Co mmunication Level 1 John Havlicek, La Crosse Education Association

1. Communication Level 1 John Havlicek, La Crosse Education Association Kathleen Mahoney, Marshfield Teachers’ AssociationBrenda Morris, Lake Mills Education Association

2. Today’s Learning Target: Create a communication plan that you will implement in your local.

3. Quick Communication Considerations • What sort of communication does your local “do”? • Think about how you communicate with • your members • administration • School Board • the general public.

4. Resources • www.weac.org/talk • www.nea.org/home/Local-Affiliate-Communication-Guide.html • Christina Brey, WEAC Communications breyC@WEAC.org

5. http://www.nea.org/home/68203.htm

6. Two-Way Plan/Current Media If you have general questions that would be of interest to the group, please ask. There will be time at the end for specific or individual questions!

7. Five Communication Keys • Message • Audience • Vehicle • Messenger (Who is delivering?) • Listening

8. Listening -Makes our audience feel valued and heard -A rule of thumb is to craft conversations with 80% listening in mind Julian Treasure’s Tip:RASAReceiveAppreciate Summarize Ask

9. Identify your message Break into: • Internal • Be specific to your audience • Can use more jargon • Clarity is critical • External • Avoid jargon • Pick topics that will resonate with an external audience

10. The Art of Messaging –You automatically have common ground with your audience – you all want what’s best for kids. Keep the message student-focused. –Leave the Edu-talk behind. –Remember: Teacher Working Conditions are Student Learning Conditions * Elbow partner

11. Consider Audience We have the message, but to whom are we communicating? BOE -- policies, curriculum, working conditions Admin -- salary, day-to-day stuff General public -- public education, class sizes, district/state budgets Rank and File members -- actions, input on negotiations, general updates, opportunities for training

12. Choose the correct vehicle Is this internal? External? What is convenient isn’t always the most effective. If everything else is aligned, don’t let this one be the Achilles heel!

13. Why Social Media? • It allows us to choose our audiences (private vs. public vs. secret) • We are no longer bound by space and time • User-friendly social media

14. Social Media • Do’s and Don’ts • Facebook • Pages vs. Groups • Analytics • Twitter

15. Personal pages • Municipal Employment Relations Act (MERA) provides the right to engage in protected concerted activity for the purpose of mutual aid and protection. • staff members are concerned that… or, there is concern amongst staff members... • Ask questions rather than make statements. • Would you be concerned if... • Address big picture issues • Work with your Regional Directors • Educator ToolKit (from BAT and Parent Coalition for Student Privacy).

16. Member Surveys Google Forms

17. Member Surveys

18. Group/Mass Texting • Group/Mass texting can be set up on your phone to communicate effectively with your members. • This is great for quick reminders • One-way -- Don’t expect responses! • You can sync to your gmail and easily populate your phonebook and create groups! • Hustle!

19. Letters to Editor Tips • Keep it brief - 250 words or fewer • Get to the point — Check the NEA Web site for statistics • Relate it to home — Localize • Personalize the issue • End with a call to action • Be timely • Be professional • Identify yourself

20. How to address your BOE • Be mindful of your entire audience. • You can coordinate this with other actions for even greater emphasis and effectiveness. • Walk-Ins + Position paper + Speech

21. Select the Messenger/Use Diverse Voices Align the messenger with the message, audience, and vehicle 1. Credibility?2. Do they have “pull”? 3. Personal Stake? or Compelling Story? 4. Are they effective messengers or can they be trained to be more effective? 5. Do your voices represent diversity?

22. Let’s try it! Internal • Teachers have too large of a workload – student-focused? • Retirement language External • Referendum actions • State budget if possible

23. Communication → Advocacy → Organizing COMMUNICATION ADVOCACY ORGANIZING This is like the blades on a helicopter propeller: when we are effective, the blades go around, and we rise; when we are ineffective, we crash! Within each competency, we can talk about alignment, or we can use the same helicopter analogy – when we are effective…

24. Organizing Examples Internal-Membership -Leadership Building - Campaigns External -Relationship building - Organizing a campaign

25. Advocacy Examples Internal Handbook Changes Work Load External Referendums 4K ProgramState Budget

26. Wrap Up TIME - GET STARTED Develop a communication plan for your local for the upcoming year Please feel free to ask us about things that have or have not worked for us. Don’t try to solve everything; try to get even one thing from each theme/idea presented.

27. Concrete Examples What are some ideas that we can take from other locals that communicate effectively? Please feel free to ask us about these things during work time! Calendar New member folders Business cards Buttons Palm cards Fridge magnets Mass texting/emails Google drive and FB pages shared docs Newsletter Surveys General networking Framing a Message

28. Questions: • What questions do you have for us? • If you have questions down the road, please don’t hesitate to contact us: Kathleen Mahoney- kmmahoney12@yahoo.comJohn Havlicek - take a card! Brenda Morris - albertina72@gmail.com