I'm Becky Bennett in Bastrop, Texas, about 30 miles southeast of Austin. I just completed my 19th year of teaching and the fifth year of my second stint as advisor of the student newspaper. My first stint was so long ago that we still used dummy pages, waxers, and cameras with film. I don't miss them.
The Bear Facts, the student newspaper, is published monthly in our hometown paper, the oldest continuously published newspaper in Texas. I also coach the journalism team, and one of my journalists is the new state champion headline writer.
The principal has given me yearbook starting next fall, and I'm a bit nervous about it. My primary goal for the Reynold's Institute is to learn how to create and launch an online newspaper, and how to teach my students to better design their pages.
I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, twice, with degrees in English and Curriculum and Instruction. Everything I know about journalism I learned the hard way, by making mistakes. I look forward the the Reynold's Institute.
Becky Bennett
Bastrop High School
Bastrop, Texas
Welcome, Becky. I got a kick out of your "hard way" comment. As much training as I've been fortunate enough to receive, I feel like the most important lessons have come through trial and error -- and mostly error. See you next week.
ReplyDeleteSteve Elliott
Arizona State University
Phoenix
Hi Becky,
ReplyDeleteI teach in Arlington and the advisor at one of the other high schools in my distirct took a student to state for headline writing. Guess your kids competed. Congrats on the win! I too sponsor the UIL journalism team but we've only made it as far as regionals. My kids just aren't that interested in it and to be honest, I think it is becoming a bit dated. It is so very formulaic and we just don't write like that anymore, especially in headlines where we count spaces. It might just be me but the UIL team isn't my favorite part of the job.
Looking forward to meeting you in Arizona.
Emily Miller
Arlington High School
Arlington, Texas