office door / with the admin team about his contact time during holidays.

At HE/FE level it's unlikely the building is closed much except shut down between Christmas and New Year and Easter weekend... There will be admin staff in. I'd ask them whether the teacher is contactable.

Mrsstarlord · 08/04/2015 21:15

Discounted - your tutor won't have set the dates for assignments, these will have been set centrally. It is virtually impossible to take leave as a uni lecturer, at a time which doesn't interfere with something. I've worked in the public and private sector for over 20 years and have never experienced the workload and levels of stress that you get in HE.
OP - YANBU. This tutor needs a break and harassing them with phone calls to a personal mobile isn't on.

bananayellow · 08/04/2015 21:40

No problem with emailing. It is unreasoanble to chase it up if there is no reply.

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