Using Videos To Communicate with Stakeholders

TL;DR:

Using videos to communicate with stakeholders is an underused tool that provides many benefits!
You can record and edit videos easily on your smartphone, and share with stakeholders by posting on your LMS, social media, or even sending a letter with a QR code link to the file.
Don’t spend too much time making your videos perfect; just be yourself.

We’ve all created weekly emails, sent letters home, and used a variety of apps and methods to reach out to stakeholders and families of our students. One form of communication that I think gets severely underused is VIDEO. Using videos to communicate is a great tool to connect personally with students, families, and even colleagues. The best part is that it’s easy! Here are some great tips on getting started with video communication with your stakeholders!

Get a Camera Ready!

I bet you almost closed out of this blog when you read that heading…but wait, the good news is you already have one! Almost every teacher or administrator I know has a smartphone with a fantastic camera and the ability to record.

The other great news is that most of us carry these devices with us pretty consistently, which means even if you’re busy, you can take a few seconds and record a message for your school community.

The best part about videos is that they show YOU. Don’t get hung up on making the video perfect or doing 100 takes until it's just right. Click To Tweet

Many smartphones also make it very easy to share, download, and post this content after it’s created. Most even offer really easy editing to make your video look great!

Don’t Overthink It.

The best part about videos is that they show YOU. Don’t get hung up on making the video perfect or doing 100 takes until it’s “just right.”

Make it quick, simple, and organic. Find a quiet spot, press record (that’s the red button on most camera apps), and then use the next 30 seconds to a couple minutes to give a targeted update or to share needed information.

Circulate Videos on Multiple Platforms.

One of the other HUGE benefits of video is that you can post them almost anywhere. With virtual learning becoming the new norm, you can take a single video and post it on your LMS, on all social media platforms, or even send an actual letter (on paper) home to students with a QR code link to the file.

This means that the couple of minutes you take to create a personalized and authentic video for your students, families, or community can be shared over and over throughout a day or week as needed. It’s also a great way to help your students and families access important information in different ways.

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Using Videos to Communicate: Let’s Go!

Let’s try this: Take out your phone (right now)! Open the camera app and record a simple message to a friend, a colleague, a student, or to your community.

The hardest part of getting started with video is actually doing it. If you’re actually following my instructions, you’ve already gotten the hard part done! Now share it and connect further with all of your stakeholders in a more personal way!

About Chad Ostrowski

Chad Ostrowski is the co-founder of the Teach Better Team, and creator of The Grid Method. He is also a co-author of the Teach Better book. But Chad is a middle school science teacher at heart. He now travels the country sharing his story, working with teachers, schools, and districts to help them to reach more students. Chad is also a member of the Teach Better Speakers Network.