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Improving Communication

All Calera Schools use the slogan, "you're an eagle, what you do matters." Every morning and afternoon, our announcements end with this statement. Here lately, it has really made me think about how this applies to everyone in our building...not just the students!

One area where I would like to see an improvement is with my school's communication. I feel that I have learned a lot about this area and I could help bring us to the next level. "If you don't tell your story, someone else will" is a statement made several times in the book Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times (Scheninger, 2019, p. 180). 


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I feel like my school does a great job communicating information with parents in several ways. Every teacher sends home paper copies of newsletters, many teachers use a digital form of communication, and our office staff sends out emails. We also have a school Facebook page. Parents are well informed of upcoming events and ways that they can help our schools and classrooms. But...I feel that we need to take the next step. 

As stated by Scheninger (2019), social media is a free resource that can help schools improve communication because it allows a two-way communication system that will increase stakeholder engagement and allow for access to information anytime and anywhere. Kaban (2021) notes that using social media to communicate is faster and easier for both the sender and receiver.  

At the end of last year, I talked with my administrator about forming a technology team that focused on the school's use of social media. Right now, our principal and librarian are the only two people who can post to our school's Facebook page. I suggested that we have at least one grade level representative and a special area teacher who is responsible for either sending a premade post to the Facebook admins or allowing more people to have posting rights. I want to set up a system for sharing on social media. If we involve more people, more stories will be told. My principal was on board with this idea, but then she transferred to another school. I have not brought this idea up to my new principal YET, but it keeps playing in my mind, especially after this semester of graduate school. 

I would love to help bring my school to the next level on social media. I would love to see more stories being told on Facebook that shows off all of the great things our students, teachers, and staff are doing in our building. I will say that in the past few months, this has improved, but I still think there are more great stories to be told. If we have more people who are responsible for this, more grade levels will be showcased and represented. Scheninger (2019) suggested sending out a blank template to staff monthly that allows them to share the fabulous things going on with their students and also with them professionally. 

Using Twitter and creating a meaningful hashtag that can be used on all social media is another step I would like to see my school take. Hashtags make it easier for people to find information and follow what is happening in our school (Scheninger, 2019). Kaban (2021) stated that parents love the use of social media because it allows them to see what is happening in their child's school even when they cannot be there. 

Scheninger (2019) gives reason to consistently use social media:
  1. Build better relationships
  2. Stakeholders from all over the world can engage in conversations about your school
  3. Everyone has a voice
  4. It allows you to learn from others
  5. There can be lots of storytellers which can also increase motivation
  6. Promotes further change

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"Technology is not just a shiny tool that can increase engagement, but a conduit to endless possibilities that can enhance every facet of what we do in education" (Scheninger, 2019, p. 45). This includes communication with stakeholders.



References

Corwin. (2019, November 27). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlWsGR-m0JI

Curious Plyuesh. (2021, March 8). Talk talking sticker [Giphy]. 

Kaban, A. (2021). Views on the usage of social media tools in school-family communication. International Journal of Technology in Education, 4(3), 314–330.

The Orchard Films. (2017, November 3). Social media followers [Giphy]. 

Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed). Corwin. 





 

Comments

  1. Fearless in First May 2, 2022 at 8:32 PM

    As a recent employee of Calera, I can attest to the communication component. I feel they do a great job of communicating to parents. I would also love to see them engage more on social media. Sheninger (2019) states, "using social media tools provide transparency that gives stakeholders a clearer picture of all of the many positive things taking place each and every day" (p. 188). I think that having a representative from each grade could be very beneficial. Communication is key! According to Salamondra (2021), "communication will enable the maintenance of relationships while delivering honest assessment, challenging colleagues, engaging in difficult conversations, and creating partnerships with families".

    Thanks for your insight!
    Erica

    References:
    Salamondra, T. (2021). Effective communication in schools. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, 13(1), 22–26.

    Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed). Corwin.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Darryl ArgumentsMay 4, 2022 at 2:14 PM

    Nice blog! I feel like I know a little more about what's going on in your school in Calera. I see similar things within my district around certain schools. Communication is important and I think that as long as we are educating students on important digital citizenship, we can build a better community on these social sites that's safer for them and everyone involved.

    I enjoyed this one article because it focuses on making sure these sites are safe for students. "Growing public concern about student safety and well-being has led schools and school districts to contract private companies to implement new technologies that target and surveil students' activity on social media websites" (Burke & Bloss, 2020). If we are to promote communication on social platforms I think they are thinking right to monitor activity to make sure we are keeping a handle on things.

    In chapter 8 of the Digital Leadership book, it talks how "communication is an art to some extent and takes work" (Sheninger, 2019, 162). It's important to know that it will take time to communicate effectively for some students that's why it's important we continue to instill those digital citizenships skills to each student so that they can communicate responsibly.

    But this isn't just for students. This text references the educators and administrators as well as having to master this art. So I commend your efforts in trying to implement change in the way your school communicates.

    References:
    Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed). Corwin.

    Burke, C., & Bloss, C. (2020). Social Media Surveillance in Schools: Rethinking Public Health Interventions in the Digital Age. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(11), e22612. https://doi.org/10.2196/22612


    ReplyDelete

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