Show Don't Tell

My teach-in will hopefully cover the concept of 'show, don't tell'. Considering the amount of times Steve has mentioned it during this institute, I hope I do a decent job. The concept of show, don't tell also applies to kinesthetic learning and though I don't typically think of journalism classes as kinesthetic learning, mine really should be.

In writing the news articles for the deadline assignment, I realized that I've been doing a crappy job of show, don't tell because I've more or less been showing(telling) my students the rules of writing but not showing them what I'm capable of. As a result, I have been writing a lot less and my writing skills have been deteriorating.

.Not to toot my own horn, but I used to write some pretty awesome concert previews and music features for my college newspaper. I also spiced up the writing done by sports journalists in North-East Alabama. After reading my deadline piece for this institute, I was embarrassed to put my name on that writing. My advice to all of the teachers here, is to show your students how to write by doing it yourself. Not only will it improve or keep your own writing up to par, but it will build your student's confidence. Your also bound to make mistakes,  but you're students occasionally need reminding that you are human too.

Steve Haslam

Copper Hills High School

West Jordan, UT