After Dean Callahan's presentation on Preparing Young Journalists for Success, I have reconsidered my focus as a journalism instructor. Next year will be my first year teaching any form of journalism and we are starting a newspaper at the school, so my anxiety has been centered on how to create this fabulous newspaper. Now, I realize that my role is more about exposing students to the process and creating a learning environment that fosters an interest in the field of journalism. How refreshing to be reminded that our value as teachers is not only determined by how well our students perform on the assessment -- we are to excite, inspire, and ignite a passion for something.
Malika Caruthers
Metro Tech High School
Phoenix, Ariz.
Malika, you are at unique point-starting a paper, there is no one to say "well, so and so always did it this way..." Kids will buy into your excitement on the project...let them have a say in every step, then they will take ownership. Ownership is important.
ReplyDeleteJodie Schommer
Lakeside Lutheran High School
Lake Mills, WI