Every journalist on my staff is required to submit 12 photo assignments throughout the course of the semester. Each assignment needs to have five usable photographs from a single event. I started this years ago in order to gain balanced coverage throughout the year.
Since I can't be everywhere, I encourage students to cover student life, academics, clubs and sports. When the Photo Editor identified a specific content area is lacking photographs, for example the fashion merchandising class, I may offer the assignment to count double.
When we have an overabundance of a specific area the Photo Editor lets the staff know they can continue taking photos of this area they just no longer count for photo credit.
The system seems to work.
Debra Klevens
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, MO
The first photo caught my eye because my youngest one is an Eagle Scout and a Ranger, so I have a heart for boy scouts and love to encourage them to not give up and finish as an Eagle.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a grading system that goes with this assignment?
Linda,
ReplyDeleteThank you for asking. Each photo is worth 5 points. If students do not earn all 25 points on the initial assignment they can always go back and cover another event. My goal is not to punish them for what they don't know but to help our staff gain what we need, a variety of images.
I do have dealings on this or all students would wait until the last week of the semester. With that said though, if they miss the deadline they can still submit it as long as I receive them before the end of the semester.
Debra Klevens
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Mo
I like the idea that every student is responsible for a required number of photo assignments, it makes for the work-flow balanced and diversified.
ReplyDelete