I just finished reading The Power of Branding:Telling Your School’s Story by Tony Sinanis (@TonySinanis) and Joseph Sanfelippo (@Joesanfelippofc) and I tweeted this question:
I would guess that more than two amazing events occurred in our schools this week. I would also bet that more than two staff or students practiced determination, resilience, patience, kindness, citizenship, creativity and joy….but I would also bet that only a small number of of the school community celebrated the event or person.
Why are we so humble about the fantastic people and things that go one in our schools on a daily basis? Why are we not owning our stories and celebrating our schools?
A focus in my Board right now is the shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. I have posted many resources around this topic in this website under both the education and leadership pages. By #tellingourstories via the use of social media, we have the opportunity to shift the culture, by branding our schools and owning our story. If you were to ask members of your community about the vision, philosophy, goals and/or successes of your school would they match your school’s vision, philosophy, goals and/or successes? Is there a disconnect between the awesome things occurring in your school on a daily basis and the perception of your school in the community? By sharing our stories we we have the opportunity to shift the culture around the community perception of our schools.
What really resonated with me is that at the centre of the book is our students:
“…the only narrative of consequence within our classrooms, in the schools, and in the districts is the narrative about the children” (55).
By #tellingyourstory we are celebrating our students. Everyone deserves to have their voices heard and everyone deserves to have it done in a positive manner that unites and celebrates. In order for our schools to thrive they must be connected to the community and to be a part of a community we need to connect and communicate.
Sharing your story doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming. Use the technology at your ready. Allow multiple team members to share in the messaging. Provide students with the opportunities to lend their voice. Model #digitalcitizenship. Connect your community and open up your learning to the world by flattening the walls of your school.
Most importantly, don’t pass up the opportunity to #tellyourstory. Our schools, our students and staff are too important to leave the telling of our story to someone else.
I pose this questions again…. what are you waiting for? #Tellyourstory!
Become a part of the Superior-Greenstone Community and share in our learning and help us celebrate our students!
Modelling the Conditions for Learning (Nicole Morden-Cormier)SO, SGDSB)
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
-Mother Teresa
