Search form

Better School Newspapers Part 2: Areas of Focus for Adult Advisors

Publishing in general is a tough nut to crack, and getting student reporters and photographers to come together and produce a readable periodical is even more challenging. Yet with some helpful ideas for ongoing priorities, you can oversee a terrific student newspaper. Here are some areas of focus that staff advisors of school newspapers can use to keep their publications running smoothly.

Want morstudent journalisme tips? See part 1 of this article for key topics that staff advisors of school newspapers can address in order to sharpen the skills of budding journalists.

Build a Strong Staff

Student newspapers give young people the experience of working in a real journalistic environment. This means you want to be intentional about recruiting staff. Hsj.org offers sample job descriptions to get you started. At the very least, you’ll want an editor-in-chief, two editors, a handful of reporters and a photographer.

If you have enough student interest, you can expand to have a features or editorial team. This opens the door to lessons on how each part of a newspaper requires a different type of writing. Also, make sure students know their roles and what is expected of them.

Hold Structured Editorial Meetings

Realistically, you’re only going to get the staff together maybe two after-school periods a week, and one of those will be “layout day.” So make the other afternoon productive by overseeing an editorial meeting. Let the editor run it, but be there to help steer if it gets off track. Discuss new story ideas, critique the last issue, or comment on a particular line or article you liked. This is a great way for the kids to learn and gain leadership skills outside of a formal classroom setting.

These meetings will also give you ample opportunity to work on some of the fundamentals of writing and journalism:

  • Review the Five Ws (Who, What, Where, When and Why) and the parts of a news story.
  • Explain the importance of a strong lead and supporting details.
  • Students have a tendency to wrap articles up with a tidy ending, as they would a five-paragraph essay on an academic topic, so they may need help using the “inverted pyramid” structure instead.
  • Likewise, keep an eye open for opportunities to offer instruction on what makes a good headline, or how to use photographs effectively in layout.
  • Once things get rolling, you can deliver formal lessons on issues such as libel and copyright laws.

A good source for teaching basic journalism skills is Jim McGonnell’s Curriculum for a Journalism Classroom.

Connect Students With a Network

Every state is different, but many have student journalism groups. For example, Indiana’s High School Press Association hosts conventions and offers a wealth of resources to members.

If your area does not have a similar group, reach out to the local daily or weekly newspaper. Many local papers offer help for student papers, and often are happy to allow the student staffers to do some work for the “real” paper. Call your local editor and set up a meeting.

An added benefit of working with professionals is that students will get to see firsthand how a newsroom works. They can listen in on reporters interviewing subjects and get a feel for how to conduct their own interviews. They will also see what it’s like to write “tightly,” knowing there is only so much space available in the paper.

In addition to working the local angle, advisors can promote their students’ best work by letting them toot their own horns on a national level. My.hsj.org allows students to publish their news online, including stories, blogs, photos, polls, widgets and video. An added bonus is that reading others’ work can help students sharpen their own skills.

Maximize Your Tech Resources

Time is short and your budget is thin, so use the equipment you already have.

Most, if not all, students carry a mobile phone, and the vast majority of those phones feature a camera that is sufficient for your photography needs. By using these cameras, you don’t have to worry about students mishandling expensive equipment.

Book time in the computer lab. Anyone who joins the paper’s staff tends to be eager and ambitious, so getting kids to stay after school to work on their articles won’t be too difficult. Getting everyone together in the “newsroom” is also a great way to build journalistic camaraderie.


Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
Education World®         
Copyright © 2011 Education World