Evernote

I grew up with grocery lists dictated by my mother. Once I was on my own, it was paper slips plunged into a pocket--any pocket--and it often remained there until the garment's next washing. With the advent of mobile phones, I had a built-in memo pad and this was much more helpful because I took care not to wash my phone. But I still relied on sticky notes if I was working on my computer (phones out in class is frowned upon) and these have a way of becoming lost as well.

But this month I found the answer to going paperless. It's Evernote and it's free. The ability for Evernote to automatically sync to a computer or cell without prompting makes it a wonderful digital tool. I can spontaneously make notes whenever I need, wherever I am, and I can also capture website pages.So, when I consider how much Evernote will keep me on track, my thoughts automatically turn to my students. 

The kids that always forget the assignment, reading, note from home? Make them use Evernote. In fact, since all my students have computers/mobiles outside of school and I teach my language class on the lab computers, Evernote is the perfect exchange for assignment books. We're giving it a whirl this fall and I'll get back to you on its acceptance. I'm pretty sure it will be a winner.