A1) In the words of @TonySinanis and @Joe_Sanfelippo - in the absence of truth, people tend to make up their own - find as many ways to share what is happening! FULL TRANSPARENCY #hacklearning
A1: I call my Ss Laddiators and I let them know we use our "superpowers" for good- academically and socially. The super hero idea is one almost all kids can relate to. Find an idea that your Ss can relate to. #HackLearning
A1:Create a classroom hashtag and post activities to Twitter. We did one for our district at #peqpantherpride and it highlights everything we do. A great source for branding the district. #hacklearning
A1: I call my Ss Laddiators and I let them know we use our "superpowers" for good- academically and socially. The super hero idea is one almost all kids can relate to. Find an idea that your Ss can relate to. #HackLearning
A1: Have fun with it! I went with a @StarWarsinClass theme & everyone knew about Ms. Yeh's Jedi Academy! Decorations, newsletters, assignments all were themed. #HackLearning
Fresh off of #LatB48 conference where I connected with these amazing #HackLearning authors and speakers. Thanks to the amazing @Valeriasketches for this cool image at our dinner at Solas in Boston. Be sure to follow these amazing educators. See their work: https://t.co/L1vgYxKWjw
A1: My learners are “Foster kids” and we have a creed & t-shirt to which we refer in order to focus our work habits and behavior and learning goals in class. #HackLearning
A1) "There is too much communication from our school." - said no family ever! Leverage classroom and school-wide social media accounts, school hashtags, podcasts, video blogs, and weekly re-caps to allow families to feel apart of the brand! #hacklearning
A1) A "brand" is relevant insofar as you have a mission and vision. Otherwise, focus on PR--i.e., demonstrating learning to your stakeholders. #HackLearning
A1: My learners are “Foster kids” and we have a creed & t-shirt to which we refer in order to focus our work habits and behavior and learning goals in class. #HackLearning
A1 Have your students come up with a brand for their classroom as it is a good way to build community and purpose.
My Branding page https://t.co/HpN6WtBeK9#hacklearning
I'm still working on mine, but I can remember the "branding" from my 7th grade science teacher - "Remember who you are, what you stand for, and lead by example." It stuck with me! #HackLearning
A1: develop a theme that identifies your beliefs about S learning. Using that theme each year builds that concept in the minds of Ss, Ps, & community. One teacher uses superheroes bc she believes all Ss have super powers they can grow. #HackLearning
A1:Create a classroom hashtag and post activities to Twitter. We did one for our district at #peqpantherpride and it highlights everything we do. A great source for branding the district. #hacklearning
Yes! I have kiddos from previous years that come back and still talk about being a Laddiator. They say they are a #laddiatorforlife. Makes my heart happy! #HackLearning
A2) Make your hashtag is visible - put it on t-shirts, stickers, emails, everywhere! Build excitement around it by giving people "swagbags!" - everybody loves to rock the brand! #hacklearning
A1: Classroom branding can be done through repetition. Students will acclimate to your student-centered routine, motto and expectations. If they’re having fun, they’ll advertise it on their own. #HackLearning
YES YES YES!
The classroom belongs to families as much as it does students. And they're barely let in. Tech allows them to be there without being there.
#ParentCamp#digcitsummit#HackLearning
A1) "There is too much communication from our school." - said no family ever! Leverage classroom and school-wide social media accounts, school hashtags, podcasts, video blogs, and weekly re-caps to allow families to feel apart of the brand! #hacklearning
A1b: Starts with a strong classroom culture. Then...tell your story. Weave it into everyday life & communication! Has to boil down to what you really believe in. #HackLearning
A1) Branding in a classroom is about creating an identity that students, staff & families connect to on an emotional level. It’s about people & feelings; not logos or gimmicks! #HackLearning
This is exactly how I see branding as well. You have a brand, whether you know it or not, what you do/say is your brand. How you lead, is your brand. #HackLearning
A1: branding your school/classroom can start with colors, bane, and theme or focus that you stick with on every communication - paper and on social media. Starts with deciding what is most important and sharing it often and attaching it everything! #hacklearning
Sometimes "branding" can sound forced & insincere. More than anything, I think it's about connecting everything you do to your core classroom values. #HackLearning
A1: I often use twitter to share how my Laddiators are using their superpowers for good. You can easily find our Laddiators - they are the ones with the @laddiators arm bands. #HackLearning
A1: Design your space and teaching style, pace, language, etc with the end result (Ss experience) in mind. Find the common threads that students enjoy about your class and celebrate those ---> your class will brand itself. #hacklearning
Branding isn’t just about logos and decorations, it’s about how you make people feel. How you speak, How you act, how you represent yourself/school/students. #HackLearning
Great question. The school and district might offer windows into other classrooms to give families a feel for other grades. Plus schoolwide activities, sharing from the principal and superintendent that reflect the school's/district's stated mission. #HackLearning
A1) Branding in a classroom is about creating an identity that students, staff & families connect to on an emotional level. It’s about people & feelings; not logos or gimmicks! #HackLearning
A1: Show students how fortunate they are for an opportunity to learn and grow. Give them a pathway for action. There is no greater reflection of the power of education than students using knowledge for good. #HackLearning#globaled
Even HS teachers need to communicate with parents. I make videos highlighting student work and post them on our class YouTube channel. Builds community. Creates buy-in. #HackLearning
A1) Branding in a classroom is about creating an identity that students, staff & families connect to on an emotional level. It’s about people & feelings; not logos or gimmicks! #HackLearning
No I do, its just I found my kiddos all like the idea that they have super powers too. Some have never thought of this. I know from your tweets that you use yours for good as well :) #HackLearning
#HackLearning Q1 and Q2: Through Twitter and Facebook, photos and articles are continually shared. The students know ... what they do is important, it needs to be shared, they need to connect. Learning is no longer in isolation ... their story must be told.
A1) Branding in a classroom is about creating an identity that students, staff & families connect to on an emotional level. It’s about people & feelings; not logos or gimmicks! #HackLearning
A2: Creating a brand is not a beginning of the year activity or a bulletin board. It's an identity you and the students establish and maintain in everything you do. #HackLearning
A2) Apps like IFTT can help you reach a larger audience => sending tweets to Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform families are using! #HackLearning
A2: Twitter chats, of course, but if you want a closer feel.. Start at #CoffeeEDU chat within your districts. Get together at a local coffee place and just talk! #HackLearning
Branding isn’t just about logos and decorations, it’s about how you make people feel. How you speak, How you act, how you represent yourself/school/students. #HackLearning
A1: develop a theme that identifies your beliefs about S learning. Using that theme each year builds that concept in the minds of Ss, Ps, & community. One teacher uses superheroes bc she believes all Ss have super powers they can grow. #HackLearning
A1: each student in the classroom has a passion - capitalize on that to create classroom identity - then promote often with hashtags, collaboration #hacklearning
Agreed! My kiddos love to share what they are doing. I have an analog twitter board we use so they can "tweet" out their thoughts and ideas. #HackLearning
A2) The brand promise has to match the brand experience - tech is helpful in creating a transparent environment, but nothing better than inviting families in! #HackLearning
Yes, but it needs to start at the beginning of the year--setting a vision and mission WITH your students. The message needs to be clear and consistent from Day1! #HackLearning
A2: Creating a brand is not a beginning of the year activity or a bulletin board. It's an identity you and the students establish and maintain in everything you do. #HackLearning
A2) All the ways people said, and another plug here for social media. You're not only using an obvious tool at your disposal but modeling and teaching its positive use for students and families. Win/win. #digcit#HackLearning
A2: Get other teachers, parents and administrators in your room. Also, take advantage of social media to broadcast what’s happening in your room. Lastly, use professional learning to spread the word and share ideas. #HackLearning
mass shooting ignored: Why are gun control activists ignoring the case of Rolando Martinez who shot a 7-year-old with an ‘AR-style’ rifle? - https://t.co/n8FTgdBVVP
A2: The walls speak, so consistent messaging around the room including posters, front screen/whiteboard, text on the bottom of handouts & building in time for student talk around the "brand." #HackLearning
Yes! Never understood why family engagement is downplayed at the secondary level. It's not so parents can "help" their kids. It's because families are stakeholders in what happens in the school as long as their kids are there. #HackLearning
Even HS teachers need to communicate with parents. I make videos highlighting student work and post them on our class YouTube channel. Builds community. Creates buy-in. #HackLearning
I think here its a way to help my students feel a part of something. It can be as simple as what you said. Helping contribute in the classroom, the school, and the outside community. #HackLearning
A2) How powerful would it be if mounted LCD displays were constantly showing tweets from across the school/district using tweetbeam? A digital bulletin board that is constantly telling our story! #HackLearning
A2: Social Media has been a wonderful platform for advertising the great things going on at our school! Twitter and FB are the most pop. Have local newspaper cover stories of classroom learning!#hacklearning
A3: Kids help create it. Teacher consistently embodies it. Brand is published, shared, personified and has a ripple effect after learners are done in our rooms. #fostere11#fosterap#HackLearning
Q3: Remembering you why- it's not just about establishing a theme. It's about building a community. Giving your Ss a sensing of belonging. Belonging to something bigger- that they can have a positive ripple effect in their classroom. #HackLearning
Thanks. ;)
Just curious because I picture myself as a kid not into the superhero thing, but I understand it brings different kids together to a common theme. #HackLearning
You would LOVE it! @iliketech and @MikeSzczepanik were the ones who pulled us together and it has just taken off! #hacklearning (We even have t-shirts and magnets! Created a #)
In reply to
@Stella_Pollard, @iliketech, @MikeSzczepanik
A3: Kids help create it. Teacher consistently embodies it. Brand is published, shared, personified and has a ripple effect after learners are done in our rooms. #fostere11#fosterap#HackLearning
A3 you need to use it throughout the year. It can’t just be a bulletin board and some decor. Your classroom brand is part of your classroom culture. #hacklearning
Branding tells a story. Learning tells a story. Teachers and students should be able to answer, What is your story? Where are you in that story? #HackLearning
#HackLearning Q1 and Q2: Through Twitter and Facebook, photos and articles are continually shared. The students know ... what they do is important, it needs to be shared, they need to connect. Learning is no longer in isolation ... their story must be told.
A3: Make your classroom brand a culture students want to be part of to develop a sense of community. Share that story and encourage students to show their pride. #HackLearning
A3 ultimately about getting stories out that says this is what our class Community stands for- images, vid, blogs, PT connections sharing in every space #HackLearning
A3: Embed your brand in the everyday. Our school-wide #PBIS character lessons all point back to #leadwithHART. Helpful, Accountable, Respectful, Thoughtful. #hacklearning
#hacklearning A3: To be lived each day ... with each comment, activity, post, reaction ... are we living our "story" together? Anything forced or pre-packaged will be rejected by our students. They must understand and "feel" it for the culture to thrive ...
A3: Never stop perfecting your brand. Keep in mind that the relationships you build can either make or break the brand that you have built. Strive to be better! #HackLearning
Jeremie Smith joining from IL. A3: stop trying to retrofit teams and depth into a mold and let them be responsive to the S’s they serve. the square peg/round hole notion is ripe to fail every time #HackLearning
A3: Branding can foster deeper relationships with students if they know you believe what you’re preaching. As in all facets of life, actions speak louder than words. #HackLearning
A1: Branding in a classroom should align to District & school visions & goals, but allow for a teacher to share a “day in the life of” their own classroom w/ a focus on Ss. #HackLearning
A3: I don’t want my students to join into a theme for the year. I want to help them grow stronger as a community of learners who take action for the others inside and outside the building. They don’t need to wait to be involved! #HackLearning
A3: You have to know your students to grow your students. Build the relationship and make sure they all have voice, choice and the ability to advocate. #HackLearning
Yes- I really don't emphasize the super hero part as much as I talk about how they can use their super powers for good- like being kind, doing their best academically, asking for help, helping others, being mindful. #HackLearning
A3: Branding can foster deeper relationships with students if they know you believe what you’re preaching. As in all facets of life, actions speak louder than words. #HackLearning
A3) Branding, or promoting your work, builds family and community relationships, which by extension build student relationships. You may feel you can build strong relationships with students without these others, but their identity spreads beyond the classroom. #HackLearning
One parent told her child that I do “too much” to communicate. He relayed that info to me in front of the whole class. I was shocked. But my experience is that most parents appreciate it. #HackLearning
A3: You have to know your students to grow your students. Build the relationship and make sure they all have voice, choice and the ability to advocate. #HackLearning
One parent told her child that I do “too much” to communicate. He relayed that info to me in front of the whole class. I was shocked. But my experience is that most parents appreciate it. #HackLearning
A3:My why is “relationships before rigor.”If the social-emotional piece is not nurtured and strengthened with your Ss, then learning cannot begin to occur. Above all Ss need love and acceptance. #hacklearning
Yeah, important not to overgeneralize that "parents don't want it" based on isolated experiences. And ultimately it should be a given regardless of individual opinion. They can choose how much to take in. #HackLearning
MAN. This chat goes so sofas. Thank you @hackmylearning for being awesome and to @jenladd for hosting. Have a great week everyone. Thanks for the awesome discussion. #HackLearning
A3: The simple answer is to not only celebrate your Ss, but involve them in telling the story of your classroom. Also, be creative and involve parents in telling the story as well. #HackLearning
A3: as an admin, I think it’s important to add that branding needs to be schoolwide and district wide as well. Same applies. If you don’t tell your story, others will tell it for you. #HackLearning
