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Keith Kyker and Christopher Curchy
Maybe It's Time to Have "The Talk"
Another school year comes to a close, and most of you deserve a big "hip hip hooray" and a pat-on-the-back for the excellent school news shows that you created this year. How many news shows did you and your students produce? 50? 100? 150? Wow – if you think about it, you have probably produced a few hours of programming about your school over the past year.
Most of us really enjoy our summer breaks. Sure the vacation time is nice. Sleeping past 7 AM certainly has its merits. But another great thing about the summer is that we get the chance to re-design our media programs; to tweak our news shows to better educate our students, and serve our schools. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself:
- Does my news show have useful content for students and teachers?
- Are my students learning media production skills while working on the news show?
- Are we utilizing the major features of our equipment?
- Do I still enjoy working on the news show with students?
All too often, we speak to fellow educators who would answer "No" to those questions. And usually, their frustration is the result of the situation in which they are given to work, and not the students, the equipment, or the task itself.
What does this tell us? Maybe it’s time to have "the talk" with our principals.
The Scenario
Here’s a typical situation that we hear about. Although it might not exactly describe your schedule, it could be close enough for you to identify with.
Every morning before school the media specialist completes a list of tasks: checking-out books to students, delivering equipment to classrooms, loading videotapes into the ITV system, turning on the computers. When the first bell rings, a group of students reports to the media center to produce the news show. This group may have a few weeks’ experience, or they may be new to the task. They take their appointed seats, and quickly plan their actions. The camera operators adjust the camera angles, and the anchors glance over the announcements. There is no rehearsal. When the tardy bell rings, the media specialist flips the switch and sends the studio signal to all of the classrooms. A student leads the pledge, and reads the announcements. Perhaps music is played. Perhaps a graphic is added. Perhaps the camera angle is changed. Three minutes later, the show is over. The crew turns off the equipment, and scampers to their first class of the day. The TV studio sits idle for another 24 hours, and the media specialist continues her busy day.
Doesn’t sound like too much fun, does it? Time to have "the talk."
"The Talk"
Schedule an appointment with your principal, and invite him or her to come to the media center.
Tell your principal that you are happy with your role as the producer of the news program, but you could do so much more with the students if a few minor changes were made. The students are learning which buttons to push, but they aren’t really learning any media skills. The announcements are fine, but many could be improved with graphics or videotaped segments. Taking your production to the next level is certainly within your reach, but it’s basically impossible in the current situation.
Here are your suggestions:
- You need to teach a media production class. The class could last a half-year, 12 weeks, or 9 weeks. The course numbers and descriptions are already in the Florida curriculum guides for middle school and high school. And in elementary school, you could probably help check-off a few boxes on the Sunshine State Standards list. This class would consist of 10 to 12 students, and could be an elective or a pull-out class. And you need some input in student selection.
- You need to cut back on show production, and teach on the "off" days. High school students in an advanced class may be capable of producing a high quality show every day. Three times a week should be plenty for middle schools. And a weekly show can make a lot of sense for elementary schools. Let’s face it – with the younger students, there often is not enough news to carry a daily show. Instead, you’d like to make a content-filled program about the great things going on at your school. Your students are now button-pushers and announcement-readers. You’d like to teach them to be videographers, technicians, writers, graphic artists, and on-air personalities. Like any other subject area, development of these skills takes instruction. And instruction takes time.
- Let’s go to a taped news program. The live program is a real pressure cooker. There’s no way to correct mistakes. Otherwise eager and excited students avoid news show participation. Others dive in with enthusiasm, only to have their self-esteem crushed when they make a mistake instantaneously seen by 600 of their closest friends. Let’s videotape the program early in the day, and show it mid-morning. The sports scores and lunch menu will still be the same. Students still have time to adjust their schedules around club meetings and practices. The Pledge of Allegiance is just as inspirational. Of course, if an "emergency" announcement just has to be made, there’s always the old reliable intercom system.
"The Talk" Continues … the Benefits
Providing that your principal is still interested, you can explain the benefits of these changes.
- You are now teaching media skills, verbal skills, and teamwork. You are building self-esteem, not lowering it. You are helping students create a project in which they can be proud.
- You are putting more focus on student achievement. Instead of just reading the list of student achievers, you will show a digital image or a videotaped segment about them. The students will see their names on the graphics screens. Segments like "Student of the Week" and "Good Citizen" are now possible. Your media students can videotape the Earth Club cleaning-up a local park, and the band rehearsing for the upcoming concert. These segments can be rolled-in the news show.
- You can develop meaningful segments. The lunch menu can be replaced with an interview with the cafeteria manager explaining the importance of good nutrition. The weather report is now a full weekend forecast with students researching on the Internet and writing a script. Your school resource officer can host a weekly segment. (The principal can probably offer other ideas – at that point, you’ve got them hooked!)
Of course, all of these wonderful improvements are basically impossible with our current live, run-in show. Our students are capable of so much more. And you want to teach them.
Sure, this will take some adjustment on everyone’s part. Schedules will have to be changed. Bells may ring a few minutes earlier or later. Some teachers will resist at first (you could be interrupting their morning coffee run!) But once your peers see their class, club, or sport featured on a news show segment, expect the criticism to fade and the support to begin.
Maybe this summer, "the talk" will work for you. Of course, you can always make a copy of this column, and leave it on the principal’s desk. Good luck!
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