Ramp up communication with parents and students using Remind 101

As many of us know from experience, the one device we have on us almost all of the time is our phone.  One of the easiest ways to connect with parents about their students in our classroom is to text them.  However, not everyone is ready to share their personal cell phone number.  That is why Remind 101 is a perfect way for educators to maintain an open line of communication to parents and guardians.


Remind 101 provides a safe way for teachers to text message students and parents for free.  It is a broadcast system, so messages go one way and students or parents cannot reply.  This is a one way, private communication. Teachers don't see parent phone numbers and parents don't see teacher phone numbers, making this a safe and professional way to increase communication from schools and classroom.

Create an account

Go to www.remind101.com and set up a free account.

Set up a class

To set up a new class just log into your account and add a new class. Give the class a name and then choose a class code. This is the code the parents or students will enter when they send a text to join your Remind 101 group.  You could set up a class for your 2nd Grade Class, GATE Club, the entire freshman class or after school program.  Any group that you want to be able to communicate with and send reminders.

Two ways for parents to receive messages

Teachers (or principals) can send out a text using their Remind 101 account to parent, guardian, or student phones. All students and parents need to do is text a message that you create to your Remind 101 assigned phone number. Best of all, this works on ALL cell phones, no Smartphone required!

Parents without phones or who don't want to use a phone can opt to use email with Remind 101.

Read more about Remind 101 as a safe way to keep in contact with parents and students via text

What reminders can you send?

• Remind students to study for a test
• Send parents a filed trip permission slip as a pdf
• Send students a link to a homework video
• Remind students to have a good breakfast before testing
• Announce dates and times for performances
• Let specific students know they still have a missing assignment
• Announce schedule changes
• Share safety information during school emergencies
• Send out practice reminders for sports and extra curricular activities

                          the possibilities are endless....

The afterschool program at Del Norte High School, Warrior Overtime, uses Remind 101 to notify students of activities and events happening after school.  They post an announcement in the student bulleting informaing students how to sign up.

Read how +Todd Nesloney uses Remind 101 in a PBL Flipped Classroom

Awesome features in Remind 101:

• You can send a message to one class, several classes or individuals in a class
• As of April 2014, attachments can be added to the message. Go ahead and attach the field trip permission slip or other document you need parents to have. No more lost papers on the way home from school!
• Insert links to online resources.  You can add websites and other resources to your messages. We use Google Docs and I was able to add a link to a flier to my message. 
• Messages can be scheduled for later - you can sit down on Monday and schedule all messages for the day, week or month!

Message History:  

All messages are stored in your account and can be exported from your account for auditing purposes

Use it on your mobile device:

Remind 101 for iOS

Remind 101 for Android




Want to know more? Remind 101 Resources for Teachers

I am excited about the new features coming soon: streamlined payments and polling