Friday, March 5, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Budget Cuts Interview
Mrs. Krista Pawlicki (Developmental Psychology teacher)
1) For those who may not know, could you please describe the DP program?
Developmental Psychology is a unique program that has been around for over 30 years in district 196. It is the only program like it in the state of Minnesota. It is a peer to peer prevention program that deals with issues such as chemical use, self-image, bullying, values, whole health and positive decision making for life. It is a program where selected senior students teach 6th grade students at the middle schools about the issues identified earlier. Research from the Minnesota student survey suggests that peer to peer prevention works the most effectively and efficiently in teaching this type of information to 6th grade students. Developmental Psychology is a lot more than just a prevention program, the relationships that are built between senior students and their 6th grade students last for many years to come, essentially, the senior students are role models for the 6th grade students.
2)How soon will we see the budget cuts effects on the DP program?
The budget cuts take place beginning next school year (2010-2011).
3)Clarification point: Will there still be a DP program next year?
There will still be a DP program next year, but it will look quite a bit different.
4)As of now, what does the DP program look like next year?
At this point, we are still not sure what it will look like, but there have been discussions about having different teachers teach it, different class sizes throughout the school year and differences in how the class operates. We will get creative in how we operate!
5)How will the teachers be changing their lesson plans to fit with the budget cuts?
Depending on how far the cuts go (right now it is at 33% across the district), we may need to combine some lessons or even cut some out. The DP teaching year might be cut by a few weeks—we are not quite sure yet!
6)Although things are very unclear right now, is DP program's future in danger at this point?
Yes, it is! There will most likely be more and deeper cuts next year, so DP will be one of the programs that is likely to be up for discussion again next year!
Caitlin Ochtera (current DP student)
1) Being a student in DP this year, how has this class impacted your educational career, and if applicable, your life outside of the school walls?
Outside of school I would say it helped me to stay confident in my choice of refraining from chemical use. There are ten other people with the same commitment which makes it easier, and gives you support that many students aren't lucky enough to find. Inside of school it allowed me to meet a lot of people that I probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to talk to, thats the cool part about it, many of us are from different social groups so at the beginning of the year, some of these kids were perfect strangers and now they're all my best friends. It also gives me the oppotunity to exmplore teaching and if I want to be one its going to helpa lot!
2) What are your feelings about the budget cuts for DP next year?
I dont know, I just think that the ewhole process is confusing at this point. I don’t think it should change that much its a very good good class, offering great opportunities and I think that there are some classes that aren’t as necessary or important as DP, that should be more under the budget cuts' influence. I think they should keep DP how it it is right now, the same.
3) If you and your classmates are planning to try to make a difference in the district's decision, how so?
Well hopefully our work in refraining the 6th graders from using chemicals in their futures, it will show the district that keeping DP is the way to go.
4) How do you think that major budget cuts in the system, leading to changes in the course structure, would effect the DP program?
For one, I'd think it will not be as organized and close knitted as it is now. The bonds that are the core of the program will be much harder to form. In combining the classes it will not be as productive, and overall, whole atmosphere would change, its hard to tell right now whether it would be for the better as well.
5) What is one aspect of DP that you think can NOT be changed by the effects of the budget cuts?
One aspect that shouldn’t be changed is the teachers, they know what they’re doing and how to do it right, they are the foundation of the system, changing that would probably weaken the efforts that the teachers have worked so hard for so long to achieve. They also shouldn’t cut back on the course length. They should keep it going throughout the entire year to make a big enough impact on both the students' lives, and the 6th grader's lives.
1) For those who may not know, could you please describe the DP program?
Developmental Psychology is a unique program that has been around for over 30 years in district 196. It is the only program like it in the state of Minnesota. It is a peer to peer prevention program that deals with issues such as chemical use, self-image, bullying, values, whole health and positive decision making for life. It is a program where selected senior students teach 6th grade students at the middle schools about the issues identified earlier. Research from the Minnesota student survey suggests that peer to peer prevention works the most effectively and efficiently in teaching this type of information to 6th grade students. Developmental Psychology is a lot more than just a prevention program, the relationships that are built between senior students and their 6th grade students last for many years to come, essentially, the senior students are role models for the 6th grade students.
2)How soon will we see the budget cuts effects on the DP program?
The budget cuts take place beginning next school year (2010-2011).
3)Clarification point: Will there still be a DP program next year?
There will still be a DP program next year, but it will look quite a bit different.
4)As of now, what does the DP program look like next year?
At this point, we are still not sure what it will look like, but there have been discussions about having different teachers teach it, different class sizes throughout the school year and differences in how the class operates. We will get creative in how we operate!
5)How will the teachers be changing their lesson plans to fit with the budget cuts?
Depending on how far the cuts go (right now it is at 33% across the district), we may need to combine some lessons or even cut some out. The DP teaching year might be cut by a few weeks—we are not quite sure yet!
6)Although things are very unclear right now, is DP program's future in danger at this point?
Yes, it is! There will most likely be more and deeper cuts next year, so DP will be one of the programs that is likely to be up for discussion again next year!
Caitlin Ochtera (current DP student)
1) Being a student in DP this year, how has this class impacted your educational career, and if applicable, your life outside of the school walls?
Outside of school I would say it helped me to stay confident in my choice of refraining from chemical use. There are ten other people with the same commitment which makes it easier, and gives you support that many students aren't lucky enough to find. Inside of school it allowed me to meet a lot of people that I probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to talk to, thats the cool part about it, many of us are from different social groups so at the beginning of the year, some of these kids were perfect strangers and now they're all my best friends. It also gives me the oppotunity to exmplore teaching and if I want to be one its going to helpa lot!
2) What are your feelings about the budget cuts for DP next year?
I dont know, I just think that the ewhole process is confusing at this point. I don’t think it should change that much its a very good good class, offering great opportunities and I think that there are some classes that aren’t as necessary or important as DP, that should be more under the budget cuts' influence. I think they should keep DP how it it is right now, the same.
3) If you and your classmates are planning to try to make a difference in the district's decision, how so?
Well hopefully our work in refraining the 6th graders from using chemicals in their futures, it will show the district that keeping DP is the way to go.
4) How do you think that major budget cuts in the system, leading to changes in the course structure, would effect the DP program?
For one, I'd think it will not be as organized and close knitted as it is now. The bonds that are the core of the program will be much harder to form. In combining the classes it will not be as productive, and overall, whole atmosphere would change, its hard to tell right now whether it would be for the better as well.
5) What is one aspect of DP that you think can NOT be changed by the effects of the budget cuts?
One aspect that shouldn’t be changed is the teachers, they know what they’re doing and how to do it right, they are the foundation of the system, changing that would probably weaken the efforts that the teachers have worked so hard for so long to achieve. They also shouldn’t cut back on the course length. They should keep it going throughout the entire year to make a big enough impact on both the students' lives, and the 6th grader's lives.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Interview Questions
Teacher:
1) For those who may not know, could you please describe the DP program?
2) How soon will we see the budget cuts effects on the DP program?
3) Clarification point: Will there still be a DP program next year?
4) As of now, what does the DP program look like next year?
5) How will the teachers be changing their lesson plans to fit with the budget cuts? '
6) Although things are very unclear right now, is DP program's future in danger at this point?
Current Student:
1) Being a student in DP this year, how has this class impacted your educational career, and if applicable, your life outside of the school walls?
2) What are your feelings about the budget cuts for DP next year?
3) If you and your classmates are planning to try to make a difference in the district's decision, how so?
4) How do you think that major budget cuts in the system, leading to changes in the course structure, would effect the DP program?
5) What is one aspect of DP that you think can NOT be changed by the effects of the budget cuts?
Future Student:
1) How do the budget cuts, and possible change in program structure affect your viewpoint of being a part of DP next year?
2) How has the DP program gone about informing you about the possible changes for next year due to budget cuts?
3) Do you think that you can form as close of a relationship with your classmates, even if the program structure changes?
4) What is one thing, that despite the changes, you are looking forward to for next years DP class?
5) Are you aware of people's feelings about the budget cuts affecting the program? Have anyone's opinions changed about being a part of it? If so, how?
1) For those who may not know, could you please describe the DP program?
2) How soon will we see the budget cuts effects on the DP program?
3) Clarification point: Will there still be a DP program next year?
4) As of now, what does the DP program look like next year?
5) How will the teachers be changing their lesson plans to fit with the budget cuts? '
6) Although things are very unclear right now, is DP program's future in danger at this point?
Current Student:
1) Being a student in DP this year, how has this class impacted your educational career, and if applicable, your life outside of the school walls?
2) What are your feelings about the budget cuts for DP next year?
3) If you and your classmates are planning to try to make a difference in the district's decision, how so?
4) How do you think that major budget cuts in the system, leading to changes in the course structure, would effect the DP program?
5) What is one aspect of DP that you think can NOT be changed by the effects of the budget cuts?
Future Student:
1) How do the budget cuts, and possible change in program structure affect your viewpoint of being a part of DP next year?
2) How has the DP program gone about informing you about the possible changes for next year due to budget cuts?
3) Do you think that you can form as close of a relationship with your classmates, even if the program structure changes?
4) What is one thing, that despite the changes, you are looking forward to for next years DP class?
5) Are you aware of people's feelings about the budget cuts affecting the program? Have anyone's opinions changed about being a part of it? If so, how?
Monday, March 1, 2010
First News Story Topic
Topic: Budget cuts to impact Developmental Psychology program in ISD 196
Angle: How they will impact the program
Angle: How they will impact the program
Friday, February 26, 2010
Writing a News Story
1. What can I write about? What is news?
On the surface, defining news is a simple task. News is an account of what is happening around us. It may involve current events, new initiatives or ongoing projects or issues. But a newspaper does not only print news of the day. It also prints background analysis, opinions, and human interest stories.
Choosing what's news can be harder.
The reporter chooses stories from the flood of information and events happening in the world and in their community. Stories are normally selected because of their importance, emotion, impact, timeliness and interest. Note: all these factors do NOT have to coincide in each and every story!
2. Identify what kind of a story it is
Hard news (+/- 600 words): This is how journalists refer to news of the day. It is a chronicle of current events/incidents and is the most common news style on the front page of your typical newspaper.
It starts with a summary lead. What happened? Where? When? To/by whom? Why? (The journalist's 5 W's). It must be kept brief and simple, because the purpose of the rest of the story will be to elaborate on this lead.
Keep the writing clean and uncluttered. Most important, give the readers the information they need. If the federal government announced a new major youth initiative yesterday, that's today's hard news.
Soft news (+/-600 words): This is a term for all the news that isn't time-sensitive. Soft news includes profiles of people, programs or organizations. As we discussed earlier, the "lead" is more literary. Most of YPP's news content is soft news.
Feature (+/-1500 words): A news feature takes one step back from the headlines. It explores an issue. News features are less time-sensitive than hard news but no less newsworthy. They can be an effective way to write about complex issues too large for the terse style of a hard news item. Street kids are a perfect example. The stories of their individual lives are full of complexities which can be reflected in a longer piece.
Features are journalism's shopping center. They're full of interesting people, ideas, color, lights, action and energy. Storytelling at its height! A good feature is about the people in your community and their struggles, victories and defeats. A feature takes a certain angle (i.e. Black youth returning to church) and explores it by interviewing the people involved and drawing conclusions from that information. The writer takes an important issue of the day and explains it to the reader through comments from people involved in the story.
Hint: Remember to "balance" your story. Present the opinions of people on both sides of an issue and let the readers make their own decision on who to believe. No personal opinions are allowed. The quotes from the people you interview make up the story. You are the narrator.
Editorial: The editorial expresses an opinion. The editorial page of the newspaper lets the writer comment on issues in the news. All editorials are personal but the topics must still be relevant to the reader.
Young People's Press publishes two types of editorials:
3. Structure for your article
The structure of a news story (hard & soft news & features) is simple: a lead and the body.
The lead
One of the most important elements of news writing is the opening paragraph or two of the story. Journalists refer to this as the "lead," and its function is to summarize the story and/or to draw the reader in (depending on whether it is a "hard" or "soft" news story - See below for the difference between these two genres of news stories).
In a hard news story, the lead should be a full summary of what is to follow. It should incorporate as many of the 5 "W's" of journalism (who, what, where, when and why) as possible. (e.g. "Homeless youth marched down Yonge St. in downtown Toronto Wednesday afternoon demanding the municipal government provide emergency shelter during the winter months." - Can you identify the 5 W's in this lead?)
In a soft news story, the lead should present the subject of the story by allusion. This type of opening is somewhat literary. Like a novelist, the role of the writer is to grab the attention of the reader. (e.g. "Until four years ago, Jason W. slept in alleyways...") Once the reader is drawn in, the 5 "W's" should be incorporated into the body of the story, but not necessarily at the very top.
The body
The body of the story involves combining the opinions of the people you interview, some factual data, and a narrative whi ch helps the story flow. A word of caution, however. In this style of writing, you are not allowed to "editorialize" (state your own opinion) in any way.
Remember:
The role of a reporter is to find out what people are thinking of an issue and to report the opinions of different stakeholders of an issue. These comments make up the bulk of the story. The narrative helps to weave the comments into a coherent whole. Hint: Stick to one particular theme throughout the story. You can put in different details but they all have to relate to the original idea of the piece. (e.g. If your story is about black youth and their relationship with the police you DO NOT want to go into details about the life of any one particular youth). (Think about the five senses)
As a reporter, you are the eyes and ears for the readers. You should try to provide some visual details to bring the story to life (this is difficult if you have conducted only phone interviews, which is why face-to-face is best). You should also try to get a feel for the story. Having a feel means getting some understanding of the emotional background of the piece and the people involved in it. Try to get a sense of the characters involved and why they feel the way they do.
4. Further tips for news writing
Finding story ideas
Keep your eyes and ears open; listen to what your friends are talking about.
Read everything you can get your hands on; get story ideas from other newspapers and magazines.
Think of a youth angle to a current news story.
Research a subject that interests you ask yourself what you would like to know more about.
Talk to people in a specific field to find out what is important to them.
Newsgathering
-Begin collecting articles on your subject.
-Talk to friends and associates about the subject.
-Contact any agencies or associations with interest or professional knowledge in the area.
-Create a list of people you want to interview; cover both sides of the story by interviewing people on both sides of the issue.
-Collect government statistics and reports on the subject get old press releases or reports to use as background.
Interviewing do's and don'ts
-Be polite.
-Explain the ground rules of the interview to people unfamiliar with how the media works - this means that you tell them the information they give you can and will be published. If they do not want any part of what they say published, they need to tell you it is "off the record."
-Tape the interview (so if anyone comes back at you, you have the proof of what was said).
-Build a relationship with the person being interviewed.
-Start with easy questions; end with difficult questions.
-Read the body language of the person you're interviewing and if they get defensive, back away from the question you are asking and return later.
-Don't attack the source.
-Keep control of the interview; don't let the subject ramble or stray from the subject.
-On the other hand, don't let your "opinion" of what the story should be colour the interview. Always remember that the person you are talking with knows more about the subject than you do.
Organizing the information
-Gather your notes, interviews and research into a file.
-Review your notes.
-Look for a common theme.
-Search your notes for good quotes or interesting facts.
-Develop a focus.
-Write the focus of the article down in two or three sentences.
Writing and editing
-Remember you are the narrator, the story teller.
-Don't be afraid to rewrite.
-Be as clear and concise in the writing as possible.
-Avoid run-on sentences.
-Be direct.
-Tell a good story.
-Tell the reader what you think they want to know.
-Always ask yourself what the story is about.
-Read the story out loud; listen carefully.
Normal Steps for Journalism Class:
-Find a topic
-Find an angle
-Collect data/information
-Gather interviews
-Write the story
-Edit (make it as good as you possibly can!)
On the surface, defining news is a simple task. News is an account of what is happening around us. It may involve current events, new initiatives or ongoing projects or issues. But a newspaper does not only print news of the day. It also prints background analysis, opinions, and human interest stories.
Choosing what's news can be harder.
The reporter chooses stories from the flood of information and events happening in the world and in their community. Stories are normally selected because of their importance, emotion, impact, timeliness and interest. Note: all these factors do NOT have to coincide in each and every story!
2. Identify what kind of a story it is
Hard news (+/- 600 words): This is how journalists refer to news of the day. It is a chronicle of current events/incidents and is the most common news style on the front page of your typical newspaper.
It starts with a summary lead. What happened? Where? When? To/by whom? Why? (The journalist's 5 W's). It must be kept brief and simple, because the purpose of the rest of the story will be to elaborate on this lead.
Keep the writing clean and uncluttered. Most important, give the readers the information they need. If the federal government announced a new major youth initiative yesterday, that's today's hard news.
Soft news (+/-600 words): This is a term for all the news that isn't time-sensitive. Soft news includes profiles of people, programs or organizations. As we discussed earlier, the "lead" is more literary. Most of YPP's news content is soft news.
Feature (+/-1500 words): A news feature takes one step back from the headlines. It explores an issue. News features are less time-sensitive than hard news but no less newsworthy. They can be an effective way to write about complex issues too large for the terse style of a hard news item. Street kids are a perfect example. The stories of their individual lives are full of complexities which can be reflected in a longer piece.
Features are journalism's shopping center. They're full of interesting people, ideas, color, lights, action and energy. Storytelling at its height! A good feature is about the people in your community and their struggles, victories and defeats. A feature takes a certain angle (i.e. Black youth returning to church) and explores it by interviewing the people involved and drawing conclusions from that information. The writer takes an important issue of the day and explains it to the reader through comments from people involved in the story.
Hint: Remember to "balance" your story. Present the opinions of people on both sides of an issue and let the readers make their own decision on who to believe. No personal opinions are allowed. The quotes from the people you interview make up the story. You are the narrator.
Editorial: The editorial expresses an opinion. The editorial page of the newspaper lets the writer comment on issues in the news. All editorials are personal but the topics must still be relevant to the reader.
Young People's Press publishes two types of editorials:
3. Structure for your article
The structure of a news story (hard & soft news & features) is simple: a lead and the body.
The lead
One of the most important elements of news writing is the opening paragraph or two of the story. Journalists refer to this as the "lead," and its function is to summarize the story and/or to draw the reader in (depending on whether it is a "hard" or "soft" news story - See below for the difference between these two genres of news stories).
In a hard news story, the lead should be a full summary of what is to follow. It should incorporate as many of the 5 "W's" of journalism (who, what, where, when and why) as possible. (e.g. "Homeless youth marched down Yonge St. in downtown Toronto Wednesday afternoon demanding the municipal government provide emergency shelter during the winter months." - Can you identify the 5 W's in this lead?)
In a soft news story, the lead should present the subject of the story by allusion. This type of opening is somewhat literary. Like a novelist, the role of the writer is to grab the attention of the reader. (e.g. "Until four years ago, Jason W. slept in alleyways...") Once the reader is drawn in, the 5 "W's" should be incorporated into the body of the story, but not necessarily at the very top.
The body
The body of the story involves combining the opinions of the people you interview, some factual data, and a narrative whi ch helps the story flow. A word of caution, however. In this style of writing, you are not allowed to "editorialize" (state your own opinion) in any way.
Remember:
The role of a reporter is to find out what people are thinking of an issue and to report the opinions of different stakeholders of an issue. These comments make up the bulk of the story. The narrative helps to weave the comments into a coherent whole. Hint: Stick to one particular theme throughout the story. You can put in different details but they all have to relate to the original idea of the piece. (e.g. If your story is about black youth and their relationship with the police you DO NOT want to go into details about the life of any one particular youth). (Think about the five senses)
As a reporter, you are the eyes and ears for the readers. You should try to provide some visual details to bring the story to life (this is difficult if you have conducted only phone interviews, which is why face-to-face is best). You should also try to get a feel for the story. Having a feel means getting some understanding of the emotional background of the piece and the people involved in it. Try to get a sense of the characters involved and why they feel the way they do.
4. Further tips for news writing
Finding story ideas
Keep your eyes and ears open; listen to what your friends are talking about.
Read everything you can get your hands on; get story ideas from other newspapers and magazines.
Think of a youth angle to a current news story.
Research a subject that interests you ask yourself what you would like to know more about.
Talk to people in a specific field to find out what is important to them.
Newsgathering
-Begin collecting articles on your subject.
-Talk to friends and associates about the subject.
-Contact any agencies or associations with interest or professional knowledge in the area.
-Create a list of people you want to interview; cover both sides of the story by interviewing people on both sides of the issue.
-Collect government statistics and reports on the subject get old press releases or reports to use as background.
Interviewing do's and don'ts
-Be polite.
-Explain the ground rules of the interview to people unfamiliar with how the media works - this means that you tell them the information they give you can and will be published. If they do not want any part of what they say published, they need to tell you it is "off the record."
-Tape the interview (so if anyone comes back at you, you have the proof of what was said).
-Build a relationship with the person being interviewed.
-Start with easy questions; end with difficult questions.
-Read the body language of the person you're interviewing and if they get defensive, back away from the question you are asking and return later.
-Don't attack the source.
-Keep control of the interview; don't let the subject ramble or stray from the subject.
-On the other hand, don't let your "opinion" of what the story should be colour the interview. Always remember that the person you are talking with knows more about the subject than you do.
Organizing the information
-Gather your notes, interviews and research into a file.
-Review your notes.
-Look for a common theme.
-Search your notes for good quotes or interesting facts.
-Develop a focus.
-Write the focus of the article down in two or three sentences.
Writing and editing
-Remember you are the narrator, the story teller.
-Don't be afraid to rewrite.
-Be as clear and concise in the writing as possible.
-Avoid run-on sentences.
-Be direct.
-Tell a good story.
-Tell the reader what you think they want to know.
-Always ask yourself what the story is about.
-Read the story out loud; listen carefully.
Normal Steps for Journalism Class:
-Find a topic
-Find an angle
-Collect data/information
-Gather interviews
-Write the story
-Edit (make it as good as you possibly can!)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Law and Ethics Notes
First Amendment:
Five areas covered/protected in the 1st amendment;
Press, religion, speech, assembly and petition
The Tinker Standard:
1969- Tinker vs Des Moines school district
-Wore black armbands in 1965 to protest the Vietnam war. Students can't be censored as long as it doesn't "materially disrupt class work or involve substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others"
The Fraser Standard:
1986- Bethel School District vs. Fraser
-Inappropriate speech for class president
-Because school officials have an "interest in teaching students the boundaries of socially appropriate behavior" they can censor student speech that is vulgar or indecent, even if it doesn't cause a "material or substantial disruption."
The Hazelwood Standard:
1988- Hazelwood School District vs. Kuhlmeier
-Censor stories in student newspaper about teen pregnancy and divorce
-Censorship of school-sponsored student expression is permissiable when school officials can show that it is "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns."
The Frederick Standard:
-(June 25th, 2007) Morse vs. Frederick
-January 2002, Olympic torch travels through town
-Principal Morse cancels school
-Senior Frederick unveils banner across the street that reads "Bong hits for Jesus"
-Suspended for 10 days
Five areas covered/protected in the 1st amendment;
Press, religion, speech, assembly and petition
The Tinker Standard:
1969- Tinker vs Des Moines school district
-Wore black armbands in 1965 to protest the Vietnam war. Students can't be censored as long as it doesn't "materially disrupt class work or involve substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others"
The Fraser Standard:
1986- Bethel School District vs. Fraser
-Inappropriate speech for class president
-Because school officials have an "interest in teaching students the boundaries of socially appropriate behavior" they can censor student speech that is vulgar or indecent, even if it doesn't cause a "material or substantial disruption."
The Hazelwood Standard:
1988- Hazelwood School District vs. Kuhlmeier
-Censor stories in student newspaper about teen pregnancy and divorce
-Censorship of school-sponsored student expression is permissiable when school officials can show that it is "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns."
The Frederick Standard:
-(June 25th, 2007) Morse vs. Frederick
-January 2002, Olympic torch travels through town
-Principal Morse cancels school
-Senior Frederick unveils banner across the street that reads "Bong hits for Jesus"
-Suspended for 10 days
Elements of Libel:
-A defamatory statement, published to at least one other person (other than the plantiff), of and concerning the plantiff. It is a false statement of fact (opinions are not libel) and made with fault. The level of the fault depends on the status of the plantiff.
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