It’s easy to get excited at this time of year. There’s all the back to school supplies, new back to school outfits, and all those fresh new faces! This also is the time new initiatives are rolled out on campuses state wide. From district ideas to campus thoughts…everyone’s excited in August!
I participated in #ptcamp this summer, which was both overwhelming and energizing. There were so many great thoughts share…and as usual, social media was discussed quite a bot. Even if it wasn’t directly referred to as “social media”, the words twitter, facebook, and instagram were talked about. Just like any other new initiative if you’re deciding to get serious with your social media presence, albeit for your classroom or your campus, I challenge you to BE INTENTIONAL.
Regardless of your own personal stance on using social media, you can’t deny the ever increasing use of it in our students lives. To not take advantage of a tool that your students and families are already utilizing is missing a huge opportunity to truly CONNECT. (<—My word for 2014-2015!) If your opinion is that what you’ve been doing is fine, and that you have no need for MORE connections with your students & community, call me. 😉
Building relationships is what we do! Utilizing some form of SM to help facilitate those relationships makes sense. You don’t have to do them all, pick one, that you’re comfortable with, and then BE INTENTIONAL.
Decide what you’re going to share. How often you’re going to share. When you’re going to share. The challenge, just like with any other form of communication, is to maintain your presence to help ensure the  validity of  your communications. Don’t do all the heavy lifting of getting your parents invested and then in October forget to post anything. It will be next to impossible to get them to commit to something else in the future.
Need some data to help back up my social media “claims”?
- 72% of all internet users are now active on social media
- 18-29 year olds have an 89% usage
- The 30-49 bracket sits at 72%
- 60 percent of 50 to 60 year olds are active on social media
- In the 65 plus bracket, 43% are using social media
- Time spent on Facebook per hour spent online by country. USA citizens get the top gong at 16% followed by the Aussies at 14 minutes and the Brits at 13 minutes.
- 71% of users access social media from a mobile device.
Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/01/17/20-social-media-facts-and-statistics-you-should-know-in-2014/#VKwcE6rkAmqai71U.99
As my buddies Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis share regularly, “Never give up the opportunity to say something great about your school”! Â I will add that there’s too many FREE and easy places to say it!
Relationship building,
Amber
Always great tips, advice, and insight. Thanks for the reminders. “Intentional” may be my new word for this school year!