It’s a given that not every student who enters our
classrooms are going onto journalism careers.
Nonetheless, I treat my subject matter seriously and treat my students
as aspiring young journalists. Whether
they choose to come back for more training and experience is up to them, but
during our short time together my promise to them is to expose them to
journalism careers and the skills necessary to be successful in those
careers. Given that I have zero
experience as a journalist, I cannot speak from experience, so I try to have a
few guest speakers throughout the semester who can lend a personal viewpoint on
an ever-changing career. When speakers
are not available, the Internet is always a good back up. Reading this
article, which offers ten tips for aspiring journalists, is a way to start
a class conversation on what it takes to make it as a journalist. The videos with Katie Couric and Anderson
Cooper also work as supplemental materials to show students, especially as you
emphasize the importance of good writing, working hard, and going the extra
step as keys to success in the world of journalism.
Jennifer Woolsey
Sunrise Mountain HS
Peoria, AZ
Sunrise Mountain HS
Peoria, AZ
I'm very appreciative of Anderson Cooper's emphasis on WRITING, even for broadcast journalists. Of course, some small writing errors can be resolved in editing, but as Steve emphasized this week: "Crap in, crap out." So much is hidden inside of good writing: critical thinking, the ability to view and consider multiple perspectives, a directness of purpose. If a journalist is missing these things, even early on in a story's conception and well before the editing stage, the story won't be very good. I always emphasize with my students that "writing is thinking," and Cooper's comments serve as an important reminder of this.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gwizdala
James B. Conant High School
Hoffman Estates, Illinois