School newspaper

[boatgirl]

This will be the second year that I am teaching journalism. Last year did not go so well. There is a huge struggle finding topics that are of interest to 7th & 8th graders that they would want to research and write about. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Tenured]

SChool newspapers are a liability. Just wait until one wants to write about a gay club, or something controversial and you try to stop it, or the admin says no. Courts have ruled against schools shutting down school newspapers before.

I, for one, hope the highschool I teach at NEVER gets a school newspaper as it's easier (and cheaper) to never start one than to start one, cancel it because of controversy, and then fight the court battle and costs and end up HAVING to start it back up.

[merrynl]

What about having them research negative aspects about MySpace and Facebook? Or the dangers of IM? Do kind of a public service thing teaching the kids about how to be safe online. You could also have two kids write separate pieces about why they think everyone should use one or the other (Facebook or MySpace).

[MsCoffeeLover]

Have you considered a student interest survey at the beginning of the year? Their first assignment can be all about them! and they can tell you about things they are genuinely interested in, want to know more about, and go from there.

Can these students voluntarily take your class or is this class one of many electives?

What helps me all the time all year round is getting kids involved, and consistently reminding them. They can either take part in the class and make it interesting in ways for everyone because it is a classroom effort.

OR

If they decide they don't want to put forth the effort, they can have an alternate assignment. NO ONE WANTS THE ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT!

They surprisingly come up with all kinds of ideas and discussions then!

They can help create the interesting topics or they can research the topics of someone else's choosing--knowing it may not be the topic they want.

[dtrim]

Hello, Boatgirl.

I think the student newspaper is a great idea. I advised a few and it's the best way for students to get a real audience for their writing. What they have to say matters; that's why people worry about letting students exercise this awesome power.

I tell all new advisers to set up their school newspapers as a open forum for student expression. That means no censorship, no principal oversight. It gives students responsibility for what they print. Sometimes controversy is the biggest learning experience of all. We can PM about it, if you'd like.

I would contact the Student Press Law Center (I'm too new to post URLs), the Journalism Education Association, and your local scholastic press association for friends and support. The ASNE also has good scholastic journalism resources.

Make friends with someone from your local newspaper, too. You'd be surprised at how reporters love to come to talk to scholastic newspaper staffs. Readership for newspapers is down, especially among the young. I bet they can hook you up with some sponsored newspapers for your class, too. To make the connection with the local paper, try their NIE contact (Newspapers in Education), call the education reporter, or contact your local SPJ chapter (Society of Professional Journalists). Having a reporter on your side is a fabulous asset, especially when it becomes a bit hot in the kitchen. :)

I would also buy a copy of Patricia Osborn's fabulous School Newspaper Adviser's Guide. I slept with it under my pillow for a long time. When you visit the SPLC (above), order a copy of Law of the Student Press. Put it under your pillow with Pat's book. :)

As for topics, see what you can do to start exhanging newspapers with other schools. When they come in, it's always a treat for the staff and they get good stories they can localize.

Features work better than news in a monthly publication, so load up on features, especially the evergreen ones.

My favorites:

monthly school cafeteria meal review
monthly heap of the month (showing off student/teacher cars)
athlete of the month
an evening with the custodian
a morning with the lunch lady
the secret lives of teachers (teacher hobbies)
movie, music review
the video game guys: reviews of current and old video games
new teacher feature
fashion trends


There are plenty more, but these should give you a good kick. It's great to feature students who normally wouldn't make it into your local newspaper's student section. The basketball team makes it in, but the local figure skater doesn't. What about the kids who are into dirt bikes, karate, or scrapbooking? (What about the kid who loves all three? :))

Best wishes for success. Thank you for teaching kids how to exercise their freedom of expression with responsibility.

Diane

[MsCoffeeLover]

You know, I mention the alternate assignment every now and again, but it doesn't apply to all of my classes. I don't want y'all to think I pull that line out every single day. Many kids will do what is required of them, but I want them to think a little more because there isn't enough higher level thinking and too much literal thinking. We can always fall back onto something else, but in some cases, they can help the entire class brainstorm ways or there can be a different kind of thinking. Its sad that sometimes they will begin to think if it means more work, but that is the way some kids view it. They want to do less work, but it really isn't less work. Many want to just reiterate information, and, although that is nice to an extent, I don't like it.

However, sometimes kids need permission to write about certain things. Not only will they write if they know someone is reading, but many times students think that what they have to doesn't fit into the standard assignment--that goes along with their thoughts and ideas. Many kids are used to getting a certain assignment that isn't always at their interest level. That could be many of their assignments, so when someone says pick something of interest or actually give them permission to write something about their interests, many don't believe it at first or don't really know what do to.

A good skill to have and portray to the students is that you have a passion for reading their work, and their assignments aren't just any assignment. They have to believe you and brainstorm with you and know that you will be accepting of a topic they thought about. They have to feel confident that their ideas won't be shunned or picked on by anyone else in the class.

It's already hard enough to get kids motivated, but teachers also have to prove, in some way, to their kids that they can be trusted. Does that make any sense? If there is no trust or comfort zone or cozy place for the kids to let out these ideas, they will never come out.

Once they let out a few ideas, and you give them really good and useful feedback, they will give you more. It is just a matter of getting them going and positively reinforcing ways to get it out. It depends on the child. They have lots of ideas and opinions and some they haven't figured out yet, but some of them lack confidence. Its a funky age.

Many of my classes have an overall assignment, but many of my kids can use a bunch of different mediums to express themselves for me to assess their knowledge. They can do what is written down in the lesson plan as a guide or a few of them can do some other things. It is one on one thing between you and the student, and only y'all know it, and it is forever your secret. Many of them get permission first, and I try to oversee the best I can, and after awhile, they get it. They know what I am looking for, and I know a variety of ways they are going to present it.

I want answers that are outside the box and off the beaten path. I want answers that remind me why I became a teacher. In fact, sometimes when I am having a discussion with my kids, I even tell them that I want them to put themselves out there and not give the standard answer and give me something that reminds me why I became a teacher. Just given that permission, they take chances, and how you respond to the chances will help determine whether they will take a few more chances. Some of the students shock me, some of them I am afraid to call on, some of them give a standard answer, and some of them come up with something I never expected, and the smile on my face is so worth it to them.

I can do more with writing in science and social studies than I ever could in English Language Arts.

The bigger thing is if you have that rapport with your kids from the get go. If you have it, many of the topics will take care of themselves. Kids just need to know their ideas are welcome.

[landreth2007]

What about book reviews of old favorites or new books in the library? Interview new students?

[dtrim]

I just found this great article about student freedom of expression in Ed Week.

Any media adviser should read it and contact the Student Press Law Center right away to find out how to set up his or her publication as a open forum for student expression!

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/07/02/43panarese-com_web.h27.html?tmp=2031090211

[Boxcar]

Interesting and good to know.