If you’re having trouble understanding why what you did was wrong, talk to your parents, the principal, the counselor, or another teacher. It may also help to think about how your actions affected your classmates.

For example, say, “I know that you were speaking to the class, and I should not have been talking to Alex while you were speaking. ”

If you feel like your behavior was caused by an outside factor, such as a new medication you are using, set up a time to talk to your teacher, either with or without your parents. At the meeting, explain your situation to your teacher, who will understand. This is a great option if you know that the medicine may cause the issue again. For example, if your medicine makes you drowsy, then your teacher needs to know that you may fall asleep.

Blaming the teacher also includes saying something like “I’m sorry if you felt like I disrespected you yesterday when I shouted during the test. ” Saying “if you felt” places blame on the other person for how they feel. It shows them that you don’t think you did anything wrong but instead think they overreacted. [7] X Research source A better way to say your apology would be like this: “I’m sorry I disrespected you yesterday when I shouted during the test. ”

Think about what you could have done instead. [9] X Research source If you were talking during class, then you could have been taking notes instead. If you got into a fight, you could have used your words or should have found an adult to help you resolve the issue. If you made a huge mistake, such as shoving a teacher, then you want to make it clear that you will never do it again. You could say, “Instead of shoving you, I should have stepped back and asked to go get a sip of water to calm down. ”

Don’t promise your teacher that you’ll never nod off in class again because that’s a hard promise to keep. Instead, promise that you’ll stop playing video games past your bedtime, you’ll eat breakfast, and you’ll keep your head up. These are all completely doable tasks. You don’t have to “promise” anything. Instead, try saying, “From now on, I’ll raise my hand and wait for you to call on me when I want to speak in class. ”

If you’re struggling to figure out what to write, think about why what you did was wrong, and that will help you figure out what you learned. You could say, “I learned that it’s rude to talk while the teacher is talking. ”

Choose the right salutation. When you open your letter, make sure that you address it to your teacher with the correct form of Mr. /Mrs. /Ms. /Miss. Avoid being too informal, such as writing, “Hey Miss Smith!”

Write something like, “Thank you so much for always being there to help me with my work. I’m glad to have you as my teacher. ” You could also say, “Thank you for planning such fun lessons for us. I know that you put a lot of time into helping us learn, and I’m glad I get to be in your class. ”

Be specific. For example, say “I’m sorry that I used an inappropriate word during class yesterday” instead of “I’m sorry about what I did in class. ”[12] X Research source Be concise in your explanation. Keep your summary of the events to no more than four sentences. Your teacher should be familiar with what happened.

Fold up the bottom third. Line up the edges and press down to create the fold. Now fold the top third of the page over to complete the fold. Your letter will look like a rectangle that is slightly smaller than a standard business envelope.

If you absolutely cannot face your teacher, then place it on their desk. Be prepared to explain the contents of your letter in person.