I needed my students to know that some of their assignments were locking and would no longer be available, so besides (just) telling them every day that this was going to happen, I emailed them all — and their parents.
In the message, I told them the assignments would lock. Then I said, “If you reply to this email with a joke, I’ll give you an extra credit point. If your parent responds to this email telling me something they love about you, I’ll give you a second point.”
Moms (and a few dads) are reading emails. I’m getting flooded with messages of how much these people love their kids, and let me tell you, it sure helps me like them better! (And I know that THEY know that they’re not going to have more late access to missing work.)
Win.