FSPAFlorida Scholastic Press Association

District 2 Workshop

December 3, 2005held at the University of Florida

College of Journalism and Communications

For Teachers and Students

We attended on Saturday, December 3 at the University

of Florida at the College of Journalism and

Communications, District 2 Workshop. District 2 covers 23 counties. Schools from Jacksonville and Apopka attended. We all had an

insightful, informative, and useful workshop for all of us.

I felt this workshop helped my own professional development through writing and teaching

techniques. My students learned many techniques in journalism writing for our

newsletter, business documents, layout, design, photo editing, and website design to help them in Business Systems Technology and Digital Designs

class.

FSPA membership is open to all middle and high school publications, broadcast programs and online media teams. FSPA also welcomes the association of affiliates -- former advisers, college faculty members,

professional journalists, newspapers, publishing companies, photography studios, radio and television stations, and any organization interested in

supporting and promoting scholastic journalism.

FSPA was founded in 1946; the Florida Scholastic Press Association is comprised of more than 300 student publications, online media teams and broadcast programs throughout the state. The primary aim of this organization is to educate, train and support scholastic journalists and their advisers. FSPA believes that the responsible exercise of freedom of expression involves adherence to the highest standards of journalism. Students and advisers have an obligation to learn and practice the legal and ethical responsibilities expected of journalists.

FSPA IS... •A support group for students involved in communications, including newspaper, yearbook, magazine, broadcast and online media.

•An organization that promotes scholastic journalism statewide.

•An organization that supports First Amendment rights of Florida student journalists.

•A network that encourages and aids local groups of advisers, student editors and staff members.

•An educational group that provides information for updating its members in all areas of journalism.

•An organization providing critiques and competition to encourage professional growth.

•A scholastic organization that promotes standards of accuracy, fairness, responsibility and integrity.

•A group for disseminating information regarding current state and local requirements for teacher certification and curriculum.

•A clearinghouse for sharing examples of excellence in scholastic journalism through newsletters, district workshops and the state convention.

•A model in scholastic journalism.

There were many sessions to choose from. The workshops that were attended by myself and several students were: Opening session given by Ted Spiker,

Touring the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications,

Introduction to Photojournalism, Every Story is a Story About People,

New and Exciting Ideas for Layout & Design, Page Design Content is First,

How to Engage Busy, Bored Readers, IN Focus,

Advisors Roundtable, and InDesign Boot Camp.

 I could write about one session, but there were many tips from several sessions that I thought were helpful to anyone that reads this. I would like to point them out.

Our first session started with Ted

Spiker, an assistant professor of

journalism and a former editor at Men’s Health

magazine, teaches Magazine Management, Magazine & Feature Writing,

Advanced Magazine & Feature Writing, Journalism as Literature, and Applied

Magazines. He is also co-author of two national bestsellers, include “You: The

Owner’s Manual and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show.

He included tips for interviewing strategies.

      When you first meet your source, relax and talk for the first five minutes, get your source to relax. Don’t jump right into your interview.

1. Get your source out their normal setting. This is called “Breaking the Divide”

      What happened next Questions…? Reporters and journalist are storytellers; get the source to tell you their story.

3. Silence, the source does not know how to react. When you pause the source will usually start talking. It needs to be a subtle pause for about 10 seconds, an awkward pause.

2. Three best questions you can ask.

      The Why Questions. This brings out emotions and feelings, allowing the source to think more and reflect more.

      Ask ST Questions…. These are superlative questions. For example, what is your best or greatest moments, what was your best student, what was your worst student, and possibly what is your most embarrassing moment? Your source will tell you a story.

      It is something you use in 1 interview and it is a one shot deal.4. Presentation of your interview.

      Transition into your interview.

  

5. The way you dress can bring your divide closer to your source and get your source to relax, make your self un-intimidating.

      Dress the way your source would dress, this establishes a bond. If you are interviewing a basketball player dress in shorts in a t-shirt, a business man dress in a business suit.

6. He compared an interview to that of a boxer.

      A boxer has a power punch with his right, he also uses his left as jabs. Use your easy questions as your jabs and do this several times before you give them you power punch or power question.      The power punch question is your hard question.

      What happened next Questions…? Reporters and journalist are storytellers; get the source to tell you their story.

7. Don’t settle on one interview, your second interview can be the best.

      The source will like the fact that you came back the second time. Showing how interested you are in their story.

      The source takes you seriously.

He noted that you need to get people to tell their story; stories should be real, opened and relaxed. After the

session he opened to questioning. The audience learned from his techniques of interviewing and asked the following

question. 

He noted he interviewed a very arrogant businessman in Delaware. He was a businessman that was very braggadocios. He interviewed him in a conference room, the businessman of course making him wait and when he arrived sat way at the other end of the conference table. Mr. Spiker pulled out all his techniques, the businessman would not give and he left without a story. He called him back and said show me your businesses and around the town. Mr. Spiker received a second interview with the businessman behind the wheel of his Porsche and ended up being the best interview he had given. The businessman was in his environment and told his story.

What was your worst interview?

It Ended up being one of his best interviews!

Wow, I thought these were great helpful hints on interviewing.

Tactics I wish I used in Bill Blanks class, when I interviewed Gayle

Manley, State Tech Prep Coordinator. I would have had a

much better interview.

I learned a great deal about interviewing techniques.

Tour of the College of Journalism and Communication

In this session we saw the many behind the scenes of broadcasting, through TV and Radio.

An interesting fact was that Bob Villa was an Alumni of UF and was on the Wall of Distinction.

They also use Macintosh computers for graphics and design.

The College of Journalism and Communications included a Knight Division that helps students with UF Scholarships and Careers. In the field of

Journalism and Communication our tour guides stressed that experience was the key in getting a job. Education is important, but experience was the

priority in obtaining a job in journalism and communications.

ROCK 104

Washington Hand Press Wall of Distinction

The Brechner Center located at the University of Florida is non-profit educational center for the Freedom of Information of Speech Center. I thought it was an interesting fact to know

that Florida has the most open government policy for Freedom of Speech.

The Brechner Center is the successor to the Florida Freedom of Information Clearinghouse, established in 1977.

The Brechner Center is a major National Advocate to recognize and lobby nationwide for Freedom of Speech.

Located at website http://brechner.org/ for more information.

A Story about a Story

 In writing a story, readers want to read stories about people, bring a

person to the top of the story. When telling a story you need to ask

questions such as:      Who cares?

      Who are the people closest to the story?

      What do they think?      Why do they feel that way?

Session stressed that a newspaper was a team effort, not just individuals. I thought this was important because that is what we teach our students throughout high school and

through cooperative learning.

Scarlett Workman, Digital Design 5 student, Webmaster, and Graphic Designer.

Marie Davies, Website Designer

      Useful      Useable

      Used

People are very visual, service journalism is action journalism. Try taking the games and quizzes out of the newspaper, most consumers will call and complain. Readers like games and quizzes. I thought

this was very interesting and correlated with how we teach. As teachers we need to also engage our students, with interesting

visuals and apply the three tips to our students as well as to service

journalism as well.

Jillian Conley,

Website Designer and Flash Expert

The methods to entice readers and I feel to

engage our students as well would be:

1.      Save readers time-Don’t overlook the value of a short story or an extended caption. Research shows most readers look at

pictures.2.      Want and need more visuals and graphics such as photos,

charts, and maps, they tell a story.3.      Make it user-friendly, help readers get the information they

need.4.      Become more personally useful. Know what topics interest your readers; consider doing a read survey. Note refrigerator journals are articles cut out of magazines and placed on your

refrigerator. 5.      Become more engaging and interactive and interactive.

Such as contest, quizzes, crosswords, and quotations.

Cyndall Pauley, 9th grade BST student, learning the

ropes.

It is important to serve our “READERS” and in our case “STUDENTS”. It takes

planning.

 

Amanda Heinz,

CHS Newsletter Editor

A quote from one speaker was

“The opposite of useful information

is useless information.”

IN FocusSession students learned to move past posed

pictures into creative photography that sets your publication above the rest.

Katherine Bowker a 9th Grade BST student took notes during the IN Focus session.

She learned that when taking pictures do not say smile or take “Cheesy” pictures, and focus on the activity while working instead of posed pictures.

 For me I noted many similarities between keeping readers

attention as well as students attention.It was all about getting the THIER attention!

In both cases as a journalist or a teacher we try to keep our READERS and our STUDENTS

ATTENTION!

CHS students attending FSPA District 2 Workshop at UF! Pat Mitchell, from The Tampa Bay Tribune

This workshop was very helpful to me as a Business Teacher in creating great lesson plans on interviewing skills, story writing,

layout, design and even website ideas.

I was very exciting about attending because I have also wanted to have my students receive recognition from their newsletter in

entering contests and now I have found the answer.

They also have many scholarships available to students and many students are unaware of them. I bring this information back to my

school as a whole. It was really great information for me.

There is a lot to Florida Scholastic Press Association and I am very exciting about being a member and learning more of how I can help

my students.

I had several students interested in going to UF and enjoyed the tour of the College of Journalism and Communications.

It gave my students a new outlook on their interests, jobs, careers, and great digital design concepts.

Last, but not least from our advisors meeting we were given

some helpful websites.One recommended website was at http://www.

poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=73952, which included many other links.

This website provides many resources for teacher. http://www.jteacher.com/

There are many resources that I look forward to using in my class. http://www.jou.ufl.edu/fspa/