Communication between teacher and student is essential in any class, but can be particularly important in a writing class. Students need to receive and understand feedback from a writing instructor in order to improve their writing skills. E-mail can help increase both the frequency and effectiveness of student-teacher interactions. The advantages are rather obvious. Students can e-mail their questions or drafts at any time, day or night, without having to directly contact you. You, in turn, can respond at your convenience. E-mail allows for more thoughtful responses than a phone conversation or voice-mail, or even sometimes a person to person meeting. A student who might hesitate to see you and ask a question in person has another option for contacting you.