I hand back edited stories all of the time and often don't give them a second thought. But this time I was on the receiving end of those edits.
I have a better understanding now of what my students must go through on a regular basis. I was anxious to receive the edits while feeling a bit apprehensive at the same time. Had I completed the assignment correctly? Did I miss something on my edits? How many red marks would there be?
Receiving the edits back so soon was very helpful. This is one goal that I have set for next year – to try to return students' papers sooner.
I am really glad that I had this experience in developing a story idea, reporting that idea and then writing the story. I have a better understanding of what my students go through on each production cycle. I hope to have more empathy the next time I make an assignment. There may not be much sympathy for what they have to do, but hopefully I will feel their pain.
Mindy Gilman
Blue Valley North High School
Overland Park, Kan.
Mindy,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that becoming students these two weeks will, hopefully, make us better teachers. Good post!
Don
I am humbled by the lessons I have learned about journalistic writing. I did not know how much my writing style needed to change to write for a news or even feature piece. I have been teaching English and essays too long! Now I have to help my journalism club members learn this different style of writing.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was a dose of my own medicine to go through the reporting and writing process. When I am not the one writing, it is easy to see the problems, but when I'm the one doing the reporting and writing, it is hard to put it together and make the connections. I do think this experience will give us all more credibility with our students. They will know that we have been through it.
ReplyDeleteLiz Dixon
West Lafayette High School
West Lafayette, Ind.
This experience has been informative and I respect Steve's approach : No coddling and no excuses. These are the same demands we place on our students.
ReplyDeleteIt is easier to say this now that the majority of assignments are complete.
Thomas Curran
Grace King High School
Metairie, La