In his latest column, Walsworth's Jim Jordan explains how the Adviser Mentor Program helps new yearbook advisers by providing a friend to guide and encourage them.
That first deadline can be one of the most intimidating parts of an adviser’s first year. Follow this advice, including words of wisdom from a few experienced advisers, to successfully meet it. Make it a priority Take deadlines seriously – especially this first one. Start planning right away, if you have not already begun. Talk…
In a professional development class called “Universal Design for Learning” (UDL), I was introduced to many new strategies to make learning accessible to all my students regardless of ability. One of the strategies is called “synectics,” which derives from the Greek “syn” and “ektos,” and refers to the fusion of diverse ideas. In practice, students…
You are probably thinking this right now: You want me to actually teach yearbook? As if I didn’t have enough going on already — surly parents calling to complain, administrators wanting to “check” the yearbook spreads, computers that constantly crash, and a digital camera that now gives an error message whenever we need it most. The handouts from the last adviser seem to work just fine. Besides, I barely have time to get the yearbook done, let alone update the materials and try to teach the kids anything about yearbook or journalism.
Yearbook can be a difficult class to grade. It’s not always easy to measure, and assigning grades are an area where advisers sometimes struggle. Renee Burke, MJE, of Boone High School in Orlando, explained her methods during a Wednesday morning session at Walsworth’s Adviser Academy. She recommends creating grading packets. This is something that can…
If you’ve never done it before, distribution day can be stressful – but it doesn’t have to be. With all the hard work put into the yearbook, you don’t want anything to go wrong the first time the student population gets a look. If you take anything away from this post, let it be this:…
Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt offers advice to administrators on how they can support their yearbook advisers. If you’re a first-year adviser, check out Kleinschmidt’s advice to you here. It was a quick rise to the top for Brianna Kleinschmidt. She moved from yearbook adviser to principal in just a few years. “I definitely didn’t set out…
It’s time to start thinking about your next yearbook. Even though this year’s book is not finished, you need to think about what you can do this spring to ensure a smooth transition from one book to the next and from one staff to the next. While your current staff is busily covering the current…
In the midst of creating this year’s yearbook, it’s hard to look ahead and get motivated to start next year’s book. However, the best yearbook years start well before the first day of school. Early preparation starts with more than just idea generation. In fact, it begins with identifying and training new and returning staff…
Many freshmen walk into high school on the first day without that one class, teacher or group that provides a sense of belonging. Besides creating an amazing yearbook our school can be proud of, my goal as a yearbook adviser has always been to give my students a place to belong in junior high. Another…
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed as a new yearbook adviser, but summer training and workshops can make it possible to start the school year prepared. If you’re a teacher about to dive in to your first year as an adviser, carve out a few days for training (maybe July 10-12) and you’ll feel much better…
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