Sending Messages

Effective communication is key to successful tutoring relationships. Here's everything you need to know about messaging on Sentuent.

Starting a Conversation

For Students: Messaging a Tutor

What to include in your first message:

• Brief introduction (name, grade/level, goals)
• Subject you need help with
• Specific challenges or topics
• Your availability preferences
• Any questions about their approach

For Tutors: Responding to Inquiries

When a student messages you:

Respond within:

• 2 hours - Ideal, shows you're active
• 4 hours - Good, still responsive
• 24 hours - Maximum, or you'll lose the booking

Your response should include:

• Warm greeting and thank them for reaching out
• Acknowledge their specific needs
• Confirm you can help with those topics
• Share a bit about your approach
• Suggest next steps (trial session, schedule time to chat)

Message Interface

Conversations List

Left panel shows:

• All your conversations
• Most recent messages first
• Unread count badge
• Last message preview
• Online status indicators

Message Thread

Right panel displays:

• Full conversation history
• Timestamp for each message
• Read receipts (checkmarks)
• Typing indicators
• Message reactions

Composing Messages

Message composer includes:

• Text input field
• File attachment button
• Schedule button (triggers AI assistant)
• Emoji picker
• Send button

Messaging Features

Rich Text Formatting

Format your messages:

• Bold - **text**
• Italic - *text*
• Links - Auto-detected and clickable
• Lists - Use dashes or numbers
• Code blocks - For sharing code snippets

File Sharing

Send files directly in chat:

Supported files:

• Documents (PDF, DOC, TXT)
• Images (JPG, PNG, GIF)
• Spreadsheets (XLS, CSV)
• Presentations (PPT)

Size limit: 25 MB per file

Emoji Reactions

React to messages without typing:

• Hover over a message
• Click the reaction icon
• Choose an emoji
• Quick acknowledgment

Link Sharing

Share helpful resources:

• URLs automatically become clickable
• Link previews show title and image
• Great for sharing articles, videos, Khan Academy, etc.

Message Notifications

Notification Types

You'll be notified when:

• New message received
• Someone replies to your message
• Mentioned in a message
• Session scheduled via chat
• Session reminder

Notification Channels

Where you receive notifications:

• In-app - Red badge on Messages icon
• Email - Configurable in settings
• Push - Mobile app or browser
• SMS - Optional, premium feature

Configure: Settings > Notifications > Messages

Message Organization

Filtering Conversations

Filter by:

• All - Every conversation
• Unread - Messages you haven't seen
• Active - Ongoing students/tutors
• Archived - Completed or old conversations

Searching Messages

Search your message history:

1. Click search icon in Messages
2. Type keywords, name, or subject
3. Results show matching conversations
4. Click to jump to that message

Search tips:

• Search by date: "messages from March"
• Search by person: "messages from John"
• Search by topic: "calculus homework"

Archiving Conversations

Clean up your message list:

1. Hover over conversation
2. Click three dots
3. Select "Archive"
4. Conversation hidden from main list

Access archived: Messages > Filter > Archived

Message Best Practices

For First Contact

For Ongoing Communication

For Scheduling

Common Scenarios

Canceling or Rescheduling

Via message:

Student: "I need to reschedule our Thursday 4pm session. Can we move it to Friday at the same time?"
AI: *Checks calendars* "I've found that Friday at 4pm works for both of you. Would you like me to reschedule?"
Student: "Yes please"
AI: "Done! Your session has been moved to Friday, December 15 at 4:00 PM."

Requesting Additional Sessions

Example conversation:

Student: "The last session was really helpful! Can we schedule 2 more sessions this week?"
Tutor: "Absolutely! I have Wednesday at 5pm and Saturday at 10am available."
Student: "Perfect, let's book both"
AI: *Creates both sessions automatically*

Sharing Progress

Keep communication flowing between sessions:

Student: "I tried the practice problems you assigned. Got stuck on #5 and #7."
Tutor: "Great work! For #5, remember to balance the equation first. Try that and let me know how it goes. We'll tackle #7 in our next session."

Message Etiquette

Do's

✅ Use proper grammar and spelling ✅ Be respectful and professional ✅ Respond within 24 hours ✅ Thank others for their time ✅ Keep messages focused and clear ✅ Confirm session details ✅ Give advance notice for cancellations

Don'ts

❌ Use all caps (seems like yelling) ❌ Send multiple messages if they haven't responded yet ❌ Share personal contact info before establishing relationship ❌ Use inappropriate language ❌ Make demands without please/thank you ❌ Cancel last minute without good reason ❌ Ghost someone after inquiring

Privacy & Safety

What to Share

Safe to share:

• Your goals and learning needs
• Academic challenges
• Availability and scheduling preferences
• Subject-specific questions

Keep private:

• Personal phone number (until you're comfortable)
• Home address
• Social media profiles
• Financial information beyond platform payments

Reporting Issues

If you receive inappropriate messages:

Our team reviews reports within 24 hours.

Blocking Users

To block someone:

1. Go to their profile
2. Click three dots
3. Select "Block User"
4. They can no longer message you

Troubleshooting

Messages Not Sending

Possible causes:

• Poor internet connection
• Message too long (10,000 character limit)
• File too large (25 MB limit)

Fix: Check connection, shorten message, or compress file

Not Receiving Notifications

Fix:

1. Settings > Notifications > Enable message notifications
2. Check browser notification permissions
3. Verify email isn't going to spam
4. Update mobile app to latest version

Can't Find a Conversation

Try:

• Use search function
• Check "Archived" filter
• Ensure you're logged into correct account
• Refresh the page

Message Templates

Save time with templates:

Settings > Messages > Templates

Sample templates:

• Initial inquiry (for students)
• Response to inquiry (for tutors)
• Session confirmation
• Cancellation notice
• Thank you message

Use templates:

1. Start typing a message
2. Click template icon
3. Select template
4. Customize and send

Need Help?

• Learn about AI Scheduling
• Configure Notification Settings
• Contact support@sentuent.com for message issues