TGS in a Cloud

When you’re involved in a new venture of any kind, one of the most important elements of your work is to “spread the word”. Those of us closely involved in transforming THINK Global School from the vision of its founder, Joann McPike, to a fully-realized school have, therefore, been very diligent in sharing information about TGS in a variety of ways: website; meetings with educational, technological, and service organizations; newspaper advertisements (check out our recent ad in the NY Times Educational Supplement from Sunday, September 27 – and have a go at the crossword on the opposite page while you’re at it!); Twitter; conferences and webinars. We’ve created mission and vision statements, a marvelous prospectus is in the works, and we live and breathe the school everyday. We have engaged a PR firm to help us direct our efforts as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Still, you wonder, “What do people think when they hear or read about THINK Global School?” Well, we asked that question, requesting that people choose the three words that best describe TGS. Our intention was to produce a word cloud with the results, thinking that it would make a cool marketing tool for us:

So there it is — but what does it say about TGS? Frankly, I think it shows that the message is getting out there! The words in the cloud are, each in their own way, a propos of TGS. Not surprisingly, the words most often cited are “global” and “innovative”. Indeed, these aptly describe what we are – the first truly mobile international school. However, I said “not surprisingly” not only because the words are apt, but also because they are adjectives. The request for “words that best describe” will usually result in a list of adjectives. He was “tall, dark and handsome”. Usain Bolt is “fast, brash, confident”. TGS is “global, innovative, incredible, important, powerful, mobile, agile…”

What I find fascinating, and significant, are the other parts of speech to be found in the cloud. Some cross boundaries, depending on how they’re used – growing could be an adjective, a noun (the action of the verb to grow), and the present participle of grow. In the latter two cases, the focus switches from simple description, to a consideration of the school’s actions. More complex forms appear as well – the hyphenated “ing” forms, like ‘life-altering”, “ever-changing”, and “eye-opening” – adjective forms that are very active as well.

For me, the most powerful words in the cloud are those in a form that is unexpected. Four words exist as imperative commands, calls to action. Indeed, if TGS commands its students to do anything, it is surely to “live”, to “feel”, to “educate”, and most of all, to “THINK”!

Indeed.

How would you describe TGS? Feel free to submit your three words as comments to this blog post and we will add to the word cloud!

– Don