The paper and yearbook I advise are serious. They do not have a gossip column, they have an argument each and every year about the journalistic integrity of publishing "senior bests." These kids are well-trained, and know journalism, know GOOD journalism. It's not a class or a club to them--it's a lifestyle. They live it and they breathe it. They know more about it than I do. They say things like "jerd" and "yerd" and "pica" and "do you think this should be a 10 or 11 font size" and debate it for hours. They want perfection, and they work damn hard to achieve their goals.
So when some jackass comes into my room, and says "Well, I was on my high school paper" what I want to say to you (but don't...because I CAN'T) is...
"I know where you went to school, and the fact that you were on some shitty, backwards, thrown together newspaper 10 years ago, at a school from 'the other side of the tracks' doesn't effing matter to me. The fact that you can throw around the most known court case in scholastic journalism history doesn't impress me either. Your experience making a crappy, half-assed 8 page paper four times a year contemplating the lives of exchange students, the best places to go for pizza or what you did over your summer break, doesn't even come close to the amount of work these kids (you'll notice I NEVER say me) do for this paper. They work their ASSES off for this paper, and you coming in here and demoralizing them by having the audacity to compare their work to the work you did in high school is horse-shit. Please don't hand me any of your 'advice' about censoring my students even more than you already have. Please don't give me 'suggestions' about changing my critique session (which has been the same for the last 40 years, the day AFTER publication) to BEFORE publication, because you think I should read and edit every damn word. I am not an editor, I am an adviser...learn the difference--quickly."
Now, let me be clear. Journalism is awesome, and if you were on your high school publications--YOU ARE TOO! Journalism makes you smart, it makes you think critically, and I think you are great; unless by saying "I was on my high school newspaper" you REALLY mean, "I know how to do this job BETTER than you." because you fucking don't.
This is why I think you're an excellent teacher. You know what your students are capable of, demand nothing less than their very best, then give them all the credit. I think you are rare. I think your kids are very lucky, but the luckiest of all is Finn. He's going to go very far with his life.
ReplyDeleteCan't even tell you how often I have had this EXACT SAME thought process.
ReplyDeleteWell, I was on my high school yearbook and we ALWAYS ____________.
or
Well, I was on my high school yearbook and no one ever ________________.
SHUT UP.
Dear Becky, I've been studying for 2 weeks straight and was slightly depressed toady waking up and making another trip to the library. HOWEVER, reading your blog made my day. This is awesome, and your students don't know how lucky they are.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. When I was coaching HS Varsity Soccer and working with Butler's team, I would have dad's come to me and say "well, I played football....." ummmmmmmm okay? Everybody knows everything about nothing Beck!! Merry Christmas, tell Randy I say "cheers'" & I hope to see you three soon!!
ReplyDeleteWell...when I was on the newspaper AND yearbook staff in high school we did work hard and I learned a heck of a lot! Psst...I was on Paragon and Crier!! Love this post.
ReplyDelete