An Energized Time of Connection, Learning, and Sharing

Recently, 26 Engagement Team members from the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading gathered for a quarterly Zoom meeting. This group of motivated individuals embraced several methods of participation and connection that effectively banished any thought of the often-used phrase “Zoom Fatigue.” Ideas, observations, and questions were flying throughout the meeting as each affirmed their role of possibilitarian working for the common good.

Each participant is an important team member with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; however, with the broad scope of our work and the realities of COVID-19 safety protocols, not everyone on the team has had the opportunity to meet or work with each other.

Rather than the typical name and title self-identification often used to begin meetings, this meeting started with a “Question of the Day .”Each individual introduced themselves and shared one facet of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading that they feel has impact.

It was affirming to hear the list grow while heads in the Zoom windows were nodding, and heart icons, hands-clapping, and thumbs-up signs appeared in solidarity with the offered responses.

The Zoom Chat was another way the team shared ideas and reflections with each other. Their answers to the prompt, “What is extraordinary about how SCGLR approaches the work?” resulted in the following word cloud.

Perhaps the most exciting method of ensuring active participation in the meeting was our first-time use of Jamboard. Jamboard is a free interactive canvas available on Google Workspace. Meeting participants collaborated and communicated with each other as they co-authored lists of suggestions and comments whiteboard style.

The 90-minute meeting flew by as the SCGLR Engagement team renewed their commitment to connecting → learning → sharing → evolving → strengthening.