The Big Reveal

Because we are doing a big push this month for yearbook sales, we’ve been pretty general with our marketing. Until now. We got the cover proof of the book! Well, at least the digital one. So we began making videos and posters and social media post to go out this week to promote your book

Odds, Ends, Maintenance

We are nearing the end of the grading period, so today was “your kid may fail” emails. And parents love these! Haha. I sent emails to my J1 students who are failing or in danger of failing. I also have a couple of broadcast and photo students who are really behind. I sent emails to

No Lazy Writers

Don’t Be Lazy It’s December. The longest 2 1/2 weeks of school. If your students are like mine, they are taking every shortcut possible. I started off all my classes today with a presentation on how not to be lazy in your writing. After this presentation, I had everyone go around the room and get

Cola Wars

Cola Wars Marketing Video/Project This is one of my favorite lessons in Journalism 1. Students create a list of marketing strategies of Coke and Pepsi. After the video, we talk about what each company did to sell their product. We even blind taste test Coke and Pepsi. There’s a short quiz after the video for

Silent Thursdays

Years ago, one of my editors listened to a TED Talk and told me we were starting a new tradition: Silent Thursdays. The idea was, that no one could talk. Headphones could go in. Lights went out. Lamps (now LEDs) came on. No phones. The editor sent an email with the day’s to-do list. Silence

Faculty/Staff Directory

Since the photos are in, I ask my photo company to create a photo directory of our faculty and staff. If your company doesn’t do this service, you can also create one like you do for portrait pages. I spent most of the day getting corrections and additions done to this document. Journalism I Intro

Portrait Pages Are Here!

Portrait Pages: Ok, so this is one of the events that happens once each year, and I forgot how to do any of it. I’m old enough to just click around and figure it out. Here are some of the checks and CYAs we do to keep the portrait pages errors to a minimum. Work

ATPI Contest

Today was my photo classes’ deadline to turn in their best photos for the ATPI Fall Photo Contest. We work throughout the year on each of these categories. ATPI is a great resource for photo teachers. Join! Photography was the weak spot in my knowledge when I started. I fell in love with this organization

Graphic Design Search

Before the final exam on graphic design in J1, I have students cut though magazines to find design elements. They glue them to the assignment paper. Here’s the assignment. It’s usually a big hit.     Directions: Search through magazines, newspapers or print from websites to find examples of the following design items. You will