Happy Holidays

Wishing all my readers a Happy Holiday season.  With a two week school vacation only a day away, I'll be blogging again January 3.

Everyone, have a safe New Year!!

NYIP Website

Another educational website I've discovered is the New York Institute of Photography site.  They have articles from professional photographers, sample photos, tips, student photographer profiles, and a myriad of other beneficial material.  It is a great site to explore.

New York Institute of Photography

Fundraiser Idea for 2011

I'm always in the market for a great fundraiser idea.  I've been ordering from Christmas Forest for years.  They sell live wreaths, swags, and garlands for the holidays.  The company is based in Washington state, so the products are fresh, well packaged, and unique.

Christmas Forest also works with organizations for fund raising opportunities.  1-800-637-9627

Check out their website:  www.christmasforest.com

Cool Photo Contest

Here is a contest that is cross-curricular for your photographers to enter. 

Photo Physics Contest

Google, high school photography contests, and a plethora of options come up.  This will be something fun for your students to pursue second semester.

Al Neuharth Scholarship Program

Advisers, check this program out for your juniors.  I've had several state winners over the years.  It's a great program.  Free trip, free tour of Washington, and loads of free experience seeing journalism from all angles of the professional world.

Al Neuharth Freedom Forum Scholarship

Food Photography

Challenge your students to include at least one photo of food in their photography portfolio.  It is an interesting project for them.  Perhaps offer bonus points to the student who shoots the best looking or most appetizing food.

Here is a link to a very interesting You Tube video on a food photographer.  It is just another genre we as journalism teachers can expose our students to.  I remind them daily.  Someone has to do this as a career.  Why can't you be a food photographer?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HMAHlqm4GU

Last Minute Ad Blitz

Ads slow down for newspaper this time of  year. Plus, yearbook staffers are looking to fill a few last minute slots for their spreads.  The week before school is out for the holidays, have the staff brainstorm businesses for an Ad Blitz of the community.  Go back to those businesses who said, "Come back at the beginning of the year."  Or, those businesses who were unavailable to you at the beginning of the school year, i.e. new businesses.

Colleges in your area should be a part of this blitz.  Military recruiters and political candidates with leftover campaign money should also be targeted.  If you have a rule about "no political ads", convince the candidate to submit a "congratulations to the class of 2011" ad.  Generic is good when you need the revenue.

If yearbooks sell personal ads, call those parents who didn't buy to make one last offer.  One or two takers beat white space in the ad section.

Newspapers searching for January and February advertisers, go to the local gyms and weight loss clinics.  They usually target people at the beginning of the year.  Tanning salons would be next on the list.  Prom dress and tuxedo shops are also looking to cash in on early prom traffic in January and February.

Hopefully, these suggestions have provided your staff with a little extra motivation to close out the semester ad totals in the black.

Silly Staff Motivators

Contemplate trying something silly for your staff's holiday party.  Instead of a potluck or a gift exchange, consider doing a craft.  Michael's has a create your own holiday mug kit for $1.  Cheap and fun...surprise them with this kitchy craft as the holiday party.

This year I'm all about quirky ideas to help entertain and motivate the staff.  If you come up with any off the wall motivators, please let me know.

Recipes

Someone commented that I hadn't updated the Recipes for the Overworked Adviser section of the blog...so here's a new one for the holidays.  This crunchy orange bark is one of my new favorites.  Enjoy and thanks for reading!

White Chocolate Orange Bark

1 pound good quality white chocolate, chopped (recommended: Callebaut)

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

Orange paste food coloring

1 cup crisped rice cereal

1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Create a double boiler by putting a glass bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add the chocolate and orange extract and stir until melted and smooth. Do not overheat white chocolate or it will seize.

Remove the bowl from the pan and wipe the condensation from the bottom. Put about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate in a small bowl and tint it with the food coloring.

Add the puffed rice and raisins to the large bowl of chocolate and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and with an offset spatula, spread it to an even thickness, about 1/4-inch. Tap the pan firmly several times on the counter to settle the chocolate. With a small spoon or fork, drizzle stripes of orange tinted chocolate over the surface of the bark.

Refrigerate the chocolate for 1 hour to completely set before breaking it into large pieces. Serve immediately or wrap in cellophane bags tied with festive ribbon and keep on hand as a quick hostess gift!

Cook's Note: If the orange tinted chocolate gets too firm to drizzle, stir in about 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil until smooth and loosened.

Staff Morale

This time of year with a major yearbook deadline looming and a final newspaper to produce before the holiday break, staff morale can be at a low point.  Surprise your staff with an after school party to help boost their spirits and to let them know how much you appreciate all the hard work they have been doing.

-Plan the surprise for Tuesday or Wednesday.
-Don't let on that they will have a meeting after school.  Instead, have your principal announce over the PA at the end of the day that all newspaper or yearbook staff members need to report for an "emergency staff meeting" immediately after school.
-The last "surprise meeting" I held, I went to McDonald's and got 30 cheeseburgers, then stopped by the supermarket and pick up 6 boxes of ice cream sandwiches and some juice boxes.  The kids loved the simple after school snack.
-The relief of not having a "serious" meeting as they had feared, coupled with the fun atmosphere on a deadline week produced a more productive outcome than I had anticipated.  We ended up staying several hours after school working in a relaxed atmosphere.

Think of a simple motivator and go with it this week.  It will improve staff morale and provide a release for all the tension building up to deadline.

Brittany Spears

Unbelievable that she is one of my posts; however, if you haven't heard, Brittany is suing the Star and Radar Online.com and her ex-husband, Jason Alexander, for libel.  It should be an awesome case to follow with your journalism kids next week.

Google it to find out all the details.  It is all centered around an audio recording that the ex-husband alleges is Brittany.  It was then posted by Radar and and article was printed in the Star.

All the "radio talk show" attorneys seem to think she has a great chance at proving malice.  Very interesting, since celebrities rarely make a case.

An exciting nugget to contemplate and research as you begin your weekend.

Mug Shot Activity

Have students practice taking mug shots.  (All students on staff should be required to complete this task.  Even editors need to review basic skills periodically.)   Require them to shoot a 3/4 view, straight on, and one from a different angle.  Photo edit the shots as a computer lab activity.

To build on this assignment in beginning classes, have each revisit the business card activity I posted.  Using the mug shot of their choice, add dimension to the business card by using a photo to enhance the card.  Now that they have spent a few extra months with the computer programs and learning new skills, the business card activity should be much more productive.  This is a great activity to wrap up the end of the semester..building on old skills while incorporating new ones.

Tip of the Day

Check this out!

New York Times Lesson Plans for Journalism

Composition PowerPoint

I'll be honest in saying that I have no clue who did this PowerPoint.  It's been on an old flash drive for several years.  It could have been Anita Stafford or Lori Oglesbee or Nancy Smith--whoever the creator, it is a great composition lesson to teach your students.  Thanks to the originator and thanks to those who have shared it all these years!

Photo Composition

Historical Photographers

This is an assignment which can be as easy or complex as needed.

Make a list of 25 photographers who played a role in journalism history.  Place the names in a sack and have each student draw out a name.  Using a computer lab give them each 10 minutes to learn as much about that person as possible.  Print one image that is considered the photographer's most famous work.  Share their findings with the class at the end of the period.  If you have an overhead projection unit, show other images as the students present.

This makes for an intense webquest/history assignment that energizes the students after a long school break.  This project can also be made into a more complex assignment.  Have them prepare a powerpoint or oral presentation with images for support to share with the class.

Sample names:  Stan Honda, Matthew Brady, Anne Geddes, Margaret Bourke-White, Timothy O'Sullivan, Edward Westin, Ansel Adams, Frances Johnston

Happy Thanksgiving Break

Here's wishing all my followers and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  Back on the blog and back to school next Monday.

Pulitzer Activity

pulitzer.org is the website for viewing all the Pulitzer Prize winners for the year and archives past winners.  Have the beginning students to a quick web quest in which they surf this site examining Pulitzer photo winners.

Require the students to print one photo.  They must write a short response on why that particular photo appealed to them.  Why did they think it won the most prestigious award in photography?   Have the students share their findings during the last 10 minutes of class.

Composition Activity

These two days before Thanksgiving break are essentially worthless at our school.  Many of our students are rewarded with their End of Course Success Days, so very few are left on campus.  For those who are still with me, I choose to do a simple photo composition reinforcement activity.

Ask your librarian for 30 or so odd magazines.  Libraries are always trashing their old mags, and you can use them for photo assignments no matter what the publishing date.

Fill the frame, leading lines, rule of thirds, angle, and story-telling quality are all photo terms that are key to the basic understanding of composition.  Have the students search out examples of these five terms in the old magazines.  Tear them out to form a rudimentary portfolio.  For each photo, they must write a short defense for why they selected this photo.

This gives each student a fun, yet beneficial activity to complete on a not so exciting day in the classroom.

Photo/Interview Assignment

Have your students exercise their interview, writing, and photo skills by selecting a family member to profile.  Require 20 interview questions which will produce a  good overview of the person's life.  Perform the interview.  Then, bring in the photography element by having the student take photos of that individual in their "element".  Encourage them to get story-telling photos that create a personality profile without words.  Require 5-7 images of the individual. 

The students can then review their writing skills by producing a personality profile feature on the individual selected.  Then, provide visuals with the photos taken.  For staffs who are advanced..have the student create a 2 minute Sound Slide presentation complete with narration.

November 19

FYI--I'll be off the blog until November 19 due to a death in the family.

Photography Unit

My classes are beginning their photo unit this week.  Two websites that are always beneficial for quick tips and to show students amazing photos are kodak.com and nationalgeographic.com. 

National Geographic has a photo contest as well.  Google photo contests and a multitude of options come up.  I encourage beginning photography students to enter locally, for example, the Game and Fish Commission has a contest for teens; then expand their contest entries as they learn submission requirements, etc...

For more technical tips or help with your camera, log on to the specific camera website.

Travel Tip

Tomorrow I leave with 13 students to travel to Kansas City for the JEA National Convention.  One great tip for you as an adviser/chaperone is to create a directory of your travelling students.  Take mugs of each, list their cell number and an emergency number beside their photo and place in alphabetical order.  This gives you a quick reference for each student.  If a chaperone is travelling with you that may not know the students well, it also provides them with a handy identification method.  Should police or convention officials need a quick reference, this is an invaluable tool to have.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.  The blog will be updated on Monday after convention.

Sports Columns

Get your non-sports students interested in sports column writing by sharing Rick Reilly columns from either of his books:  Life of Reilly or Hate Mail From Cheerleaders.  Both offer a unique glimpse into the sports world through his creative spin on the sports column.  For example, in Life Of Reilly his entry, And The Band Fought On, is a hilarious take on a brawl that broke out during a halftime performance.

Creative Writing Prompts

Two books that are exceptional for creative writing are Room to Write and Writing Down the Days.  Both are great for a simple writing prompt in any English or journalism class.  They each prompt students to think before they write.  Room to Write affords more in-depth questions and Writing Down the Days lists a significant event which happened on each day of the year, then prompts the student to write about a related topic.

Publication Exchange

Create a publication exchange with schools in your area.  Email local schools and request a newspaper or yearbook.  Some schools may charge a small shipping fee, but the examples you will receive far outweigh the cost.  Send them your publications as sample for their classrooms as well.

Newspaper advisers can also Google local schools to see if their papers are available in an online edition. This multi-media journalistic world is easily accessible. 

Yearbook advisers can ask their yearbook rep for sample books.  I have a shelf of samples from which I teach.  It is a great way to engage the students in learning, while giving them insight into other schools' books.

Design Portfolio Assignment

In order to improve design in both newspaper and yearbook, I have my staffs do a design portfolio which encourages them to study contemporary magazine design schemes.  Have each staff member tear out 10 designs from magazines published within the last two months.  Analyze the design principles in place with an emphasis on current trends, i.e. lower case headlines, color harmony, overlays, etc...

As a final piece to the portfolio, have each staff member use the computer software available to reconstruct their favorite magazine design.  This is an activity that reinforces the staffs' computer skills while developing a deeper understanding of design.

Design Tips

Tips for Newspaper Design

This is an old tips sheet, but for new advisers, it does contain basic information that is applicable no matter the newpaper style.

Design Basics

Beginning classes need extra help to understand basic design principles.  From paper types to column format to design schemes, here is a Powerpoint which can assist with showing beginners the basics of design.

Beginning Design

Another Reference Suggestion

The UIL Journalism Contest Package can be purchased from the JEA Bookstore online.  It is a culmination of released prompts from Texas' University Interscholastic League competitions.  Headline writing, editorial, feature and news prompts are included.  They are excellent timed writing exercises for all levels of journalism.

The Southern California Journlaism Education Association also has an excellent resource:  Ideas: Practical Ideas for Teaching Journalism.  This text offers an introduction to media as well as examples and prompts.

Both will prove to be valuable teaching tools for your classroom.

Opinion Writing Challenge

Opinion Writing Challenge
Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper calling attention to a positive aspect or event which occurred in the past three days on your school campus. 100-300 words

I do send 5 or 6 of the best letters to the paper.  It is always interesting to see which letter the paper selects to publish.

Movie Review

This is another worksheet that I've had so long I have no clue where it originated.  I think it was part of a curriculum exchange at a JEA convention years ago.  Nevertheless, it has some valuable points on writing movie reviews.  Enjoy!

Movie Review

Restaurant Review Prompt

The best food in Arkansas is served in the worst looking restaurants.....this is a prompt I use to begin my unit on review writing.  It is a lead from an article in Gourmet from August 2004.  The beginning writers seem to relate well to the concept and can usually produce some very creative reviews.  Plus, you get to read about local dives that may be hidden culinary gems.

A Tip For The Editor

Editors sometimes need to put cub reporters on a mini-deadline schedule in order to show them the way to time management.  The schedule linked below will assist any yearbook or newspaper editor struggling with newbie reporters.  Be patient, take the reporter's learning level and writing capabilities into consideration; yet, stress the value of meeting a deadline.

Show Them The Way

Portfolios

Each student on staff is required to keep a portfolio.  This is an on-going assignment that yeilds a hefty collection of writing and design elements before the student graduates.  Last week, I had a young lady who is now a junior in college and returning to the newspaper staff at her university.  She was seeking missing items for her portfolio so she could "skip" some of the beginning writing courses in the journalism school.  I have also had students "clep" English classes and other communication courses based on the quality of their journalism portfolios.

Portfolio Requirements

Missed Deadlines

Unfortunately, missed deadlines do occur.  If you have a repeat offender, profound action may be necessary.  Here is a form we call the Missed Deadline Report.  The student, editor, adviser, and parent are included as part of the reinforcement of seriousness this negligence can have on a staff.  After the third MDR, the student is off staff.

Missed Deadline Report

Open Response Samples

Here are some Open Response Questions I created several years ago as part of an on-going skills improvement plan for the state.  Feel free to use them in your mid-term/semester exams.

Writing Skills: News
Discuss how the credibility of surces and quality of interviewing relates to the code of ethics.

Writing Skills: Feature
Compare and contrast the story schematics of the news inverted pyramid versus the feature Wall Street Journal formula.

Writing Skills: Sports
Discuss how eliminating cliches and jargon in sports writing increases the journalistic integrity for the reader.

College/Career
How will skills learned in the journalism classroom contribute to your university and more specifically toward your intended major?

Design Skills: Typography
Using concepts from the Type Wheel, how is type harmony established on a grid layout?

Writing In Chunks

This is an excellent Powerpoint about Writing in Chunks.  I did not create it, but it came to me via a friend, Deb, who received it from a friend, who received it from.....you get the picture.  It was evidently created by Jack Kennedy who is a well known journalism guru.  It is protocol in the journalism world to make sure the appropriate source is credited; therefore, thank Jack, not me for the Powerpoint. 

http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AUCYlZswqM_wZGNtODhodzhfMmQ0NGg5cmZi&hl=en

News Writing Samples

A former student of mine, Kelsey King, is currently assigned to write news for The Stanford Daily at Stanford University in California.  Her samples are outstanding and reflect the solid news writing skills our seniors should possess as they prepare to go to college. Below are the links for three of her first articles.  Enjoy and use them in the classroom as examples of solid research and organization of content.

http://www.stanforddaily.com/2010/09/30/olmsted-terrace-new-residence-for-faculty/

http://www.stanforddaily.com/2010/10/14/row-is-hit-with-three-alleged-burglaries/\

http://www.stanforddaily.com/2010/10/07/students-say-aloha-to-newest-field-program/

Reference Books for New Advisers

JEA (Journalism Education Association) just released its recommended texts for new advisers. Here are a few personal picks if you've been teaching journalism 3 years or less:

The Radical Write by Bobby Hawthorne
The Newspaper Designer's Handbook by Tim Harrower
Associated Press Stylebook
NSPA's Yearbook Guidebook
Ideas: Practical Ideas for Teaching Journalism

Textbooks:  Scholastic Journalism & Journalism Today

Yearbook advisers:  check with your rep to access the online educational resources your yearbook company provides.  Each of the major companies have excellent curriculm available in workbook form and online.

Flip Cameras

If your staff hasn't invested in a hand held video camera, buy one now.  The Flip Video Camcorder with 4G has 120 minutes of recording time.  It has been a great learning tool for my newspaper and yearbook staff member.  It introduces a visual element that hadn't been addressed in previous years.

The students have gone from playing with the Flip--they need at least a week to "get it out of their system", to filming and editing broadcast style videos to embed in the online newspaper.  This generation is visual.  You have to give the staff the tools to appeal to their viewing audience.  It's also a wonderful teaching opportunity and learning opportunity for the instructor as well.

Buy the Flip and enjoy!

On The Fly

Today I found myself in a predicament, where a third of the class was PSAT testing, a third were wanting to follow the trapped miners story on TV and the rest were just hoping to escape work of any kind in any way.  On the fly, I switched on the TV, pulled up some news websites on the projector and handed each student a daily newspaper from our Newspapers in Education program.

Each student had to anaylze the coverage of the event based on specific media outlets.  We changed TV channels and online sites several times during the class period to allow for a fair representation of the event.  At the end of the hour, I led a discussion on convergent media. Without it, we wouldn't be watching real time footage of this historical event.  Their homework is to determine how a 20th century historical event would have been covered if the age of convergent media had happed earlier.

I'm hoping for some very interesting discussion tomorrow.

Alternative Teaching Activities

These are suggestions on enlivening, or even leaving, the classroom setting. 

Alternative Teaching Activities

Sub. Activities, Part 2

The substitute teacher activity generated some questions and a need for more, so here is another list of suggestions that make great time fillers without totally neglecting the need for education on those days when you're out.

They are also great bell ringers on days when deadlines hit and beginning classes need to disappear while you take care of business.

Reading and Writing Exercises

Subtitute Activities

I'm always searching for activities that are meaningful for the students, yet simple enough for a substitute teacher to manage.  Here is a great activity to leave for a sub that also is fun for the students and informative. 

Photo Web Quest

Marketing Survey

One project that Journalism I or II students can create is a marketing survey for the newspaper.  Have the class select a current topic of interest on campus and survey the student body.  Below is a sample survey with a simple construction to make recording answers and tallying results efficient.

Sample Survey

Vlogging/Blogging for FBLA

Wednesday I am honored to present Tips for Vlogging and Blogging at the District 1 FBLA conference in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Blogs have been online for many years; however, vlogs (video logs) are relatively new to the high school classroom.  Both need to be focused, brief, informative, and well designed/edited.

Below is a more in-depth tip sheet I gathered to share the basics from the vlog and blog worlds.

Tips for Blogging and Vlogging

Ad Design

Teaching beginning ad design is a task.  This Powerpoint is from a workshop lecture I did last summer.  Novice newspaper students received a glimpse into the ad design world during a two hour session.  I based the concepts on Robin Williams' Non-Designer's Design Book theory.  This a wonderful basic design resource that conveys well with adolescent learners.

Beginning Ad Design

Mascot Mania

For those students who are not sports fanatics, other teams in your conference can be confusing.  A quick tip for sorting out this problem is to post a chart which lists all the schools in your area, code them by their team colors and add a graphic of their mascot.  This visual chart will be valuable on those deadline days when your page editor is frantically looking for a coach on campus to identify which blue jersey with Tigers on the front is in a picture that your photographer didn't bother to caption. 

Have a great weekend!

Helpful Websites

The advice of the day revolves around three invaluable websites:  New York Times, Poynter, and HSJ.  Each offers a wide variety of journalism related material for the classroom.  Lesson plans, links for students, writing prompts, and lessons on current events are available.  check out these three links and you will be pleasantly surprised with the resources available.

poynter.org
hsj.org
newyorktimes.com

JEA/NSPA Convention

Now that the year is rolling, it's time to seriously consider attending a national convention.  State conventions usually don't happen until the spring, but you need a boost now.  The JEA/NSPA Fall convention in Kansas City is the perfect opportunity to network with other advisers and learn from the experts about every journalism topic under the sun.  Below is the link.  Check it out, and I'll see you in Kansas City!


JEA Fall Convention

Advanced Secondary Coverage

Today is a do-over Powerpoint.  One of the followers notified me that the Advanced Secondary Coverage would not download.  So let's try again....

Advanced Secondary Coverage

Newspapers v. Newsmagazines

Thanks for not abandoning the blog while I was out of town at meetings.  I'm too cheap to buy a laptop and stay cutting edge.  LOL

One question that was asked of me recently was should a newspaper change to a newsmagazine if the printer is insisting on a long lead time for printing. (I would say, forget the printing and go online.) However,  here is an old Powerpoint that I used to walk staffs through the process of answering that question.  It is a decision made on an individual school basis.  Whatever works best for you and your staff should be the selection.  Good luck!


Newsmagazines vs. Newspapers

Secondary Coverage

Secondary coverage is vital to your newspaper and yearbook.  Not only do these coverage areas expand your content, they also add to your design.  Since I am out of town this week, I have provided you with two Powerpoints on Beginning and Advanced Secondary Coverage. Enjoy and I will be blogging again next week.  Thanks for following!

Advanced Secondary Coverage

Beginning Secondary Coverage

Vocabulary Words

Our administration requires a vocabulary quiz be given in each subject area at least every two weeks.  My Taylor (now Balfour) Publishing kit came with a Periodic Table of Yearbook chart.  Each "symbol" on the chart is linked to a yearbook term, i.e. Ed=editor.   It lists key journalism terms that make great vocabulary words.  Plus, it was fun to see the staff guess at the word for each symbol on the chart.

I suggest contacting your Taylor rep or calling the company directly to acquire one of these posters.  At the least, it is a great conversation piece for your wall.

Editorial Flow Chart

This idea was not an original.  I've been using this flow chart concept so long,  I can not remember where it originated.  The chart below is one I set up using In-Design.  It is a simple, effective way to teach beginning journalists how to organize their thoughts before writing an editorial.


Editorial Flow Chart

Killing a J-program

 A former student of mine, who happens to be the assistant editor of a nationally circulated magazine, sent me the link to this article.  It is a sad truth, or half-truth, in the world of journalism.  Please read and respond to Mr. Bugeja and to the University of Colorado at Boulder. 

 Inside Higher Ed

Parent Organization

Years ago I created a POPS (Parents of Publications Students) program for my staffs.  Parents would sign up and bring brownies and pizza on deadline night or help chaperone trips.  It was a great way for those PTA moms of the past to feel as if they were still contributing to their teenagers lives.

Now, that POPS organization has developed into a series of email contacts.  We still do snacks on deadline night, but with one email I can ask a parent to secure a donation (one hooked us up with a TV to raffle off) or ask a parent to pick up t-shirts for us when no one could meet the shirt guy.

Open House or Parent Teacher Night are perfect opportunities to secure email addresses and provide a sign up sheet for parent helpers.

If you don't have a parent support group for your staff, get one now.  I use mine as professional development experience.  Our state requires a certain number of parent involvement hours per year, so this is a great way to successfully reach out to parents while fulfilling a state department requirement as well.

Now, we also have FOPS (Friends of Publications Students).  These are the kids who always hang out in your room, but aren't in your class.  They love to be included.  Now my FOPS have a place, too.

Yearbook Sales Promo

Turn your theme into a marketing experiement.  Have the students create a marketing package around the book's theme.  Design t-shirts, posters, business cards, etc...using the theme graphic and colors to promote the sale of your book.  My Yearbook I class developed and implemented a marketing campaign.  Below are photos of the concepts they developed and the materials they created.

We saved the promo until the night of open house at our school.  When the parents arrived, the yearbook staff had hung posters and splashed the school with neon colors in flyers, posters, etc...to represent the theme. 

Students designed and created their own t-shirts to carry out the theme.  Shirts were worn the day of open house to alert students on campus that books were now on sale.  Each shirt had a unique design, but kept the neon colors and the words "Ask Me About The Yearbook" were written in paint pen on the back for unity.

Poster

Business Cards


T-shirts

Flyer

PR Releases

This is a PR guideline handout I created for an FBLA conference; however, I use it in my Journalism I classes.  Most of the detail is standard, but the format is quick and easy for the kids to view.  

Have a fantastic weekend!

Basic Ad Design

Ad sales for the year should be underway.  Last week I embedded advice on sales from Arkansas ad guru, Stephanie Emerson.  Today, I'd like to share a Powerpoint on Ad Design.

The concepts in the presentation are based on Robin Williams' design theories.  She is the author of the Non-Designer's Design Book and the other Non-Designer's Design series of Type, Web and all things graphic design.  Her easy to follow principles make basic design teachable to all, whether the staff members become a designer or not.

Ad Design Powerpoint

Daily Writing & Reading

Daily practice of writing and reading skills is essential to a young journalist.  Here are four activities you can incorporate in the classroom to reinforce and strengthen these concepts.

Daily Writing and Reading Activities

Current Events/Media Law

Taking a current event and turning it into a teaching tool is an effective way to start a lesson after a long holiday weekend.  Jeff Green's libel lawsuit against the Miami Herald and the St. Pete Times has made a great transition into our Media Law unit of study.

In the AP article linked below, all the key words for libel are mentioned:  public figure, correction policy, sourcing, editorial comment, etc.... We read and analyzed the article in class, then studied the basic facts about libel and actual malice.  Afterward, the students had to reread the article searching for those key points that make a libel lawsuit valid.  They each had to defend their position on whether or not, based on one article, they thought Green had an argument against the two newspapers.

Tomorrow, we continue using the article to study the defenses to libel.  Then, we compare these points to the rationale they used in deciding whether or not they would pursue the case.  A computer lab web quest will also be performed to Google any other current outstanding libel issues.

AP Story via Fox News

The Long Weekend

In my haste to get out the door for the long weekend, I realized I hadn't clicked the "publish" button on the blog.  My apologies to my millions of followers.  My intent was to leave you with something a little quirkie to make your weekend more enjoyable.

Congratulations, we've made it to the first "holiday" of the school year.  This one comes very early in the semester, but I'll take it.  At the bottom of the blog, I update my Recipes For Overworked Advisers once a week.  For this Labor Day, I wish to leave you with one of my all-time favorites.  It is an easy, chocolatety mess that is sure to make you pack on a few pounds before the morning bell rings on Tuesday.

Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the Mess.

Crockpot Chocolate Mess

1 pkg. Chocolate cake mix (I use Ghiradelli)

2 cups sour cream

1--3oz. pkg. chocolate instant pudding

1—6oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips

¾ cup cooking oil

4 eggs

1 cup water

Coat inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Place all ingredients in cooker and mix until well blended.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Do not lift the lid during the cooking time.  Serve warm with ice cream.  Enjoy!

Guest Blogger

Stephanie Emerson, Arkansas JEA State Director & Wynne High School adviser, is the contributor for today's blog.  Ms. Emerson is known in the state as the Advertising Expert.  Her innovative ideas and ability to motivate her staff to generate ad revenue is amazing.  Attached is the handout Ms. Emerson uses during her summer workshop lectures.  Enjoy and be inspired to change your business plan....

Stephanie Emerson's Handout

Marketing 101

Yesterday, I started the Marketing/Budget/Advertising unit with my beginning journalism students.  The first marketing task was to find a way to promote the yearbook, thus increasing sales. 

Brainstorming was done in groups of three, then each group had to share the ideas with the class.  I'm always amazed at the high level of creativity these students possess.  Suggestions ranged from flying an airplane over the staduim, banner flying in the breeze behind it, to creating a business card to hand parents at the upcoming open house.

The business card suggestion transitioned nicely into one of their first design projects, creating a personal business card.  (click here to see assignment sheet) This year instead of doing the personal business card concept, they will be designing a card for open house.  The hands-on approach to teaching journalism, plus the fact that they will have an immediate product which will be seen by peers and parents is very rewarding for the first year journalist.  Whenever possible, try to integrate an immediate product into the lesson plan.

Notebooks/Collections

For basic journalism students, keeping or collecting items for notebooks is a great learning tool.  I've used this graphics notebook concept for so long, I can't remember where I got the original idea.  A graphics notebook is a collection of items from magazines or any printed material which the student locates to reinforce basic design concepts (logos, spreads, infographics, etc...)

Attached is the format I use, plus other suggestions for notebooks to blend in with other journalistic units of study.

Graphics Notebook

Newspaper Standing Elements

Hopefully, the staff has settled in and is focused on creating a new look for the newspaper.  Here is a PowerPoint to assist in selecting standing elements which suit the style of your paper and encompass all the required elements for a scholastic publication.  Also, consult the scorebooks and manuals you have received from the press associations listed from week one of the blog or information you received from the state press director.  These competitive requirements along with the following presentation should place you on the right track for newspaper design.

Standing Elements PowerPoint

Happy Birthday!

Today is one of my favorite former editor's birthday.  Happy Birthday Dylan!

That reminds me that sometimes it's the small things, the extra effort advisers put in to recognizing staff members which make the most impact.

Create a small poster or area in your journalism room to celebrate staff birthdays.  Maybe have an actually party each month or each season to celebrate those kids.

Years ago, I did a Student Of The Week board.  Quite elementary, but when a former student returned for a visit she commented on how I didn't do that anymore.  She had remembered the week she was honored and recalled it for me.  The little appreciations, notes, positive emails to parents, birthday cards...those are the actions that endear a student to you and the journalism program.

Currently, I'm using one of the bulletin boards in my room as a You're A Star board.  The photographers on staff select their favorite pictures each week and post them on the board.  It not only recognizes the photographer's work, it also promotes pictures that will appear in the yearbook or newspaper; therefore, encouraging the photographed student to buy a yearbook, log on to the e-edition, or save a newspaper for their scrapbook.

Hope you all had a great week.  I'll be blogging again on Monday.  Thanks for reading!

Vocab Boot Camp

I have to give Allen Loibner, Director of the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association, the credit for this concept.  A boot camp of vocabulary words is an entertaining way to introduce these basic journalism terms to beginners.  Advanced students can also benefit by using the PowerPoint as a review.

Click Here for the Boot Camp PowerPoint

Staff Mailboxes

Here is a quick organizational tip for helping the staff communicate.  If your staff is spread throughout the teaching day or never see you during the school day, this mailbox system is a simple way for the staff to maintain a level of communication. As a teacher, you could use multiple mailbox systems or one row for each class period to return student papers.

Click Here For Image

Mass Media Intro Project

This activity is to reinforce skills learned regarding the forms of mass media and to provide an opportunity to practice interviewing skills.

Assignment

Divide into pairs.
Prepare 20 questions for your partner to obtain general information about that person.
Using one of the forms of mass media studied in class, create an introduction for your classmate.
If you choose a newspaper, flyer, etc...you must have enough copies for the class.  If you choose a commerical, radio spot, etc...3 minutes is the time limit.
The assignment is due Friday.  You will be required to make an oral presentation/introduction.

Possible Formats

Newspaper
Newsletter
Tweet
Brochure
Pamphlet
PowerPoint
Flyer
Commercial
Billboard
Radio Spot
Advertisement
Web Page

Journalism History

An historical element should be addressed early in the semester with an emphasis on the mass media.  Here is a simple project to get the year rolling that will enliven journalism history for your students.

Beginning Journalism

1.  Select historical figures (Nellie Bly, John Peter Zenger, Margaret Bourke-White, Benjamin Day, Ida B. Wells) write them on sticky notes and post them on your board.  At the beginning of the class have the students select the random names from the board.  These become their historical people to present.

2.  Have the students research the historical figure and write a short synopsis of how that person contributed to the history of journalism.

3.  A presentation is part of the assignment; however, they may choose any form of mass media to present their historical figure.  One may choose to Tweet about Nelly Bly or provide a PowerPoint on John Zenger.  Their presentation time is limited to 3 minutes or less.

Advanced Classes

For advanced journalism classes, switch up the assignment to suit their learning level.  For example, have a reporter compose 20 questions he/she would ask Benjamin Day for an in-depth interview.  This will show the level of research the student accomplished based on the level of intensity contained in the questions.

Happy Friday!

Congratulations!
All the Arkansas public school teachers made it through the first week of school.  For all you new advisers, take a couple of days to RELAX.  Put textbooks and web pages aside for these next two days and enjoy your weekend.  Monday I'll be loading more information to assist with classroom organization and journalism curriculum.

Yearbook Tips and Trends

Yearbook trends come and go.  Here are a few tips to assist the 2011 editors in their style and content selections.
click here

Writing Prompts

During the first week of school, especially with my beginning classes, I like to assign writing prompts for "Bell Work".  Here are five prompts from college admissions essay questions that are wonderful to promote in depth thinking skills and encourage higher level writing structure:

1-What unusual circumstances have guided or influenced your life?
2-What travel or living experiences in other countries have effected your outlook?
3-Which books have affected you the most?
4-Discuss an academic experience (class, paper, project, trip, etc...) that has meant the most to you.
5-Consider two historical figures you would like to invite for dinner.  Discuss particular insight that you believe each might provide as you embark on  your educational and professional journey and then discuss how you might apply this advice to your dreams and goals.

Publication Policies

Policies and procedures are important to not only the staff, but to the school district.  Each publication should have a documented list of policies readily available at the administration's or a parent's request. Check with the former adviser or principal to see if school or district publication policies are in place.  Also, ask the state press director if a publications act or bill exists within the state law.

The simplest way to organize these policies for your staff is to create a staff manual.  This document will provide easy access for your editors and administration should the need arise.

Here is a list of policies and other credentials which should be on file:
Advertising Policy
Editorial Policy
Correction/Deletion Policy
Obituary Policy
Letters To The Editor Requirements
Production/Publication Schedule
Classroom/Staff Procedures
Job Responsibilities for leadership positions on staff
Adviser/Editor Expectations

Interviewing Powerpoint

Today the teachers in our building became students.  Google Documents was the topic of our morning long professional development.  Here is a link to provide you with a custom Powerpoint I created on Interviewing.  It's a great lesson for the first week of school to refresh your veteran staff members or to inform students who are just learning the ins and outs of interviewing skills.

Press Organizations

Now that you've had a few days for the shock of taking over your school's publication to sink in, locate individuals/groups who can provide immediate support.  Local and state press organizations are the first places to start.  Some larger areas of the country, for example St. Louis, have local scholastic press organizations.  Other states, for example, Arkansas, have strong state press organizations.  Google your state and locate the director of that organization.  He/she will be a wonderful resource.  Ask the state director to identify veteran advisers in your immediate area who would be willing to serve as as mentors for this first year.

National press organizations such as JEA (Journalism Education Association), NSPA (National Scholastic Press Association), CSPA(Columbia Scholastic Press Association), Quill and Scroll and SIPA (Southern Interscholastic Press Association) are invaluable.  They mail out materials for the classroom as well has provide Listservs for their members.  JEA and NSPA team up in the spring and fall to host a national convention.   This is a great opportunity for your students to interact with other staffs in the nation.  JEA also has a designated state director.  Go to the JEA.org website and locate your state's director.  Email or call that person to seek additional help.

Yearbook advisers should contact their company representative for a web address or teaching materials.  Schedule for that individual to meet with you within the next week and bring whatever they have on hand to assist you in setting up lesson plans and staff management structures.

Both the state press organizations and the yearbook companies can provide basic scholastic guidelines for yearbooks and newspapers.  Ask them to send a scorebook or provide a web address for access to their guidelines.  These scorebooks will provide a list of criteria necessary to create a scholastically sound publication.

Welcome!

So you're in charge of the yearbook and/or newspaper at your school.  Congratulations!  It will be a whirlwind experience.  Don't worry, you'll learn more this school year than your students!

The desire of this blogger is to help improve your scholastic journalism knowledge, give you daily helpful hints, and ease the overwhelming realization that you are now an Adviser.

There are approximately 200 school days until summer vacation, so let's get moving.

Tip #1
Here are ten questions you need to ask your principal or the former adviser:
1-What is the budget for the publication?
2-How much money is currently in the yearbook/newspaper school account?
3-Who is your newspaper/yearbook publisher?
4-Is there a bid in place for these services?
5-If a yearbook adviser, who is your yearbook company representative? Call them immediately.
6-What expectation does the principal have in terms of newspaper publication frequency?
7-What were the publication dates/deadlines from the previous year?
8-Who are your editors OR do you need to select them after the school year begins?
9-What computer equipment, software, cameras, etc...are property of the publication staff?
10-Is the publication a member of any student press organizations?

Answers to these questions will better inform you of the administrations expectations and provide a current glimpse at the budgetary and equipment necessary to successfully to your job.