Starting a High School Newspaper

Fb, I was wondering about that.

The reason you lost your words between the carats (carots?) is that you have do check disable html under the post when you do that or you lose all but the first word.

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Thanks osso. It was a paragraph in which I said (and I repeat now) that I co-edited a newspaper in High School in the early seventies, it was made by stencil, and we tried to avoid censorship. It was really fun and I learned a lot BY DOING IT. The newspaper grew from 1 page and a distribution of 300 (heritage from the former editor, now a respected sports journalist) to 12 pages and a distribution of 1,300 in several schools.
Three and a half decades later, the other coeditor in my generation won the Mexican equivalent of the Pulitzer, same as one of the frequent contributors... and I edit a real newspaper in between A2K posts.

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Eva wrote:

Oof. Really? I see your point, but that would require an almost superhuman amount of self discipline. (Mine, not the kids.)

Hold your manipulative demons, then! Very Happy

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Bbbut...

Those demons are some of my best friends!

Laughing

OK, OK, I get it.

Do I at least get points for buying them all AP Stylebooks?

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I used to write for my high school newspaper. I wrote a humor column and I became the master of innuendo -- if you know what I mean.

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You wrote a humor column? Well, that's not exactly a surprise now, is it.

(I bet it was good!)

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Eva -- I think it sounds like you're doing everything right. There are very few certified teachers (for what certification is worth) with journalism credits. Most people who take journalism classes in college write.

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Eva -- I think it sounds like you're doing everything right. There are very few certified teachers (for what certification is worth) with journalism credits. Most people who take journalism classes in college write.

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Two words of advice:

Enforce Deadlines.

Hold your dominions.

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I was on my high school newspaper and yearbook staff for 4 years in the early 70's. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I consider the learning and experience I got from those 4 years to be the basic foundations of who I am today. Every aspect of what I learned has been repeatedly used in my daily life.

I gathered a bunch of websites that you might find helpful as you organize your lesson plans. I envy you for the opportunity to give your students a valuable education in journalism.

Excellent, broad coverage of the subject of journalism ranging from design/graphics, ethics and writing/editing to photojournalism and online publishing.

http://www.poynter.org/default.asp

237 lesson plans for teaching high school journalism

http://www.highschooljournalism.org/Teachers/Lesson_Plans/Archive.cfm

Free online university courses for journalism students

http://www.newsu.org/courses/course_list.aspx

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plainoldme wrote:

Eva -- I think it sounds like you're doing everything right. There are very few certified teachers (for what certification is worth) with journalism credits. Most people who take journalism classes in college write.

Thanks for the affirmation! I didn't know that about "qualified" teachers. That does make me feel more comfortable.

Noddy wrote:

Two words of advice:

Enforce Deadlines.

Hold your dominions.

Not to worry. Cool

Actually, I've set this up so they'll have to enforce their own deadlines. If the Managing Editor doesn't get the articles & photos by deadline, the layout person will be screaming at him with no help from me! Peer pressure will be much more effective than lecturing.

Butrflynet wrote:

...I gathered a bunch of websites that you might find helpful...

WOW!

I found the "highschooljournalism.org" site a couple of weeks ago and have been using many of their materials, but I haven't had time to delve deeply into the lesson plans (which, yes, I plan to do.) I've had to hit the ground running.

I took a quick look at the other sites, and they look extremely useful as well. Thank you SO MUCH! (((((HUGS)))))

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I went to the last session of my leadership training program today (YAY!) and lo and behold, who was speaking but the Business Editor of our local newspaper. Cool

Of course, I button-holed him afterward and asked him if he could arrange a newsroom/pressroom tour for my class. Not only will he do that, but he can get them into a top-level editorial meeting as well! During this daily meeting, they dissect the day before's issue and talk about what mistakes they made, how to do it better, etc. Wow! This would be invaluable for the kids! It would make them feel so much better about their first inevitable mistakes. I have asked the Head of School for permission to take them, and I'm waiting to hear back. I hope I can take them as a treat when they finish their first issue.

(crossing fingers)

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Very cool!

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That is indeed very cool. What a coup for you to just-so-happen run up on such an opportunity.

I still remember my class trip to visit the newspaper. Chicago Sun-Times. We were just grade school kids so, no big meetings like the treat in store for your students hopefully, but watching those huge presses through the glass was thrilling and left quite an impression on me visually.

Your students are quite fortunate to have an interested and devoted instructor like you at the helm.

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Eva wrote:

Not only will he do that, but he can get them into a top-level editorial meeting as well! During this daily meeting, they dissect the day before's issue and talk about what mistakes they made, how to do it better, etc. Wow! This would be invaluable for the kids!

You know what? Sometimes it almost seems you aren't that unqualified after all. Razz

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Thomas--

Quote:

You know what? Sometimes it almost seems you aren't that unqualified after all.

Good point.

You notice she keeps saying "my kids"?

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I DO NOT!!!

(The editor in me went back and checked. Laughing

)

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Oh! The Head of School agreed this was an exceptional opportunity for THE kids ( :wink: ) and said he would help organize it, figure out transportation & scheduling, etc. He also thanked me for "being such great help." That was nice.

Better than that, the boy who is Managing Editor was simply beside himself when I told him about it. He said, "You ROCK!!!!" Does it get any better than that, coming from a 16 year old? Cool

It's been a good day.

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Eva wrote:

He also thanked me for "being such great help."

the boy who is Managing Editor was simply beside himself when I told him about it. He said, "You ROCK!!!!"

Why am I both unsurprised and in full agreement?

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Me too!

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Starting a High School Newspaper

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