The Sunday Night Email: Why We Need to Protect Our Teachers’ Time

Picture this: It’s Sunday evening, and my wife and I are relaxing on the sofa, watching TV after a long day of DIY. Suddenly, she gets an email from a concerned parent. She immediately stops, reads it, and starts thinking about how she’ll handle the situation on Monday. And I get it. As parents, we’ve all had those moments when a concern about our child pops up outside the 9-to-5, and we need answers. But the reality is, teaching is more than a job – it’s a constant balancing act. Teachers already go above and beyond every day, and it’s hard for them to switch off.

As a couple with one foot in both worlds – parenting and teaching – we see both sides. Parenting is a 24/7/365 job, and sometimes, it feels like your concerns just can’t wait, and nor should it really. But teachers are human, and the human body has its limits. Working around the clock doesn’t do anyone any favours. Increasingly, I am seeing the signature of teachers email signature saying “I work flexibly. I’m sending this message now because this time works best for me. Please read, respond or action this e-mail at a time that works best for you”, which I love, and can see teachers are trying to protect those they interact with. And knowing how teachers are, they also need a little bit of protecting from themselves too. That’s why, with Evisense, we’ve introduced a new feature to help teachers protect their time: Notification Timing and Muted Periods.

This feature allows schools to set default policies for when teachers will receive emails or in-app notifications. Teachers can also adjust these settings themselves to fit their preferences. Schools can also set muted periods such as half terms and end of term to ensure those every so necessary respite periods also remain undisturbed . The goal is simple: no more gut-wrenching Sunday night alerts when you see that little red notification pop up. Trust me, I know that feeling too well from running Evisense and Connecting Steps—I’m wired to check, no matter what time it is.

With Notification Timings in Evisense, teachers can receive alerts when it’s appropriate, so they can actually relax during their evenings and weekends. It’s about giving teachers the freedom to switch off without feeling guilty or overwhelmed—something that’s long overdue.

So, whether you’re a teacher or a parent, it’s worth remembering that while we all want the best for our kids, protecting our own mental and physical health is just as important. Parents that need to pass on their concerns can do so knowing that the teacher will deal with it at the appropriate time, which is all they really wanted in the first place.

After all, a well-rested teacher is a better teacher.