Messaging and Media

Sheenae ShannonCommunications

Organizational Consultant

Values on Display

What we say

What public hears

2015 Message Frame

All students, regardless of their zip code, deserve the support, tools,

and time to learn.

Good education inspires students’ natural curiosity and builds their

desire to learn.

As a __, I am deeply committed to the success

of every student.

Ensure every student has a caring, qualified, committed teacher.

All students, regardless of their zip code, deserve the support, tools, & time to learn.• The chances your child has for success should not depend on winning a

charter lottery, affording private school, or living in the right zip code.• If we’re serious about every child’s future, let’s get serious about doing

what works. This means resourcing all schools so students have the support and education support professionals they need, more one-on-one attention, inviting classrooms, and a well-rounded curriculum.

• All students deserve learning opportunities that begin by age 4, safe schools, classes small enough for one-on-one attention and modern [tools/textbooks.]

• All schools should provide community support services like nutrition, health & after school programs for students who need it.

• Resourced public schools that are desirable places to be and learn are our best bet for setting every student in America off toward a great future.

Good education inspires students’ natural curiosity, imagination, and desire to learn.

• Good education inspires students’ natural curiosity, imagination, and love of learning. Schools that nurture these values today are growing tomorrow's inventors, thinkers, artists, and leaders.

• As ____, we set high expectations for all students. Students must learn writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills through reading, math, history, and science. We encourage creativity through a well-rounded education that includes arts, PE, and music.

• Basic skills are part of the equation but as ____ we also inspire students' natural curiosity and desire to learn. Of all the things we teach our kids, the most important is love of learning.

• School is a place where discovery[childhood] happens. • No bubble test can measure a kid’s curiosity. So much happens at

school that shapes our children’s tomorrows, and therefore we must instill a love of learning, foster creativity, and teach critical thinking skills.

Ensure every student has a caring, qualified, committed teacher.

• Ask educators why they work in schools and most will respond instantly: they believe in children.

• Education isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. As a ____, I strive to connect with each child, discover his passions, and unlock her potential.

• We must ensure each educator has the resources, mentoring, and support every professional needs.

• We must create a learning environment with class sizes that enable teachers to connect one-on-one with each student.

• As trusted professionals, educators are best equipped to make school and classroom decisions to ensure student success

• We support approaches that ensure anyone who becomes a teacher enters the classroom ready to reach, teach, and inspire.

Exercise

• What are our goals? • What are our values?

What shared values will help us reach our goals?

Exercise: Create Your Soundbite

What do they need to hear?

How can I make them remember?

What context might they need?

Main Message

• 10 Second Soundbite• Use Message Frame• Be interesting.• Be memorable.• Be repeatable.

Introduce Yourself

Exercise: Create Your SoundbiteProof 1: Evidence, Support• Third-Party Validators• Statistics• Facts• Studies• Data • Surveys

According to the Journal of Educational Psychology, smaller classes increase High School graduation rates.

Classes are so big in our school that some of our students are forced to sit on the floor in Biology Class.

Students do better in

smaller classes

Proof 2: Memorable Information • Anecdotes • Examples• Analogies• Surveys• Third Party Endorsements• Exceeding Standards

How to Frame the ConversationStart and end with “opportunity,” include popular proposals and insist that the right

people – teachers and parents – make the decisions.

Introduce yourself

As a ___ for xx years, I know firsthand that education must be our top priority. Most of our students can’t vote, so we need to make sure that we make the choices today that will give them the future they deserve.

Opportunity

All students deserve an excellent education, regardless of their family's income or zip code. We need to ensure every student gets a fair opportunity.

What it means

That means a well-rounded education, with great teachers, less crowded classrooms, up-to-date equipment and textbooks, and a more affordable college education.

Parents and educators

To achieve this, we must ensure parents and teachers have a voice, so they decide – not politicians – what's best for our schools.

Close

Giving all children a fair opportunity creates stronger public schools and a stronger America.

Replace These … With These …Education Reform Education Improvement/Excellence

Measure what matters; Rigorous, meaningful evaluations

Love of learning;Testing takes time from learning

Invest in classroom priorities Class sizes that enable one on one interaction

Educational equity Committed to the success of every child

Foundation for student learning; Providing basic skills and information

Inspiring natural curiosity, imagination and desire to learn

Inequality Living in the right zip code

Out of school factors;Wrap around services

Community support services like health and nutrition

Training and professional development

Ensure every educator has development, resources, and support

Notes on Language

OPPORTUNITY

• The chances your child has for success should not depend on living in the right zip code. We need to bring effective approaches into every single classroom. If we’re serious about every child’s future, let’s get serious about doing what works. The research is clear: learning opportunities that begin by age 4, safe schools, classes small enough for one on one attention, modern textbooks, well-resourced teachers and community support services like nutrition and health for children who need it. Resourced and cared for public schools are our best bet for setting every kid in America off toward a great future.

• No one works harder than educators to improve all of our public schools so that every student, regardless of his zip code, can have the opportunity to attend a great public school.

TEACHER QUALITY (ACCOUNTABILITY)

• We need standards that ensure anyone who becomes a teacher enters the classroom ready to reach, teach and inspire every child.

• In order to make sure every student’s teacher can do an outstanding job, we must recruit, train, and support people who love kids. It means teacher pay that attracts and helps retain the best people for the job. And it means ensuring every person at the front of the room is qualified, caring and committed. We need standards that ensure anyone who becomes a teacher enters the classroom ready to reach, teach and inspire every child.

COMMON CORE

• The chances your child has for success should not depend on living in the right zip code.• Students deserve classes that teach critical thinking skills and encourage creativity. The best schools inspire

curiosity, imagination, and students’ desire to learn. New approaches like Common Core give all students, regardless of where they live, the opportunity to learn critical thinking and problem solving skills that are essential for success.

Addressing Key Issues

TENURE• We need professional standards that ensure anyone who becomes a teacher enters the classroom

ready to reach, teach and inspire every child. • The real priority is ensuring that every child has quality teachers. We need to focus on what helps

students the most: recruiting the right people into teaching, providing ongoing training, paying decent salaries, developing reliable ways to measure teacher effectiveness, and giving teachers the resources to help every child succeed.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

• The question here is about what is best for students. Too much focus on standardized testing takes up valuable time spent on learning.

• We need to focus on what helps students the most. Great schools give students time for one-on-one attention and instruction, inspire natural curiosity, and desire to learn. This means teaching critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills, as well as creativity through a well rounded education that includes writing, math, science, history, arts, and physical education. Of all the things we teach our kids, the most important is love of learning, which no bubble test can measure.

Addressing Key Issues

Exorcise: Jargonand Unclear Language

TIPS:• Use Message Frame.• Be solutions-oriented.• Be positive.• Be clear.• Emphasize results for students.• Connect with your audience.

“Early childhood education”

19

“Learning opportunities that begin by age 4.”

“Toxic testing”

“Testing becomes toxic when it takes away students’ time for learning.”

Questions?

Point #2

Message Discipline

Point #1

The Bridge & PivotBridge: Get to a safe place, and don’t

forget to pay the toll.• That’s a good point, but I think your audience

would be interested in knowing that…• While _____ is certainly important, don’t

forget that _____ is…• That’s an important point because…• What’s important to remember, however, is…• What I really want to talk with you about is…• What’s most important here is…• And don’t forget…• Before we get off on that topic, let me add…• That’s not my area of expertise, but what I can

tell you is…• Let me just add…• Look, • The bottom line is…

Their Story: what is the story they want to tell?

Our Story: what is the story we want to tell?

Practice!

• Partner up• One person is the interviewer, asking the

tough questions, sharing talking points from the other side.

• Other person is the local leader with our story and our message.

• Switch• Report out

Appearance• These outfits are inappropriate for television. The colors are pale and create

what is called “burning.” That means the iris of the camera is closing down and letting in less light. This is not good for a person with dark skin or dark features because their face gets dark and their outfit gets bright. The colors are also very weak. They are not power colors. They look nice in person, but on camera they wash out the person wearing the outfit.

Inappropriate for Camera• These outfits are loud and distracting. The ties are too bold.

When you wear these types of outfits on camera, you may not connect with your audience because they may be looking at your clothes instead of listening to your message.

Bad for Camera• These are deceiving outfits. They look great in person, but are

horrible for television. They are inappropriate for on-camera interviews because hounds tooth prints create awkward, visible lines on camera. The print has a certain reaction with the electronic equipment.

Appropriate Women’s Attire• These outfits are simple, professional, conservative and well

cut. The colors work for the camera because they are bold enough to “pop,” but not bold enough to distract the viewer. These suits can be worn with simple jewelry for a polished look.

Appropriate Men’s Attire

• These outfits are nicely tailored. The colors “pop,” but are not distracting. The ties add a splash of color, but they are not distracting or too bold.

Questions?

sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org