So, when I started this, I thought my school did a pretty good job of presenting “Knightly News” (We are home of the Knights). After viewing the Kids News Network and Tiger News, my school could definitely “step up” production. These two groups did phenomenal jobs incorporating commercials, accuracy, editing, sharing and professionalism.
Currently, our news program is not supervised by our media specialist. Our math coach and special education consultative are the ones who are responsible for the broadcast. Fifth grade students are selected by their teachers based on academics and behavior. Students who do not show up on time or are misbehaving during the broadcast are placed on “probation” for a month to determine their dedication to the job. Students have jobs and rotate: anchor, CD player, camera, and teacher laptop. The teacher laptop is used as a teleprompter. On the laptop is a PowerPoint that includes what the students are saying. This includes the introduction of anchors, day and date, pledge, moment of silence, mission statement, school motto, vision statement, character education word and definition, the daily weather, thought for the day, lunch menu, faculty/staff birthdays and special announcements.
While these students do a great job at what they are chosen to do, I believe there is room for our newscast to grow. I believe each grade levels gifted students could create character education “commercials” to share. We are fortunate to have a large gifted program and believe these students would maximize their learning by sharing with others. I believe that weekly each class in the school should have the opportunity to present what they have learned or are learning with the remainder of the school. Another opportunity I would like to offer is a monthly or bi-monthly guest reader, preferably community leaders, parents or teacher/administrators who are dressed as a character of a book.
While I know that these changes will not happen over night or in one school year, I do look forward to implementing these when I become a media specialist and plan on working with the team this year to add to the newscast.
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I too felt like my school's news was pretty top-notch until I visited these sites. I was just amazed by the PGE site! As a teacher of elementary school, I never thought this kind of newscast could have been created by students this age. Can you imagine how fun and exciting it has to be for them? And what a great learning experience! I think we should promote School News programs like this at our school, and even though they require some extra work and time, think of the benefits!
ReplyDeleteI also loved your idea of having volunteers dress as book characters, what a fantastic way to get students' interested in books! I think my students would love to watch their favorite characters on tv and would probably read more books to find out about ones they weren't acquainted with.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you that I felt that at my school, the students were doing a terrific job of presenting the Morning Announcements to the school. It is amazing what the students did for the Tiger News. Viewing these examples helped me to see how my school can improve, and possible become better at morning newscast.
ReplyDeleteThat is very neat that the Math coach and Special Ed teacher assist the students at your school for the morning news. It is also very cool that each student has a specific job.
Elizabeth Thornton
Before the budget cuts, we had Timberwolf TV at my school. This was in addition to the daily rambling of announcements over the intercom. TTV was sponsored by the media specialist and the ETSS. Most students enjoyed TTV. One year, many of the students were videotaped for responses about the contestants on American Idol. They loved seeing who would be on the TV screen each week. Now that there is no additional help in the media center and the ETSS has to share schools, TTV has become dormant. Maybe they can reinstate TTV in the future. :O)
ReplyDeleteI have to say that with all the technology we have at our school, we should have a news program. I think lack of teacher commitment is the issue for us.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, school news is a huge undertaking to get started. Then (at my school) there are the naysayers. "This is a waste of time," and "How does this relate to the CRCT?" Who would want to take on that work load and the subsequent complaints?
Gosh, I guess I am one of the naysayers!!
I found these awesome school news shows. They come from Sacramento. Spend a few minutes perusing them if you want to get some good ideas.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.secctv.org/video/
I enjoyed reading about the ideas you had to enrich your broadcasts with extra features (guest readers, different classes presenting, etc.). I would also encourage you not to worry too much about drawing comparisons between the production quality of your school news program and others.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there may be some more interesting tech tools and hardware behind the scenes of a higher quality production, I do not believe that the lessons and practice that students receive by taking part in this experience are much different than those who are involved in more simple low-tech productions. Ultimately, any quality of production requires students to be responsible users of technology and organized. Also, the production quality will not impact the practice students receive through the reading and public speaking opportunities that any school news production would offer.
Some other ideas to enhance your school’s production could include;
Interviewing staff members
Broadcasting book talks
Broadcasting special student talents
Incorporate current events (outside of school- city, national, world)