I am a new adviser and afraid: 5 pieces of advice

After my first year as a teacher, I was asked to take over the journalism program at my school. I had about 160-ish days of experience with teenagers teaching world geography and communication applications, both courses where students had no choice but to attend.

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As a former journalist who went into education with the goal of teaching journalism, I was beyond ecstatic. I immediately accepted with no conditions whatsoever. I would have taken a pay cut to get the job. All that to say the pent-up excitement bursting forth.

Then came moving-in day. I pushed my metal cart down the hall, banging against the floor and wobbling from the weight of books and supplies that I admittedly overloaded. I walked into my new classroom, full of ideas. Then, nothing.

My mind screamed, “What’s next, moron?” I had no plan for curriculum, staff nor knowledge of the administrative ropes of scholastic journalism. Real journalism was easy. Reporting inside a school had its legal and ethical quandaries I had never experienced.

Whether you’re a seasoned educator or newly minted in the world of education, being thrust into the world of scholastic journalism is simultaneously terrifying, overwhelming and thrilling. Let me be one of the first to say: You’ll be OK.

As someone who still remembers and has survived the hurdles of a first-year adviser of any student publication, here are my tips for surviving that first year. Some you might have seen in other places, but are nonetheless true.

Tip 1: Come to terms with the fact you’re a team of one

With the exception of larger schools, you will likely be on your own. This means coming up with lesson plans, prepping materials, working with staffers, problem solving, navigating budgets and administrative hurdles, all while being the only one in the room.

Most everyone else, perhaps you included, have never had student publication experience. Just know that’s OK.

For time immemorial, new journalism advisers have been in the same boat. I have had no one on campus to help me understand a concept I didn’t fully understand, or know how to translate an idea to a lesson, or rely on when I am sick to help pick up the slack with administrative tasks. It is a burden.

Coming to grips with this now will help you cope in the future. There is no denying it is a tough, complicated, maddening, frustrating job. However, as I will note, it will be one of the most rewarding endeavors you will ever have in your life.

Tip 2: Understand the material & be honest about what you don’t know

Students know a teacher who doesn’t know what they teach. It becomes apparent to students so fast, you won’t realize you’ve lost their confidence before they’re long gone.

These hormonal monsters we come to love are smarter than society proclaims them to be. They can sniff out insecurity and fakeness like a bloodhound. They might not be able to have proper subject-verb agreement, but they are socially observant.

To remedy this, there are two primary cures: learn and be honest.

As a teacher, you should want to know more about your content anyway. Teachers that don’t strive to be learners themselves should not expect their students to want to be either. However, more than the ethical reasons, understanding what journalism is will make editing, coaching and advising so much more easier. Similarly, not knowing how to teach or create lessons will render your students maddened by messy lessons or you frustrated by lack of student understanding.

Regardless of your background, be honest with the students about your experience with journalism and/or education going in. While they can spot insecurity from a mile off, they also appreciate honesty. The first speech I ever gave my class was very close to the following: “OK, y’all. Here’s the thing: I know what I’m doing. I was a journalist for a long time in school and as a job. What I don’t know is how I’m going to teach you. Things might get confusing, frustrating and complicated for both of us. However, we’re going to figure it out together. I’m not going to get mad at you for my mistakes. I just ask for understanding and patience while I work things out.”

Students respect teachers that don’t pretend to be high and mighty. So don’t act like it.

Tip 3: Set one, realistic, worthwhile goal

Two weeks into my first journalism 1 class, I had covered news values, ethics, lede writing, news story structures, and set my students off on a venture to write a story. With a feather in my cap, I started marching toward my desk. On a hunch, I asked the student if they had any questions. One, reading the instructions and looking perplexed, asked, “What is a news story?”

It was obvious I went too fast.

My expectation was to charge in head first, with my journalism experience behind me, carving out the next Woodward and Bernstein, ready to take on the world. Instead, I had a class, half-full of Ferris Buellers who caught about 1.5% of what I said.

While having a world-class journalism program is absolutely a worth-while goal, don’t expect it on year one. It is simply unrealistic and achievable. You’ll deal with a staff that doesn’t know you or your expectations. You will be weaving the ropes of teaching a complicated craft. You’ll be strained under the pressures of deadlines, money and quality.

Pick one thing you want to do that year and nail it. It doesn’t really matter what it is. Some possible goals include:

• I’m going to meet all my deadlines this year
• All my senior photographers will be able to shoot in manual
• The yearbook/newspaper will make its budget
• Students will understand the basic story formats
• I will have a staff of at least (X number)
• I will focus on story/photo/design quality this year

Setting realistic goals will lower the pressure and make life easier for you mentally.

Tip 4: Ask for help

We can’t expect our students to ask for help when they don’t understand something if we don’t do the same. Something I had a hard time coming to grips with: I can’t do it alone.

We already established you will (most likely) be alone in your process of teaching future journalists. However, that’s only on your campus. The world of journalism advising is refreshingly full of engaging, knowledgeable and friendly people who will share, give and assist at the drop of a hat. They’ll send lesson plans, critique your publication and give guidance on crises that evolve throughout the year. (Be assured they will occur.)

Some groups you might want to join:

• Your state group. Texas has the Texas Association of Journalism Educators.
• Facebook/social media groups for journalism teachers
• Columbia Scholastic Press Association
• National Scholastic Press Association
• Journalism Educators Association
• Association of Texas Photography Instructors
• Regional and local journalism groups

Swallow your pride and ask about what you don’t know. People are willing to donate time, materials and even equipment if you ask. The worst they can say is no.

Tip 5: Have fun

Ask any long-time adviser. The one thing that keeps many in the field is the students. You are the yearbook lady/guy. You are the photo teacher. You are the newspaper adviser. You are the promised land for the most ecclectic group of students on campus.

If you build a report with students and have let the fun occur within reason, it is worth every long night, tear-filled conference period, and anxiety riddled night.

Journalism is hard. You have to be a combination writer, reporter, editor, designer, photographer, marketer, business person, accountant, social media influencer, expert in everything, and so much more. You are one of the only jobs protected in the Constitution. That’s astonishing and a profound responsibility. But that’s all the more reason to let your hair down and enjoy the ride. I’m still working on that myself.

On my birthday, which I have never really celebrated as it isn’t that special of an event for me, my students surprised me with a cake, hats, and a generally good time. I never told them my birthday was coming up, what kind of cake I like, nor that I wanted anything. In fact, most kids were surprised to learn of my birthday after the fact. But I was touched. My yearbook staff all wore green (in honor of my last name) and cardigans (a fashion statement I am known for as most other male teachers don’t don them) en masse. These are the students who won’t participate in school spirit days, but they’ll honor me. Wow.

You are their person. You’re a confidante, counselor, educator, business leader, editor, publisher, teacher, administrator, enforcer, and so much more. But to the kids, you make their day better.

Don’t forget that and enjoy it.