ARE YOU REALLY CONNECTED TO DKG? You are if we have your email!

Does DKG International have your e-mail address?  And have you made sure that it is current and correct?

This simple detail is sometimes overlooked by members and puts a major crimp in communication efforts throughout the Society. In particular, efforts to reach out directly to members with information are stymied when emails come back as undeliverable!

Currently, only approximately 50% of our members have an email on file in the membership database at DKG Headquarters! In a recent effort to disseminate information via an “e-blast,” approximately 1/3 of the messages “bounced back”—i.e., could not be delivered because the email was incorrect or was blocked in some way. If you have wondered why DKG does not communicate directly with members--this is the reason! When too many emails bounce back, a site’s “reputation” suffers in cyberworld and blast emails become more and more difficult!

Think how easy it would be to receive a DKG email regarding important events, deadlines, and news—instead of having to go to the DKG website to find the information…or instead of waiting for the information to come down the communication chain within your state organization or chapter. Simple, direct communication!  We can make it happen with the cooperation of members in providing and updating email addresses!

Please do your part in communication efforts within DKG. Share your email address with your chapter and beyond. In particular, you can update your e-mail within your DKG Profile on the website. Sign in to MyDKG for easy access to your information in the DKG database…and ensure that it is current and correct!

Emails: Read with Responses

There are two approaches to writing an email. One is a casual approach that you would use for a quick note to a friend. The other is more professional. This type of email contains information for someone in authority, a committee chair, or any other professional. You expect this email to be read and, if necessary, a response.

The Subject Line: Vital and necessary!

The first thing the email recipient sees is your name and the subject line. So in an email that you want to be sure is read, it is imperative that the subject line clearly states the purpose of your email. In addition, it tells them what you want them to do with your note.

The next time you write the subject line, begin it with an action such as INFO NEEDED:   ACTION NEEDED:  REQUEST:  FOLLOW UP NEEDED:  DECISION NEEDED:  SHARE THIS:  INFO:

Examples:

SHARE THIS: State newsletter

INFO NEEDED: Chairs of Committees

REQUEST:  Status of project

This type of subject line also makes it easier to locate an email at a later time.

The Body: Brief and to the point

After a salutation, the body of your email should begin with your bottom line.  

Example:  

Dear Shannon,

Bottom Line (the very heart of your email): This newsletter link should be shared with all chapter members.

The remainder of your email should give BACKGROUND: additional instructions and other pertinent information done in an economical manner. Every word matters and useless prose doesn’t. Be crisp in your delivery.

Even if you do have an automatically attached signature, close your email with a professional closing and your name.

If you really need a response, your closing should be "Thanks in advance," because that phrasing actually works.

 A complete example:

Give this method a try, especially the subject line idea. Let us know if it works for you. Once you get in the habit, you will see its usefulness.

Original graphic from Pixabay CC0. Customized by Eileen

Fake or Real News? Ways to help you decide.

Getting true (real) information about something in Delta Kappa Gamma is straightforward. Check with the chapter, state or International. Beyond that, it becomes a quagmire. The bottom line otherwise: don’t believe anything you read online without checking it out.

Begin with the article you are reading. Does it use excessive punctuation?!?!?! ALL CAPS? Is there a byline? Are the media outlet’s editorial standards posted anywhere? Is there a current date on the story? Look at the domain/URL.

Be very suspicious of a URL that ends with .com.co - abcnews.com is legitimate, but abcnews.com.co is not. Read the “About Us” section. Is the language straightforward or overblown? If there are any quotes at all, determine if the sources are reputable. Check the comments section. If people are questioning the article’s validity, it probably is fake. Finally, if there is an image with the article, do a reverse search by right-clicking the image and choosing to search Google for it. The image may not be associated with the material in the article at all.

Have you ever gotten a wild, unusual or far-fetched story via email from a friend? A recent example shows a “wall” with the text reading. “This is the gigantic WALL that Mexico built on the Guatemalan border.. Hummmmm. Imagine that? I guess it is OK for Mexico to build a wall to keep Guatemalans out..” The photo actually shows a portion of the Israeli West Bank. In addition, there is no wall between Mexico and Guatemala. You could have checked this information at snopes.com. Snopes– Snopes has been the definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation for a long time.  Snopes is also usually the first to report the facts.  Truth or Fiction– Very similar to Snopes, this site tends to focus more on political rumors and hoaxes.

Political news stories are scrutinized on several sites.

Politifact– PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida.  Politifact is simply the best source for political fact checking.  It won the .Pulitzer Prize.

Fact Check– FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.  Annenberg is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. The Center monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.  Fact Check is similar to Politifact in its coverage, and it provides excellent details.  The only drawback is that the site lacks the simplicity of Politifact.

Open Secrets– Open Secrets is a nonpartisan, independent nonprofit, run by the Center for Responsive Politics, which is the nation’s premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.  Open Secrets is by far the best source for discovering how much and where candidates get their money.  They also track lobbying groups and whom they are funding.

Lesson Plans to Fight Fake News

Classroom teachers are finding that they, too, must address this problem. A blog by Vicki Davis, aka Cool Cat Teacher, has three free lesson plans available. Explanation available HERE. PDF files available HERE.

Media bias and outright false information are everywhere. It is up to you to determine if "new" is real or fake. Take a few minutes to do this on the stories that are most important to you.

What is Effective Communication?

Effective communication is an important life skill that enables us to better understand and connect with the people around us. It allows us to build respect and trust, resolve differences and foster environments where problem-solving, caring, affection and creative ideas can thrive. Lack of effective communication inadvertently leads to conflict and frustration.

Some ideas to communicate effectively:

• Eye contact - Don’t stare your audience down, but maintaining eye contact tells them you are listening.

• Talking with your hands - Use your hands to emphasize your key points.

• Avoid extraneous sounds - If you constantly hear “um” or “you know” it is distracting from the important points.

• Pause momentarily before responding - You are probably thinking of a response before the other person has even completed their thoughts. Instead, pause, think, and really understand what was just said. Then formulate your response to convey your thoughts.

• Don’t rush - Like the idea above, slow down and pay attention. Just that little bit of time could end up making a huge difference.

• Be trustworthy and honest - If you are honest and trustworthy, you don’t have to worry that you may say something wrong. These traits are really important when it comes to communication.

• Adapt your ideas to others - When you get an idea, you form a mental picture. There will be times that you will not be able to convey that picture to others. So you will have to find a different way to share your idea so that it is understood. This means you have to know your audience.

• Stay in the moment - You must not get distracted. You must pay attention to your audience.  You have to be there when you are speaking and listening. Try restating the idea as you understand it before inserting your idea.

• Be patient and open-minded - Understand that you may not be communicating as effectively as you’d like. Be patient with both yourself and your audience. Keep an open mind. Communication is always possible. Look for new ways to share and understand.

• Pay attention to nonverbal cues - This is important. It is important to listen, but you also must see. Be conscious of your non-verbal cues and watch for those of your audience. Those cues may actually say more than the words being spoken. During email communication, these nonverbal cues cannot be seen. That is one big reason emails can communicate the wrong information.

• Don’t assume everyone understands - Follow up. Did you really understand the conversation? Did your audience truly understand?

• Hone your skills - Ask for feedback from your audience. Ask for suggestions to make yourself better a better communicator.

Have you made an effort to communicate more effectively? Which idea above are you willing to try?

How Can You Use QR Codes?

QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional barcode) first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. A barcode is a machine-readable optical label that contains information (Wikipedia). A QR code can pull up a web page, text, or geographic coordinates; give details about a product; or even help you find Pokemon. Snapchat redesigned its icon as a QR code and provides a Snapcode or Snaptag as a way to follow people.

Why would I want to use a QR code?

In the classroom, it can eliminate the frustration of a long web address and can take students directly to a designated site. QR codes save time and are easy to make. Want more uses? THIS site will give you 40!

On any level of DKG, there are many uses. After a  presentation, provide a QR code that leads to additional materials. Put a QR code in your newsletter to link to your website.  A QR code on your business card can take interested members to your website, LinkedIn or Facebook page. Allow them to click a QR code to enroll in an event such as your convention.

How do you scan a code?

You can scan a QR code with an app on your smartphone. The DKG app has a built-in QR code reader. Find it under “More”. Using an app and your smart phone’s camera, it is easy to scan a code. Apps are available for iPhone and Android. uQR.me evaluated 11 apps. Many of these are free. In the list, Kaspersky’s QR Scanner is notable because it also protects you from dangerous links.

Can I make a QR Code?

Although there are apps to generate QR codes, the online versions are better. A recent blog by a developer and Social Media Manager evaluated 7 of the best free online QR code generators.

Did you get a QR scanning app and scan the code above? Wasn’t it easy? Now it is time for you to make your own code! I made the QR code above at the following website: https://www.qrcode-monkey.com

Delta Kappa Gamma Statement of Neutrality

A strength of DKG women is their knowledge and involvement in the world of education and events that impact educators and learners. DKG members ask questions before they take action. They take action,
use their voices, and know they make a difference. They are reasonable and open-minded, and they live in the world with passionate care.

Controversies surrounding the transition of power in the United States have motivated DKG members to ask how the Society itself can "take a stand." In response to these inquiries, we offer the following statement of nonprofit neutrality.

Statement of Neutrality

As individuals, DKG members cherish the personal right of free speech. As leading women educators, DKG members want to--and should--take a stand on important issues. Purpose 4 of the Society, in fact, encourages members "To initiate, endorse and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators."

In contrast to speaking as an individual, however, "speaking" on behalf of an international, nonprofit organization is a complex endeavor. First, in the United States, the IRS restricts political and advocacy involvement of nonprofits; penalties can include revocation of nonprofit status. Second, the
DKG Constitution, echoing Purpose 4, dictates in Article VIII, Section C., f. “that the committee (Educational Excellence Committee) shall study and recommend action on professional issues and shall urge the state organizations to initiate, endorse and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interest of education and women educators." The International Standing Rules further state in 8.102, c. “Legislative action shall be based on a thorough understanding of the issues involved in supporting excellence in education, equality for women, and a safe, peaceful educational environment.” The Rule continues in d: “Legislative activity shall be concerned with educational issues, not with candidates or political parties.”

Of course, the difference between issue advocacy and political intervention can be very difficult, which leads to the third point of complexity regarding "speaking" on behalf of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Although united in a genuine spiritual fellowship, we are an organization of diversity--of various positions, experiences, opinions, passions, values and beliefs. The Society ultimately can only "speak" through formal consensus of members on legislative matters; without such formal consensus, neutrality must be the position for this nonprofit organization.

Thus, when issues or controversies arise, each member must follow her personal journey to act on her passions and beliefs, whether by contacting a legislator, writing an op-ed piece for a local paper, using social media under her own name, or organizing or participating in a march or demonstration.   We support our love of DKG best, as well as represent our personal values, by acting with grace and supporting our organization as one that includes women with many different viewpoints-- sometimes represented in the same chapter.

February 2017

Marketing? Yes, Marketing!

 Publicity is the familiar term. Yes, we want publicity for DKG--that is, we want to give out information that lets others know who we are and what we do. But beyond garnering publicity, we must also market our organization,  promoting its products or services. Actually, marketing comes in two flavors, internal and external. Internal marketing is directed to current members, while external marketing is directed to the key women educators who are not yet members and to the educational community as a whole.

Internal marketing helps members understand and realize the benefits of membership. It is not just updating a website, writing a blog post, and sending newsletters. It isn’t just communicating, either. It’s also about listening to what members want and need and delivering that to them. We must never forget current members. They sustain the Society and are the public face of our organization.

Most members are proud of what they do and love DKG--which creates an opportunity for great external marketing--letting others know about our organization and its remarkable role in impacting education worldwide.  Some, however, get anxious when they think they must have an “official” explanation or memorize something, such as a mission statement. Instead, encourage members to focus on and share why they love our organization -- they already know that by heart!

Every member should be able to answer these questions:

• What does Delta Kappa Gamma do?
• What makes DKG special?
• Who does DKG help? (key women educators and education worldwide.)
• How does DKG do that? (promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. Millions of dollars in scholarships and grants are invested in study and projects proposed by members.)

Ask members to tell stories about how our organization has changed their lives or the wonderful projects that have helped teachers and the community. Create videos of their stories. With every electronic correspondence, include website and Facebook addresses. Create engaging presentations and post them on Slideshare. Create visuals for chapter or state organization websites, newsletters, social media posts and more. Leverage Canva to help create those visuals. (See our blog on Visuals). Make sure members know about these resources and can share with potential members and with others who would be interested in what our Society accomplishes.

With the help of all these tools, you can create a myriad of content, showcasing member knowledge and expertise, doing event recaps, highlighting donations to education, and sharing members’ impact.

You are doing a lot of this now. Why not capitalize on it?

Graphic is from Pixabay and rated CC0