With a background in marketing and graphics prior to getting into K-12 education, it is amazing to see how K-12 education isn’t being “marketed” in a better way. Traditional media (newspaper, TV) consistently reports the controversial stuff and the negative news related to K-12 education. While it is worth noting that by telling how bad things are we can begin to influence policy makers in order to direct funding, it should be noted that by telling the “good” stuff that is going on, we can have even bigger impact.
Traditional media and PR outlets just aren’t working as well for K-12 schools/districts. While some papers and media outlets will get positive information out, it will get relegated to back pages and late night broadcasts. So that leads to today’s blog question . . . how are you telling your story?
Great things are going on in education and more and more educators are learning that the new media is the most effective method for getting the “story” told. Students, educators, parents, etc. have taken to blogging and twittering to get their stories told about “good things” happening in education. Have you developed a Twitter strategy for telling your story? Are you blogging about the cool things going on? The viral marketing platform that the internet provides can help get your story ‘out there’. In the past few weeks, we have learned more from parents who are combing the internet in search of the “good things” going on in their schools. So, why aren’t educational leaders using more of these Web 2.0 tools to tell their story? Why is it more of a grass roots approach from teachers and students? We continue our quest to determine how to get principals and superintendents to listen, but until then . . . keep telling your story using these tools because it is starting to pay off as more and more people are reading blogs, wikis, etc. in order to see the “good things” going on in education. Here are a few great examples . .
Lenoir County Schools Gadget Camp
History and Tech Club Blog (Hershey, PA)
Mrs. Fine’s 4th Grade Gate
Mrs. Winter’s Blog
While we know there are MANY more examples, our parting question is this . . .how are you telling the story about all the GOOD things going on with children? If you can’t get your administrative teams to do it, or you can’t get the traditional media to do it . . .get viral about it! 
Remember, social media is becoming the norm. Take a look at this video on how Twitter connects to those who care.
