Remind101

Remind101

App Description: This app is one that I use at least once a week with my parents to enhance teacher-parent communication. Teachers signup for a free account on the website remind101.com. Teachers are able to signup for ten unique classes. The website generates a code for each class which is given to parents for them to use to text or email for the teacher’s updates. The website will also generate a flyer to pass out to parents. There is also an app that complements the website that makes texting my parents even easier. I have the app on my smart phone, and when I need to send a reminder, all I have to do is text and send.

Price: Both the web account and app are free to use.

Website Component: Yes

Screenshots of the App:

My Impression on What Parents Think: I have only heard wonderful things about using this in my classroom. There are twenty-two families in my classroom, and fifteen of them have signed up to receive the reminders. It works great for my classroom.

Pros:

• My favorite aspect of this app is that it keeps a running record of all of the reminders I have sent on the website. If there is any question of a reminder, I have a list of everything I sent and a timestamp.
• Another awesome feature is that it is completely private. My personal phone number is never released nor to do have access to participants’ personal phone numbers. I think this could be a great feature if the teacher were in high school and wanted to text students directly. Obviously as a teacher of pre-kindergarten, I don’t have this issue but it could be a wonderful feature for teachers of high schoolers or middle schoolers to protect privacy.
• The set up feature was incredibly easy. Not only was it a few simple clicks to create a class, all I had to do was print off a flyer created by remind101 and pass out to parents at the beginning of the year. 
• Teachers can have up to ten classes set up for free. This would be helpful if teachers have more than one class per day.
• Parents can sign up to receive text messages and email messages of my updates.

• There is also a schedule for later option. If I need to send an early morning email or if there is an ongoing message, I can set them up and select a send later option. I used this as most recently when we had a week of dress up dates that occurred everyday.
• It is so incredibly easy. All I have to do is type up a reminder and send it out.

Cons:

• It is completely the responsibility of the parents of sign up.
• It is completely free for parents to use as well as long as they have a texting plan on their phone. If they do not have a text message aspect of their contract, standard messaging rates would apply.
• You are only able to text/email the group. There are times I wish I could text/email specific families, but that is not an option with either the website or the app.
• I have had one parent express that they have wanted to text me a question, but since it is not my actual phone number, that is not possible.

Overall Impression:

I cannot say enough positive things about this app. My first year of teaching, it was difficult to communicate with everyone. But everyone seems to have texting on their phones, while not everyone remembers to check folders. I have used it to remind about field trips, parties, t-shirt orders, and get information out quickly. I would definitely recommend it for classroom use.