Friday, August 28, 2009
Week 1 Done
This week's major accomplishment: The staff published its first online package! They put together a story about freshman orientation (it took place last week, before school started) and had pictures and video to go with it. Check it out at: First Online Story
Last Friday night, we celebrated the end of Spokesman Week and the beginning of Volume 46 with a bonfire and cookout at my house. Almost everyone showed! They even came prepared with glowsticks.
Our first official week of school has been consumed with planning for issue 1, getting the first online package completed and posted and trying to get technology in order. Overall, I would call it a success.
The thing I am most proud of is my editors. They are all taking charge and running the paper with no prodding from me! It's awesome to not have to worry about whether they are getting the job done. Instead, I am able to concentrate on how to make them better.
My goal next week: Daily emails to the EICs. I got the idea from Aaron Manfull, a standout JEA adviser from Missouri. I wasn't able to get that started this week with all of my other tech responsibilities, but I'm making it a priority for next week.
Last Friday night, we celebrated the end of Spokesman Week and the beginning of Volume 46 with a bonfire and cookout at my house. Almost everyone showed! They even came prepared with glowsticks.
Our first official week of school has been consumed with planning for issue 1, getting the first online package completed and posted and trying to get technology in order. Overall, I would call it a success.
The thing I am most proud of is my editors. They are all taking charge and running the paper with no prodding from me! It's awesome to not have to worry about whether they are getting the job done. Instead, I am able to concentrate on how to make them better.
My goal next week: Daily emails to the EICs. I got the idea from Aaron Manfull, a standout JEA adviser from Missouri. I wasn't able to get that started this week with all of my other tech responsibilities, but I'm making it a priority for next week.
Monday, August 17, 2009
In search of the elusive life balance...
That's the idea I have for my new blog. I'm not positive that I will actually start it, but Spokesman has inspired me. See, over the summer I found this article about 30 things Journalism Grads should do over the summer. One of the these things was to start a blog. But Barrett, I hear you say, you already have 4 blogs going! Yeah, but each of those blogs is about keeping track of happenings for a limited audience. Only so many people really care about what is going on with Spokesman. Only so many people really want to know about Barrett Family Life. And Teaching Cathy to Speak Sports, well, she's pretty fluent now.
I'm beginning my 10th year at WHS, and to honor the occasion, I'm going to go back to the root of why I began teaching. I love journalism. I love to tell stories. I love to give people the stories/information they want and need. So, the Search for the Elusive Life Balance is my way of practicing what I teach. Maybe I can post information there that will help others in their search for life's balance.
As for Spokesman, I'm hoping this endeavor will make me a better adviser. I feel that I have fallen away from my good practices early in my career. I want to create better and stronger relationships with my students. I want to be an adviser and a mentor, someone they trust, someone who is there to help (not just direct). I think that is what I have been the last few years, more of a director than an adviser. So, maybe with a little journalism practice of my own, I can be a better adviser.
Now, this post also marks the beginning of another year of Spokesman. The 46th year to be exact. Spokesman Summer Week officially started today. Of course I was super excited and over-caffeinated. But the moment that made my day was when my EICs told me to step back, they would run today. It was awesome seeing them take charge. I still think I stepped in too much, and that was more about my inability to let go of control, not their abilities to take it. It was glorious, everything I have ever dreamed EICs would do. So I hope I can support and nurture them in their endeavors this year and not stifle the leadership and journalistic ability. Maybe if I can find the balance of how to advise vs. control, I will be a better adviser.
I'm beginning my 10th year at WHS, and to honor the occasion, I'm going to go back to the root of why I began teaching. I love journalism. I love to tell stories. I love to give people the stories/information they want and need. So, the Search for the Elusive Life Balance is my way of practicing what I teach. Maybe I can post information there that will help others in their search for life's balance.
As for Spokesman, I'm hoping this endeavor will make me a better adviser. I feel that I have fallen away from my good practices early in my career. I want to create better and stronger relationships with my students. I want to be an adviser and a mentor, someone they trust, someone who is there to help (not just direct). I think that is what I have been the last few years, more of a director than an adviser. So, maybe with a little journalism practice of my own, I can be a better adviser.
Now, this post also marks the beginning of another year of Spokesman. The 46th year to be exact. Spokesman Summer Week officially started today. Of course I was super excited and over-caffeinated. But the moment that made my day was when my EICs told me to step back, they would run today. It was awesome seeing them take charge. I still think I stepped in too much, and that was more about my inability to let go of control, not their abilities to take it. It was glorious, everything I have ever dreamed EICs would do. So I hope I can support and nurture them in their endeavors this year and not stifle the leadership and journalistic ability. Maybe if I can find the balance of how to advise vs. control, I will be a better adviser.
