33
careful, we can bleed all the passion
out of students who come to our
classes fired up to get out there and
take photos, write captions, write
profiles, cover school events, write
about the kid down the street who
has his own bread-baking company.
I only mention the last example
because I have started advising an
after-school fifth-grade newspaper
(full disclosure: a granddaughter is on
the staff ), and young Keaton wants
to do this story for the next issue. We
can work on some interview tips, on
how to structure the reporting, how
to get more effective images to add
to the coverage and even talk about
any ethical issues that might come
up, but let’s do it all within the larger
context of reporting on something
Keaton is excited to get into.
Imagine we were coaching sixthgrade basketball. Would we spend
the first two months doing drills
and practicing free throws and
running ladders, or would we very
soon play another team, and have
some inexpert fun and then make
adjustments and add new plays and
drills?
I worry when I hear of advisers
who spend a semester just
getting kids ready to go out
and start practicing journalism.
My fifth-graders just published
eight pages today, and we had
two hour-long meetings to
get that done. Of course, my
co-adviser, my wife, did the
desktop publishing, but those
kids did not sign up to use
InDesign. They want to write,
take photos, draw, interview,
and have fun. Some shared
through Google Drive. Some
emailed. All took photos, even
if just on their phones. The
quality was all over the place, but
everyone jumped in and did what
they could, right now.
It turns out my main job was to
give them a bit of structure, a bit
of support and, most importantly,
permission to share their
enthusiasms.
Jack Kennedy
on the premise that they will end
up doing things different as they
improve. I think this is closer to real
life.
I bet Wayne has something to say on
this :) He had more classes than most
of us combined.
Steve O’Donoghue
1990 DJNF TOY
1993 DJNF TOY
Every new advis er needs to realize
that every time they enroll a new
class, they may need to re-think how
they will teach journalism. Every
group will be unique and process
what you do slightly different
and adapt to you and your ways
differently than their predecessors.
There is a lot of investment in
American education for teachers
to develop a system and stick to
it, but the top foreign education
systems, like Finland, stress teachers
developing new methods constantly,
Mine? Smile and laugh with your kids
every day. Teenagers are incredible.
They are funny, talented, smart
and up for just about anything as
long as food is involved. They have
the most generous hearts and
want desperately to be loved and
validated. They are quirky, and messy,
and have the best sense of humor.
Instill in them the belief that they
are not limited, and that they can do
anything if they’re willing to work
hard enough for it.
Mitch Eden
2015 DJNF TOY