Using MailChimp For Classroom Newsletters

Y'all, one of my co-workers showed me a program/website/company that changed the way I send classroom newsletters and I want to share with you! It's called .... MAIL CHIMP! 

It's a silly name for a seriously awesome product --- and it's FREE. Here's what awesome about it:

• Using e-mails means you can link to things and it's ALWAYS in the inbox. 

I used to do paper newsletters .... they made it home mmm, 70% of the time. And then they got lost 100% of the time. E-mailing parents directly means that it gets straight to parents (no child middle man), they receive it instantly, and it can't get lost.

Plus, you have the chance to link to SignUpGenius for volunteer opportunities,  embed files (permission forms, surveys) directly into the document so that all parents have to do is CLICK! So easy.

• Import a list of names and use it over and over 

I import my parent list once, then send them the link so they can add themselves to my list. No more "did I get this e-mail correct?" SO. EASY. 

• Format your e-mails in a SUPER professional way 

Presentation is really important. MailChimp's templates make everything look super professional and I like things that are well done. :) 

• Track your opens, clicks, downloads, everything 

That's the really, really, take it over the top part --- you know who has opened your newsletter, who has clicked on links, etc. You also know when e-mails have bounced out of mailboxes, etc. I can't tell you how often this has helped me figure out when a parent's filter is sending my e-mail to their spam folder. It's also cool to see what things interest my parents - the click through percentage is primo. From my last year using this --- pictures of the kiddos are always #1. :) 

Want to see what it looks like? Here's a sample e-mail that I sent to my kids' families a week ago, as soon as we got our class lists: 

In this e-mail I'm getting a TON of information across in one super super simple e-mail. Everything my parents need to be ready for the year is in this one e-mail! Hallelujah! 

EASY Tech Tip!

Technology, technology, technology. That's one of the buzzwords at my school ... 21st Century Learning ... Integration ... Rigor ... Data ... Assessment ... WHEW! 

I'm not one to hop on a bandwagon before I know for sure it will make my life easier or vastly improve my students' learning experience. Well ... I HAVE to tell you about this super awesome tech tool that is changing my classroom (and the classrooms of my teammates!). 

It's called ... PLICKERS! 

Paper + Clickers. Yup - a super easy way to assess ALL the students in the classroom at once, or even just a few at a time. Plus you can save SO much time by adding the rest of your teammates' classes onto the application. Saving time + easy assessment + fun for kids? WIN, in my book. 

Here's what you do: 

1. Sign up each student for an individual Plickers number using the computer app. 

2. Download the Plickers app on your mobile device.  

3. Plug in a question you want to use for your assessment. It has to be a multiple choice or true/false question. 

4. Print and pass out Plickers cards to your students. Each shape is different, and has a number written on it very lightly in gray. Also written on different sides of the image are the letters A/B/C/D. Students will pick the answer they think is correct, and hold that side upward. 

5. Assess! To assess you open the app on your computer and mobile device. The question on your mobile device is mirrored in a test format on your computer for projection. Kids hold up their cards, and you use the camera on your device to "scan" their answers. The results show up on your phone immediately! 

I even added classes for the two other teachers in my team so that we could share the burden of loading questions onto the program. 

How did it work? Like a dream! I had immediate, accurate data on what my students understood and didn't understand. I was able to access the data immediately, and give feedback to the kids. I even cleared up a few misconceptions almost immediately. 

I highly recommend! Let me know in the comments what YOU think of Plickers!