Hey, live session hosts! When you're hosting Parent Information Sessions on MS Teams, it's all about keeping your audience engaged and attentive. It's not just about sharing information; it's about making sure they actually remember it. If parents are more engaged, they're more likely to catch important details, ask questions, and walk away with a clear understanding. Engagement is the secret sauce to making your session impactful and memorable.
Putting Your Audience on the Map
Let's start with chatting about where everyone is tuning in from. Seriously, who doesn't love shouting out their location? With Magic Maps, you can turn this into a fun and engaging icebreaker. Ask parents to drop where they're joining from or dream places they want to visit in the chat. Every location gets pinned on the map as they come in, which makes everyone feel like part of a global event right from their living room. It's a great way to start the session with some excitement and build a sense of community.
Sharing Opinions in Real-Time
For those open-ended questions where you’re curious about parents’ thoughts or ideas, use Open-Ended Opinion Polls. Maybe you want to know, 'What topics should we explore in the next session?' or 'What’s your biggest concern about the new curriculum?' Let parents type their ideas into the chat, and as responses come in, they populate as options. No more guessing what they're thinking—see it all unfold in real-time and address it during the session.
Getting Instant Feedback with Power Polls
Got questions where you need quick feedback? Power Polls are your best friend. Ask something like, 'How well do you understand the new grading system?' or 'Would you prefer evening or morning sessions?' Parents can respond by just typing an option number in the chat. You can then immediately show the results, making it clear what the majority thinks or needs. This helps adapt your approach on the fly based on immediate feedback, ensuring your session is as effective as possible.
Spin Up Some Excitement
Now, picture this—you're halfway through the session, and you need a fun way to keep people commenting. Enter the Winner Wheel. You can use it to randomly select a winner from everyone who's chimed in with a comment. It could be a cool prize, or maybe a shout-out during the session. Not only does it boost engagement by encouraging comments, but it also adds a little suspense and anticipation, keeping parents on their toes and eager to communicate.
Capturing Ideas with Word Clouds
Lastly, let's talk Wonder Words for those creative brainstorm sessions. Ask parents something like, 'What's one word to describe your experience with the school?' or 'Name one thing you'd like to see improved.' As responses come in, they form a live word cloud on the screen, with the most popular words being highlighted. This visual tool gives you and the other attendees a clear picture of collective thoughts and priorities, allowing you to address them head-on.
Decision-Making Made Fun
Got questions where you need quick feedback? Power Polls are your best friend. Ask something like, 'How well do you understand the new grading system?' or 'Would you prefer evening or morning sessions?' Parents can respond by just typing an option number in the chat. You can then immediately show the results, making it clear what the majority thinks or needs. This helps adapt your approach on the fly based on immediate feedback, ensuring your session is as effective as possible.