The #INeLearn hashtag is used for both asynchronous sharing and synchronous conversations. Include #INeLearn in your tweets if you want to share resources or questions with Indiana educators and school leaders. Asynchronously, the #INeLearn hashtag provides educators across the state of Indiana a central space for sharing. On Thursday evenings beginning at 8 CST/9 EST when you use the #INeLearn hashtag, you are joining a live conversation--the #INeLearn Twitter Chat. For one hour, we interact in real time having a virtual discussion.
We are continuing the series, Our Digital Steps. What Steps Will You Take in Your Journey in Digital Leadership? Tonight, our focus is on Steps in Our Important Digital Conversations! #INeLearn
Hello, #INeLearn! Michelle here. Today I traveled the span of the state N to S! I also got to attend an inspiring #HSDLead event where our Ss were the leaders!
R1: Sometimes wanting those relationships with stakeholders means we have to put in the effort on the front end. Go to them, ask for their input, show them you value them. Build the relationship up front to develop even better together later. #INeLearn
R1 effectively and consistently communicate our STORY. Stories of our students, teachers, triumphs and travails. State and restate in as many modes as we can find... #INeLearn
R1 transparency, open communication, showcasing student work so Ps can see what they are doing instead of trying to imagine what is happening in school. #INeLearn
R1: Transparency, consistency, and a “give first” approach. We often think the community and businesses owe us their partnership, when they may not see it that way. If we give, serve, and truly make a difference, then they may become true partners! #INeLearn#RCSeLearn
Hi, parent and @ParentCamp-er tuning in from a good 1,000 miles from Indiana.
A1) You build partnerships by wanting them, not by obligation. It's desiring to do better by kids by bringing in the people who have as much of a stake in the game as you do. #iNeLearn
R1 Front loading as @hunterlambright noted-invited business and community leaders in and learn what their impressions, interests, resources are #INeLearn
R2: I send an old fashion email home to parents every week on Friday letting them know what’s going on for the upcoming week. Ps appreciate this because HS Ss don’t tell their parents “What’s Going On...” #INeLearn
R2 nothing matches F2F, capturing body language, nuance in voice, context clues... I wish we had time to accomplish more F2F and supplement w/ other. #INeLearn
So glad you're doing that on the high school level. Parent engagement is often associated with parents "helping" their kids, so is downplayed in later school years, but informing should never grow old. #iNeLearn
R2: School-level, We've got an old-school printed newspaper. Skyward's messaing feature makes parent emails about 10^6% easier, meaning I send more of them. #inelearn
I did it with my middle school when I was an admin. What works there can work anywhere. It takes me a few minutes and I use it to plan my week. I use Skyward to send it out. I document the communication piece. Builds relationships. Ss get the email also. #INeLearn
R2: Don’t forget to communicate positive things too. I went a year with no comm from teachers, because my kid was doing great. Telling me that’s okay too. #INeLearn
At the HS level, Ps appreciate receiving info on opportunities for their Ss. They want to know what "announcements" the kids should have tuned in to during the week #INeLearn
R3 FB Live has become very popular this year for many schools that I follow. Principals and Sups are sharing impromptu and prepared messages regularly #INeLearn
I did it with my middle school when I was an admin. What works there can work anywhere. It takes me a few minutes and I use it to plan my week. I use Skyward to send it out. I document the communication piece. Builds relationships. Ss get the email also. #INeLearn
R3: An LMS allows options. Parents can "shadow" their student's LMS account, principals can upload video instructions for teachers for PD. Social media has bridged the gap, too. #INeLearn
A3 Many teachers in my corporation are using various apps like Remind and Dojo. Parents seems to like these because of the quick notifications and see what's going on at school. #inelearn
R3: All social media outlets, email, LMS messaging, @remind101, but T’s can streamline managing multiple communication channels by using aggregators like @hootsuite! We need to take the message to where the P’s are, not just force them into one place. #INeLearn
I absolutely love using video to share messages! Communicate info. Celebrate successes! I screencast info plus create Animoto videos to showcase learning in our school. #INeLearn
R3b: @DonWettrick started using @Twitch to live stream his Innovation and Open Source Learning class - Pure Genius! (Pun intended;) “Hey Parents and stakeholders, want to know what’s happening in your child’s class? Just watch!!” #INeLearn
R3: Gotta say, I'm pretty jealous of how well, some of my fellow Ts use Remind. Covered a class on a short sub day a few years ago when the kids phones all lit up with Remind text. They knew what to do before I could read them the plans for the day. #inelearn
R4: My first couple of emails I send out let Ps know that if they email me at 11:00 pm not to be shocked that I reply right back. I check email about 8 times a night and reply right back. My @remind101 Ps know I respond quickly. It’s important. They deserve 💨 ans #INeLearn
R4: I always liked trying to be in the foyer to greet. Awesome time to run into parents. Hard to carve that time every day. Wish I had done it even more! #INeLearn
R4: Parents and students are more and more comfortable with inboxing/e-mailing. Polling via social media or an LMS is important. Feedback forms (SurveyMonkey, Google Form, or via LMS) are key as well! #INeLearn
R4 As a HS principal I tried to stand in front of the school each morning to greet students and parents... it was a great communication opportunity #INelearn
R4: I always liked trying to be in the foyer to greet. Awesome time to run into parents. Hard to carve that time every day. Wish I had done it even more! #INeLearn
R5: pictures are a 1000 words. If you network with the right people, a picture can go anywhere that shows the great things going on in schools. #PLNs can expedite those great things. Networks are limitless. #INeLearn
R5: Hard to say. As tech proliferates, we have to make sure we use the tech our stakeholders are comfortable with in some capacity. That said, with all parts of the world, tech has made the gap between us all smaller. #INeLearn
R5:Allows for more instantaneous, authentic communication. Again, takes the dialogue to spaces where they already are.If there are issues or concerns, they can be addressed in a more timely manner- don’t have to wait until the Thursday folder goes home or weekly email #INeLearn
R5: In some ways it’s more difficult due to the number of platforms available. But I try to be consistent with the ones I use so stakeholders know where to watch #INeLearn
I agree - it is so much fun! It is awesome when others throughout the school are tweeting the awesomeness - I become the retweet master! Share! Share! Share! #INeLearn
R5 Monumentally! Parents love seeing their child performing and simply doing school. At same time community at large likes accountability of district admin in classes and with the real work of schools. #INeLearn
R5 Digit platform seem lend themselves to better communication. Many parents send quick notes to help understand things about the students that I wouldn't have without that open line of comminication. #inelearn
R6 As @schamelearning pointed out, we need to make sure Ps and other stakeholders are connected/engaged with the tools we use #INeLearn Equity is another issue.
R5b: The inherent challenge of using multiple platforms to honor the preferred methods of parents is maintaining consistency, compounded with the time required. @buffer and @hootsuite can automate and reduce the workload! #INeLearn#RCSeLearn#RCSNextGen
It’s not only a great way to showcase the awesome learning, but we learn from each other and get new ideas when we tweet what is happening in our classrooms. I need to do this even more! #INeLearn
R4 I love emails for how quickly I can communicate back and forth with ps. I try very hard to get back to parents as soon as I can. Im easy to reach that way, too. #INeLearn
R6 Ill informed arguments or those simply seeking to dissuade and undermine... too little background and little ability to correct if not in stream. Of course 140 or 280 characters not a research report! #INeLearn
R6: Being heard through the noise. Is an e-mail effective if a parent has 3,268 unread e-mails? Will our FB posts show up in their curated newsfeed? Are younger parents resistant to calls? All big challenges. #INeLearn
Check out #teach180. Lots of Ts in my PLN do a daily photo post from the classroom on that hashtag. I see plenty of awesome activities and engaged students on the daily. #INeLearn
R5 @CanvasLMS has given parents a place to see as work and quickly communicate with me. I've had more parent emails through there this year and it's very helpful. #INeLearn
R6: Obstacle to conversation in digital world is lack of emotion that comes from a face-to-face interaction. Also, too many distractions in digital world. Everyone's trying to "multi-task" #INeLearn
Absolutely! We found many who followed after a school closing a few years ago! And many will join Remind classes as well with that information! #INeLearn
I need to promote Canvas more. Many of my Ps are Obsessive Skyward Watchers, but I bet Canvas would be even more useful/informative for them. #INeLearn
R6: Much more difficult to align message with meaning using just text vs F2F.To help myself grow in this area I’m reading an update to Dale Carnegie’s book called “How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age” shout out to @oliverpager#INeLearn#RCSeLearn
R7: Persistence and communicating via more than one source. If e-mail doesn't work for one parent, a call might. But it doesn't mean e-mail doesn't work for all of them. Get used to being multimodal! #INeLearn
R7 practice, seek authentic feedback, embrace multi-modal delivery and the fact that the phone will still ring after the one-calls and TV messages with the Q: Do we have.... #INeLearn
R7:Choose words carefully.Anticipate misunderstandings.Have a trusted colleague read before sending.Also helps if that colleague has context with the same parents.I try to remember that there is no such thing as a neutral interaction-all are either positive or negative #INeLearn
That is a true key - know your audience. Know what communication they prefer. Then do just that. Build a relationship by reaching out to them. #INeLearn
WU: I think digital is a fantastic primer for F2F. I met a parent this week that I've corresponded with only by e-mail all semester and it was great to put a face to the name! Felt great that the rapport was already there. #INeLearn
WU day to day communication to keep parents in the loop via tech. Meet and greet F2F as many ps as possible during the year. And definitely talk up ss to their ps. Accentuate the positive. #INeLearn
I have maybe 10% of my parents who are "observers" on Canvas, probably 3 times that who live on Skyward. We're babies with Canvas right now, but when we get Ps & Ts trained up on Canvas its gonna be a powerhouse. #INeLearn
WU: As educators, our communication must be authentic and meaningful. Be genuine in the convo and know the Ss strengths and weaknesses. Ps deserve honesty and a caring attitude. Use multiple mediums for communication. #INeLearn
Truth. Our Math Department 1st quarter PD was on Canvas as a tool for communication, as a curriculum map, and as a syllabus. We're just scratching the surface at @ValpoHS411. #INeLearn
In reply to
@HawleyScience, @CanvasLMS, @ValpoHS411
I encourage my son to check Canvas regularly for missing work but I love that I get notifications of comments & messages from his teachers so we can discuss. #INeLearn
In reply to
@thedullguy, @HawleyScience, @CanvasLMS
