Creating your own PLC

Ideas, suggestions and resources for getting the support you need as a scholastic journalism teacher/adviser

What’s Your Gig?•Newspaper? Yearbook? Online? Broadcast? All four?•Regardless of your actual assignment, it’s EASY to just be a lone ranger … don’t let yourself become isolated•So, how do you avoid the Lone Ranger syndrome?

Connecting locally•Some areas in the U.S. (Kansas City, for example) have a local journalism education support group•Not in your area? Start one! • Facebook groups, etc.• Foothill Advisers

Group•Your local newspaper

Connecting regionally•State JEA affiliates (JEANC, for example)•Regional associations (SIPA, for example)•State conventions (state convention is every other year in Sacramento; coming this October)

Connecting nationally•National Scholastic Press Association: studentpress.org

•Critiques•Pacemaker Award•National Stories/Designs/Photos/ Cartoons of the Year•Co-sponsor of JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Conventions (San Antonio in Nov., San Francisco in the spring)•Best of the High School Press

A national PLC•Mark Newton of suburban Denver created the concept•Jill Chittum is the NJPLC chair for JEA … information on jea.org•Teachers/advisers are meeting at national conventions•Standards are being tweaked to match needs of different teachers in different states

More organizations/resources•Journalism Education Association:

jea.org•Co-sponsor of the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Conventions•Conducts write-off contests at national conventions•CJE/MJE certification•Links to state organizations (JEANC)•State/regional conventions and workshops (by state JEAs)•Publishes C:JET•State and national high school journalist of the year contest (with scholarships available)•Summer workshops for advisers•The Listserve! (Now hosted at Kansas State)

Another key organization•Columbia Scholastic Press Association:

columbia.edu/cu/cspa

•Sponsor of annual regional fall and national spring conventions at Columbia University in New York City•Gold/Silver Crown Awards•Gold Circle individual awards for a HUGE variety of newspaper/yearbook/Web categories•Annual critique•Gold Key Award and other awards for distinguished advisers•Summer workshops

Still more organizations•Quill and Scroll Society:

uiowa.edu/~quill-sc/

•Annual critique, including the George H. Gallup Award•Annual individual mail-in writing contests (Quill and Scroll Writing and Photography Awards), with winners eligible for scholarship consideration•Charters available for a Q&S chapter at your school•Magazine for advisers

Pros reaching out•American Society of News Editors:

hsj.org

•Lesson plans•Free online hosting is GOING AWAY•Inexpensive source of wire content (one-time fee)•Links to scholastic press groups•Scholarships and teacher training (ASNE Institutes in the summer)

More pros reaching out•Dow Jones Newspaper Fund:

newspaperfund.org

•Sponsors the National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year•Honors Special Recognition and Distinguished Advisers each year•Publishes “Adviser Update,” a quarterly tabloid focused on the advising of high school newspapers•Lots of links to summer workshops, scholarships, etc.

More professional help•The Poynter Institute:

poynter.org

•Romenesko … now independent (stay very up to date with industry issues!)•Tons of online resources for teaching journalistic writing/editing/ etc.•Roy Peter Clark, Chip Scanlan and lots of other really terrific experts•Webinars•Professional seminars•Links to PDFs of professional newspaper pages, etc.

Some cool state sites•Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers: vajta.org

•Florida: fspa.org

•Texas Association of Journalism Educators: taje.org

•The Texas site, in particular, is chock-a-block full of resources and lessons that you don’t have to create for yourself

A few more random resources•Newspaper Association of America Foundation (now part of the American Press Institute; publishing grants):

•Naafoundation.org•J-Ideas (defunct, but still accessible):

•jideas.org•Kent State University, News Ohio (lesson plans):

•newsohio.kent.edu•Society of Professional Journalists:

•Spj.org•American Copy Editors Association (ACES): copydesk.org

When the lawyers start calling•Check with the Student Press Law Center (www.splc.org) for any statutory protection for student journalists in your state•Frank LoMonte is now your friend!

Thanks, and have a great year!•Karl Grubaugh•Granite Bay (Calif.) High•1 Grizzly Way•Granite Bay, CA 95746•Granitebayhigh.org (click departments> social studies>karl grubaugh)•916-786-8676, x5811•530-295-7007 cell•kgrubaugh@rjuhsd.us•kgrubaugh@att.net