Applying Gmail in My Classroom

After watching the videos and reading the material for all that I could accomplish through gmail, I think there are so many beneficial ways to apply gmail in my classroom.  I come from a school that has low-income families and my colleagues and I are always trying to help our families learn new things and our families are always teaching us new things.  I think it would be beneficial to use gmail's "Hangouts" option to help our parents and our whole school learn from one another.  Gmail's "Hangout" option could be used as a "Parents Hangouts" option so that we as teachers can give the parents suggestions or ideas on how to help their children by writing to all of them or even posting YouTube videos to actually show them how specific ideas can be put into action.  For example if we were trying to help our families obtain information on how to implement positive behavioral management strategies, we could videotape how we implement those strategies in the classroom so they could try these techniques at home.  As well as providing the parents with materials, we could also ask if they have any strategies or guidance for us, as teachers as well.  As I'm writing this, a neat idea that could be implemented could be a specific topic could be introduced each week and the teachers could provide their insight as well as the parents that way everyone is learning from each other.  The parents could also learn from one another as well so they are obtaining advice from multiple sources.  Gmail's "Hangouts" could not only be directed toward helping the parents but the parents could also go on gmail's "Hangouts" with their kids to obtain URL links to view games or YouTube videos to assist their children in their educational development as well.