Why community matters in edtech right now
Teachers and tech coaches are holding a lot right now. Your teaching needs to be authentic, accessible, and worth students’ time, while the pace of change and demands on your time never diminish.
You are doing your work in a system that rarely slows down long enough to reflect on what matters. That can make teaching feel isolating, even when you are surrounded by people.
That is the gap we aim to close, and why we choose to focus on building the Kami Community.
Education is changing quickly. New tools, new expectations, and new pressures can make it hard to keep up, and even harder to feel connected.
Community is how we stay grounded. It’s where educators:
- Share what works in real classrooms.
- Learn from each other’s wins and challenges.
- Stay close to what’s changing (and what still matters most).
- Build momentum together: spark creativity, show humanity, and foster a love of learning together.
We are the Kami family
Kami has always been more than a product. It’s a family people who care deeply about what learning can be when educators are supported to teach with confidence and joy.
The Kami and Book Creator communities go back more than 10 years. Originally it was a way to highlight and thank teachers for the great work you were doing in classrooms – you were those early adopters of technology who loved to tell others what they could do!
Some of those community members have since gone on to work for Kami directly – Jon Smith, Michelle Manning, Janet Burnett, Christina Mahar, Michael Hernandez, Katie Fielding, Alfonso Mendoza and others.
So whether you were a Book Creator Ambassador, Kami Hero or some other member of our community – you are all welcome and will continue to be part of our story.
Read more: What is Kami now?
Our mission, vision, and one simple promise
Kami’s company mission and vision are shared with the community: to lead the transformation of education by putting humanity and creativity at the heart of learning.
And our promise to community is simple:
We work every day to support your practice and elevate your teaching.
You will see that promise in the resources we create, the stories we share, and the ways we show up for educators, together.
At the community level, our vision shows up when educators:
- Create space for spark and curiosity.
- Teach with creativity and confidence.
- Lead with humanity and care.
- Protect joy and a love of learning.
- Help move education forward through everyday acts of transformation.
How is the Kami Community evolving?
If you’re reading this, you’re either new to us and want to join our community, or you probably belong to one (or both) of our existing Kami or Book Creator communities.
We’ve got Book Creator Collaborators, Champions, Ambassadors and Trainers. We’ve got Kami Heroes and Trainers. Our aim is to move everyone into one unified community.
If you’re already in one of those community groups – we’ll be in touch soon with next steps. If you’re not yet in our community – the place to start is to be a Kami Collaborator.
Become a Kami Collaborator
A Kami Collaborator is an educator who wants to stay connected to the Kami family and be first to know what’s next.
When you join as a Collaborator, you’ll:
- Get community updates and invites
- Hear about opportunities to participate (events, spotlights, early access, and more)
- Stay in the loop as the community grows
It’s free. All you need is an account on any of our platforms. If you already have a Kami or Book Creator account, you’re eligible—and if you’re already part of either community program, you’ll default into becoming a Kami Collaborator.
Sign the pledge (and become a founding member)
If you’re ready to be part of what we’re building, sign our community pledge. This applies to anyone new to Kami, or existing community members – you’re all invited!
The pledge
How to sign
- Take the pledge using the template (add your details). Note you’ll need to create a Kami account to access the template if you don’t already have one.
- Share it online and tag Kami.
- If you’d like to be considered for the founding cohort, email your pledge design to community@kamiapp.com.
Founding members: first 100 pledges
We will curate the first 100 pledges into a public founding members book. Founding members will:
- Be listed as founding members.
- Receive a digital badge
- Get the bragging rights that come with being there at the start!
Learn more about the Kami Community.
Kami Community FAQs
Is the Kami Collaborator program free?
Yes. Becoming a Kami Collaborator is free.
Do I need a specific product to join?
No – any Kami or Book Creator account makes you eligible.
I’m already part of the Kami or Book Creator community. Do I need to do anything?
If you’re already part of either community program, you’ll default into becoming a Kami Collaborator. You can still sign the pledge if you’d like to be considered for the founding cohort.
What do I get as a Kami Collaborator?
You’ll get updates, invites, and early opportunities to participate as the community grows.
How do I become a founding member of the new Kami Community?
Sign and submit the pledge. The first 100 pledges will be curated into a public founding members book, and founding members will receive a digital badge.
Where do I send my pledge design?
Email it to community@kamiapp.com.
Blogs you may also like
An update on the Kami and Book Creator communities
Kami Companion for multilingual learners: built-in language support that works
What is Kami? A connected family of learning products