Pete Clancy teachers 9^th grade AP Human Geography and 12^th grade AP Literature at George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, IA. 

How are teachers using remind101 and what do they think? Here's an unedited Q & A with Pete, a High School teacher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Why did you start using remind101? 

I started using remind101 to have a quick and easy means of communication with my students outside of the classroom.  In Iowa we can have quite a few snow days in the winter months, and I wanted an easy way to let students know about adjusted homework assignments if school was ever cancelled.  As it turns out, I’ve used it for quite a bit more than just that.

How'd you hear about remind101? 

I was trying to figure out how to use my e-mail client to send mass texts alerts.  I searched Google for help, and remind101 appeared as a result.  It is certainly much more convenient than the steps I was preparing to take!

How do you use remind101 in your class? 

Largely, I use remind101 for homework reminders and letting students know when grades are posted online.  I also plan on using it as an example in my AP Geography class as how technology is changing the way we interact with one another.

What problem is remind101 solving for you as a teacher? 

It can be hard to contact students quickly.  Many don’t use e-mail anymore.  The best way to get ahold of a student, it seems, is either via text messaging or Facebook.  With remind101, I can easily text my students without worrying about privacy—both theirs and my own.

Have you received any feedback from students/parents? If so how do they like it?

I have a few parents that receive the alerts.  All of them that use it love it.  One referred to it as “the best thing that has happened to [her] son.”

Do you have any tips for teachers who may want to use remind101? 

Setting everything up was super easy.  The website guides you through the process seamlessly.  After I setup the account, I printed the directions for my students and gave them a few minutes to sign-up.  By the end of the first school day of me having the account, nearly 100% of my students were on the system.

Any feedback for remind101?  

In addition to the ability to respond / ask questions we discussed earlier, I would LOVE if there were an Android/iPhone app available.  For some reason, my phone (HTC Evo) can’t load the website.  An app would be totally sweet—sometimes I’m away from a computer and think of something I want to send the kids.  By the time I’m back home, it’s too late.

Do you have a story to tell? Email contact@remind101.com.