Teaching advice

*-Make sure you drill the basics over and over and over.
*-In a lecture class, there aren't a lot of opportunities to check to see if students are "getting it," but and asking a student a question about what you just covered is a good method.
*-Give-and-take keeps students involved in a lecture class. Ask a question, follow it up with another question, follow it up with another. Encourage students to do the same.
*-Journalism is a very hands-on profession. Give your students opportunities to practice journalism. Teach, then give an opportunity for practice. For example, in teaching inverted pyramid, give them facts and have them write a lede and arrange them into a story. Give them interview subjects -- first, bring them into class and have everyone write a story on the same thing. Later, give them "beats" and have them develop their own sources and story ideas.
*-Lean on fellow professionals. Bring them in to address the class.
*-As Mizzougrad pointed out in another subject, make sure there's no Jayson Blair-ing ... all sources must be reachable and identifiable.
*-Develop your formula for grading and BE CONSISTENT. Know what an "A" is, a "B" is ... and let your students know. You cannot play favorites.
*-Give constant feedback. Let your students know what they're doing wrong and how to improve and make themselves better.

 

Just to clarify: I will be teaching the lab portion of the three-hour class (Tuesday and Thursday), and tenured professors will be giving a one-hour lecture each week. However, I will have plenty of opportunities to bring in guest speakers. Volunteers? Booches, Shakespeare's and Boulevard beer on me.

 

One thing we did in my editing/design class was bring in a headline (either really good, really bad, or had a mistake in it) or a page (liked it a lot, didn't like it), then discussed it in class. A little easier to do that with headlines/pages than a story, but it could be converted.

 

Thoughts from having served at 'J' schools for three major universities as adjunct faculty while working at newspapers/magazine, and currently at another U. in sports management degree program and mentoring the school paper's sports staff:

No. 1, in the lab as you described it, forget textbooks. Recommend good reading, use some of it in the classroom, but primarily teach from your experience. That's why you're there. That's what you have that professional educators don't have. Let the lecturers/professors drone about inverted pyramids. Your are the students' gift; let them unwrap you and revel in what they find in the package -- the gift that keeps on giving. Tell tales, but always have a teaching point in each tale (lest you come off as self-indulgent, i.e., "Look what I did").

Above all else, let them see your passion at all times for the profession and respect for the written word. Anything less from them is unacceptable, as it is for you. Drive home the privilege, and the responsibility that goes with it (accuracy, fairness, thoroughness, clarity, honesty).

Most important teaching point: they are reporters, not writers. Make them learn to find good stories, report the hell out of the stories, and then tell the stories clearly (make them outline first, draft second, and then rewrite). If one here and there has style, it's whipped cream on top. The student who identifies a story, reports it exhaustingly, and tells that story clearly will prevail. And you will beam when he/she does.

Give them assignments that excite them. I loved the idea above about walking the campus in search of story ideas. In a past class, the students attended an NBA game; the PR dept gave them full status, and women did lockerroom interviews (in an era when that was not yet common). Another class covered Student Senate session, and drew from a hat to determine who would write a news story, and who would write a sidebar. Bring a source to class: set them up an interview with the school president, or a head coach, or somebody renowned in research....and see who reports and then discuss all the various ways they report and tell the same story (like we do after news conferences where everybody has the same material to work with).

Also, avoid leaving them on an island with individual assignments. Treat them as a staff. Let them brainstorm each other's assignments -- for angles, for sources. You recommend and cajole. Teach them that determination is not enough in pursuit of sources; only dogged determination will do.

Want a fun exercise that will give you insight immediately into their grasp of language? Give them these two actual leads from newspapers (collected over the years) and see if they 'get it' by having them write a critique of the lead:

"(Coach's name) is a very unique coach. There aren't many like him."

"(Subject's name) leaned back, drew on his pipe, and asked a rhetorical question that required no answer."

Again, enjoy yourself, and let them see you enjoying yourself.

Finally, keep in mind that teaching or practicing responsible journalism isn't rocket science.

It's harder.

 

I've enjoyed reading everyone's advice (even the crude tips, expendable!) ...

I'm on a local university's journalism advisory committee, so I often get called in to speak to classes. I enjoy it - feels like I'm giving back. After I give my little spiel, I make a point to get feedback and talk to the students, asking them if they're planning on going into journalism, which writers they like and finally - what I've considered to be most interesting - what technology they're using.

Many of them have created their own web sites using various HTML editors and Macromedia-based programs. Most of them blog. A lot of them read online newspapers, many international publications. Quite a few are addicted to podcasting and vodcasting.

I think you definitely should delve into how they're using media and through what medium(s). That could help you tailor classes to what they're interested in, and it could assist you in seeking out niche speakers or particular lesson plans.