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Last month I had the privilege of presenting in a virtual event to a group of assistant principals and aspiring school leaders at Pecos Barstow Toyah ISD in Pecos, Texas. As part of a series we have been doing together this school year, I shared a session on the ‘Hat of Communication’ that is so important in school leadership. We explored the question: How can education leaders influence the perspectives others have about their schools?
Much of the content comes from ideas also shared in my book, Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities. This book helps you foster stronger culture and improve communication strategies. Listen in to this summary for ideas to…
- Comprehend the power of messaging and public relations in school.
- Gain tips for how to best use available technology tools, including online platforms, for messaging purposes.
- Inspect scenarios and real anecdotes that show communication strategies and messaging tactics in action in schools.
- Learn how to implement positive communication with parents and students from the start of the school year.
- Explore special strategies for communicating with challenging students or in difficult school climates.
We also shared ideas from a great book by Rick DuFour, In Praise of American Educators: And How They Can Become Even Better. And later in the episode, I share ideas from a short but powerful video by Josh Shipp on the Power of One Caring Adult.
As you do the important of work of communicating to students, teachers and communities, remember that showing others a more comprehensive perspective of your school allows them to become better invested in its outcomes. I call this ability ‘showing them the other side of the moon.’ Listen in to this week’s episode for more context, examples and tips for being the chief cheerleader and messenger for your school!
