After talking with my students, I have realized this experience is not unique to me. Many of my students carry similar responsibilities in their everyday lives. Whether they take care of their siblings, contribute financially, or take on other significant responsibilities within their family, many students are responsible for supporting themselves and their families while staying informed about what is happening at school.
While I believe family engagement is incredibly important, I also recognize that families have different circumstances and capacities for involvement. I grew up in a household where my parents worked long hours, and because of that, it was often my responsibility to manage deadlines, expectations, and important information — for myself and my sisters. Many of my students experience similar situations, whether their parents are working second or third shifts, balancing multiple responsibilities, or did not have the opportunity to attend high school themselves and therefore lack confidence when engaging with the school. As a result, students are often the ones who must know what is happening and advocate for themselves.
Additionally, because of their various work and family responsibilities, some students are frequently absent from school. This has led me to consider the following question: How can I create comfortable, timely, and accessible communication that supports students even when they are not physically present in the classroom?
Before this class, I would have considered myself a techno-traditionalist. I use digital technology regularly in my classroom, including an online grade book, Canvas, Google Slides, and other online resources. Because I used these tools to support instruction, I considered myself proficient in classroom technology, similar to how Scott Noon describes effective technology integration in his four-tier model of teacher technology training.
However, after taking this class, I have been thinking more intentionally about moving toward the techno-constructivist category, where technology is not simply something added to my teaching but something that can transform how I approach instruction and how students engage with learning both inside and outside of the classroom. What I appreciate about the techno-constructivist approach is its focus on using technology to construct meaning, solve problems, and create opportunities for deeper learning; now, I just need to make sure my use of technology aligns to my core beliefs about how students learn.
1. I believe learning happens when students feel safe, supported, and comfortable asking questions and seeking help.
I chose Remind as my digital tool because I believe students need to feel comfortable asking questions and seeking help in order to learn. I know that many students may feel intimidated by their peers or when speaking with adults and may not be willing to ask for help during class/school. Providing students with a way to communicate one-on-one with me — their teacher — creates another pathway for students to seek support in a way that feels safer and more comfortable.
I think this belief is closely connected to Dr. Michael Wesch’s TED Talk, where he discusses the three questions that matter to students: Who am I? What am I going to do? Am I going to make it? I specifically believe teachers play an essential role in shaping students’ responses to the latter question: Am I going to make it? In this class? In this life? As teachers, we often act as a student’s trusted adult and provide the reassurance, support, and love that a student needs to feel like they can and will be successful.
This idea is emphasized by Rita Pierson in her TED Talk on relationships when she tells us that “kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” While you won’t "vibe" with every student, it’s essential to create a space where students feel comfortable asking questions. But even if you do everything in your power to create a safe, supportive environment in your classroom, many students may still feel intimidated by their peers or have general anxiety around speaking to adults. That’s when digital tools come in handy! Remind would allow students to privately message me, providing a more comfortable pathway to seek support.
2. I believe learning happens when students have multiple, accessible ways to engage with materials and information.
I also chose Remind because I believe students need multiple ways to access information and communicate with their teachers. While email is an option for students, it is not always a technology that feels familiar or accessible to them. Because of this, students may be less likely to use it when they need help or need to communicate.
This also connects to Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, where he emphasizes that humans are inherently different and diverse. Because students have different strengths, experiences, and comfort levels with technology, educators need to provide multiple pathways for students to engage and access information. Through Remind, I hope to support students who may not feel comfortable navigating our learning management system or communicating in person while still ensuring they have access to the same important materials and information as their peers.
Currently, my school uses a communication tool called ParentSquare, but as the name suggests, it is primarily designed for communicating with parents and guardians rather than students themselves. Although it includes a “message students” option, those messages are sent through student email accounts and are rarely seen. I believe Remind is a stronger option for student communication because messages can be received directly as text messages on students’ phones rather than relying on students to regularly check their email. While I do believe students need to be taught to use tools professional communication tools like email, I also think it is important to meet students where they are, especially if they are not at school often enough to learn and internalize the necessary technology skills to use something like email.
3. I believe learning happens when students are explicitly taught how to use the tools and resources available to them.
Despite Prensky’s assertion that as digital natives, our students are familiar with and comfortable using technology, I — like Spiegel — believe students do not automatically know how to use technology simply because they grew up surrounded by it. I have definitely seen this show up in my classroom when students write entire emails in the subject line or send me blank emails.
2. I believe learning happens when students have multiple, accessible ways to engage with materials and information.
I also chose Remind because I believe students need multiple ways to access information and communicate with their teachers. While email is an option for students, it is not always a technology that feels familiar or accessible to them. Because of this, students may be less likely to use it when they need help or need to communicate.
This also connects to Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, where he emphasizes that humans are inherently different and diverse. Because students have different strengths, experiences, and comfort levels with technology, educators need to provide multiple pathways for students to engage and access information. Through Remind, I hope to support students who may not feel comfortable navigating our learning management system or communicating in person while still ensuring they have access to the same important materials and information as their peers.
Currently, my school uses a communication tool called ParentSquare, but as the name suggests, it is primarily designed for communicating with parents and guardians rather than students themselves. Although it includes a “message students” option, those messages are sent through student email accounts and are rarely seen. I believe Remind is a stronger option for student communication because messages can be received directly as text messages on students’ phones rather than relying on students to regularly check their email. While I do believe students need to be taught to use tools professional communication tools like email, I also think it is important to meet students where they are, especially if they are not at school often enough to learn and internalize the necessary technology skills to use something like email.
3. I believe learning happens when students are explicitly taught how to use the tools and resources available to them.
Despite Prensky’s assertion that as digital natives, our students are familiar with and comfortable using technology, I — like Spiegel — believe students do not automatically know how to use technology simply because they grew up surrounded by it. I have definitely seen this show up in my classroom when students write entire emails in the subject line or send me blank emails.
With the Remind app, students can find ease in the familiarity of texting as a form of communication. However, staying true to Spiegel, I will not assume that students automatically know how to use this tool. Instead, I plan to create a tool tutorial — similar to my blog post — for students to learn how to sign up to receive messages and how to appropriately send messages.
Ultimately, my goal with using this digital tool is not just to introduce another piece of technology. My goal is to create another avenue for students to feel supported, connected, and empowered in their learning.
I am grateful for this class and especially appreciate Dr. Bogard grounding our work in the importance of time, support, and inspiration. Although I had considered using Remind in my classroom over the past several months, I do not think it would have become a reality without the opportunity to explore, practice, and reflect on this tool. Through creating my digital tool tutorial, I was able to see the potential of Remind beyond simply being another technology platform. I began to see it as a way to address a real need in my classroom and create a more accessible pathway for students to communicate and seek support.
This experience solidified my decision to use Remind as my final project and motivated me to take the next step by creating a space that is ready for students to join on the first day of school in August. More importantly, this process reminded me that meaningful technology integration is not about using technology for the sake of using technology—it is about identifying a need, finding solutions, and using tools intentionally to better support students.
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