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Five tech tools that every group leader needs!

10/25/2019

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Being a busy teacher and group leader, we need all the help that we can get when it comes to communicating with our groups.  There are so many tools available to help us get the word out to travelers in the weeks and months prior to tour.  Here are a few of my favorites...
Social Media
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It seems that everyone has a social media account or two (or three or four...) these days!  I love to use social media to recruit new travelers, share information with my enrolled travelers, and post pictures and updates while on tour.  

I created a Facebook "page" for my travel program called Raider World Traveler, where I post announcements about upcoming tours, reminders to enrolled travelers and LOTS of pictures while on tour.  Facebook is a great place to interact with parents about all tour happenings.   Check out my Facebook page!

According to my students, Facebook is for "old people."  So, to reach my students, I use twitter.  I share all the same information on both Twitter and Facebook.  In fact-- you can write one post and share it to both platforms to save time!  To reach the students, I have to go to where the students are...and you can always find them on social media (just not Facebook!).  :)

G Suite
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 Are you a googlephile?  According to Urban Dictionary, a googlephile is someone with an overwhelmingly obscene fascination to use google.  I love Google tools and products and put the Google Suite to work for me when planning for my tour.

Google Drive​.  I use google drive to store ALL my files for recruitment meetings, pre-departure meeting, group lists, pictures from previous tours, etc.

Google Sheets.  Google sheets works just like Microsoft Excel, and I use it to record my group members passport and contact information.

Google Forms.  I love using a Google Form to collect important information from my group members before departure.  Click here to check out the Traveler Info Form I use to find out some very important information from my travelers after they enroll.  Feel free to steal it, and edit to fit your needs (just remember to make a copy first).

Google Calendar.  Make sure that your travelers never miss a pre-departure meeting by sending them calendar appointments using Google Calendar.  You can set up reminders and notifications that help them remember your important events.


Flipgrid
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If you've never used Flipgrid, I would encourage you to check it out--I promise you won't be disappointed!  What is Flipgrid?  According to the creators, "grids are the meeting place for your classroom, your school, your department or any learning community to discuss your topics. "  

Using Flipgrid my travelers create a 30 second video introducing themselves, and explaining what they are most excited about seeing/doing on our upcoming tour.  I share the link to our "grid" and all travelers can begin to put a name to face, and get to know each other before our tour departs.

For me, one of the best features of Flipgrid is that the travelers don't have to create an account, they just click on the link that you share an record from their device.  It is so quick and easy!  Click here to check out Flipgrid, and create your first "grid" today!

Canva
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Canva is a simplified graphic design tool uses a drag and drop format to create beautiful fliers, posters, social media post, and so much more, with just the click of your mouse.  I love to use Canva to create announcements about my upcoming meetings, and beautiful Instagram post and stories.  Canva has a ton of free stock photos and fonts to make all of your creations eye catching!  Here are a few of the things that I have created with Canva and posted to social media pages for my tours.

Remind
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As a teacher, you probably use Remind for your classes and/or extracurricular activities, but have thought about using it for your tour?  When new travelers enroll, I email them and ask them to join the Remind class for our tour (check out Remind.com to create an account and set up a "class" for your tour).  In the months leading up to the tour, I send out text reminders about upcoming pre-departure meetings, fundraising events, and any other information that I need to share quickly with the whole group.  I even send out a Remind message when our plan has safely landed on tour, to put the parents at ease.

What is Remind?  Remind is a free(!) web based text messaging service that allows your student to sign up to receive text messages from you.  When you set up a "class" in Remind, students opt into receiving text messages by using a code provided by Remind.com.  They cannot see your phone number, and you cannot see theirs.  It is a safe and reliable way to communicate with your travelers, by using a method that we all know they will see instantaneously--text message.  

What tech tools do you use and LOVE?  Tell me all about them in the comments below!
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Stay in touch!  

11/28/2016

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In today's world, communication happens in an instant.  We like to stay in connected to others and have no shortage of apps and websites to help us out.  I want to share a few of the tools that I use to stay in touch with my group before and on tour.  I've found that the best way to keep in touch with my travelers is use the tools that they use on a daily basis.  Here are a few of my favorites:
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Remind
Formerly known as Remind 101, the Remind app is a safe and easy texting service to send out messages to your group. Your number is protected as you send out text messages (using an internet platform) to your group members reminding them about upcoming meetings or events.  I use the app to let the parents that we arrived safely and when we have taken off on our last flight home.  Learn more about Remind by checking out their website:  https://www.remind.com/ ​

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Facebook
My #1 communication tool for tour happenings is Facebook.  I created a page just for my travel groups, and keep all my travelers (both past and present) up-to-date.  Click here to check out my Raider World Traveler Facebook Page.  I have found that most parents use Facebook on a regular basis, and enjoy the format for information sharing.  This is also a great tool to get the word out about upcoming tours.



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Twitter
The #1 communication tool for reaching students would have to be Twitter.  My students check Twitter all day long.  I started a twitter account for my travel program, and rely on my students to "retweet" any news or announcements that I tweet about the trip.  Before my tour, I like for the students to create a hashtag for our trip, and then use it when tweeting on tour.  Take a look at the twitter account that I use for travel:  Tweet Me!

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 GMail
With all the things that we have going on, it is essential to stay organized.  I created a separate email account (using google's "gmail" product) to keep all of my tour communication separate from all my personal or school related emails.  Using email is a great tool to communicate, especially when you have more than 140 characters of information to share.  I rely on email to communicate the really important information to my travelers (such as enrollment deadlines, passport requirements, etc.)  

If you are new to the social media game, don't be afraid to jump right in.  Your travelers and their parents are already using them, why not connect?  
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What tools can you not live without to stay in touch with your group?  Leave them in the comments below!
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    Author

    Hi!  I'm Jessica, and I  have traveled the world with my students on seventeen EF Tours.  I am a teacher and group leader, just like you!  I hope that you find some resources on my site to help you with your next EF Tour. Safe Travels!

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