Collaborating with Colleagues in a Pandemic: Don't Forget Voxer

My kids have always made fun of me for my love of Voxer. "Mom, it's just a walkie-talkie," they'd giggle as if I had stepped back too far in time.  They'd laugh as I chit-chatted with friends over the app.

Voxer has remained one of my favorite apps across time.  If you asked me to pick five apps and delete the rest from my phone it would likely make the cut.  You see, Voxer lets you have conversations with people that maintain the back and forth, but allow for people to respond as they are able.

I first fell in love with Voxer when working with my team years ago.  So many times we'd get a good conversation going in the hallway or during a meeting and, you know teaching life, we wouldn't be able to finish it. Voxer let us finish it - and it let us finish it together.  It wasn't that one team member talked to another and wrapped up our next steps, it was that the group kept the conversation going until we found the next step together.  Since then, I've maintained my love for Voxer for keeping up with friends near and far.  I've solved some tough challenges with friends on Voxer.

Now, in this remote learning situation, I'm once again reminded of the power of Voxer. In school buildings there are rhythms to schedules. You know the better times to try to reach out and talk with others. In this situation, there is no way to predict someone's schedule. In Voxer I'm able to reach out and have friends respond as their day allows. We can still continue the back and forth of conversation, but slowed down a bit in time.

Voxer also makes it easier to explain your thinking or get different perspectives. Texting can be limiting as it can be hard to explain things in detail or hear the tone of words. Additionally, all of the time on screens makes Voxer a welcome relief.

If you're looking for ways to stay connected, solve problems, or have conversations in groups, don't forget Voxer. It may be just a "walkie-talkie," but it's my favorite walkie-talkie.