Using Gmail in the Classroom

Using Gmail in the classroom would be an invaluable tool.  You can email your students and include their parents or guardians in the email.  You can have them email assignments to you, and you in turn can email comments and suggestions to them.  If they are out sick or gone for some time, you could send an encouraging email or set up a classroom video with everyone saying they miss the student.  What a cool tool that we can add to our growing tool belt!