All you need is LOVE

I really enjoyed Alan Weintraut’s talk about assessing our students.  I could not agree more when he said that all of the fun bonding activities are important at the beginning and the team building exercises.  I have always heard, even though it does sound a little cliché, that “Kids won’t care how much you know, unless they know how much you care.”  This is really my philosophy on teaching in a nutshell.  When I started advising The Hornet, I really had very little knowledge of yearbook.  What I did know was how to build a relationship with kids.  That, coupled with their knowledge of yearbook principles, was enough to survive the first year.  After that first year, things began to get easier and easier.  It was only because I had that relationship in place that I was able to have difficult conversations with them.  This year I had to move a student from an editor's position back down to staff member.  He is an excellent photographer, but as it turns out, not a very effective leader.  I think with time, and instruction, he will improve.  I gave his spot to a girl who has shown much more dedication and is very passionate about the book.  I was not looking forward to this conversation with him, but I knew that I needed to be honest.  He took it well and I think, in retrospect, if he were honest with himself, he knew that he wasn't where he needed to be.  I told him that I really wanted him to stay, and he is.  He will remain as a photographer next year and he has had a positive attitude.

 

Mandy Stewart

Huntsville High School

Huntsville, Texas

mstewart01@huntsville-isd.org