Indiana University School of Journalism

Home » Features » Teachers come to learn at HSJI

Photo by Gena Asher

From left, Jan Cooney of Perry Meridian High School talks with journalism graduate student Tara Bender during a workshop break Tuesday. Attendees to the teacher workshops range from longtime advisers to students who plan to enter the field.

Related Johnson to address three groups in spring (Jan. 7) HSJI wraps up teacher sessions (June 25) IDS staffers win three first place awards at ICPA (Dec. 9)

Attendees at the 65th annual High School Journalism Institute range from those with years of experience looking to sharpen their digital skills to those who still are working on their degrees with eye on publications advising as a career.

Regardless of their levels of expertise, they find common ground in their classrooms where, this week, they are learning about Web-based publications or leading student media.

“I learned more about HTML Monday than in two years of guessing,” said Jan Cooney of Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis. She’s hoping to learn enough to expand her yearbook’s website, largely just a photo gallery, to something more interactive.

HSJI workshops for teachers are in the second week. Last week’s attendees learned about digital photography while this week, teachers are learning about management of student media or how to take their student media online.

Each year, teachers from around the nation enroll to refine their skills or learn new ones. Some teachers are seeking certification credit, recertification units or enrichment hours. Indiana University is one of only three schools in the country to offer this journalism certification.

As they gathered in the Ernie Pyle lounge Tuesday for a break, they talked about their individual situations and how they think HSJI workshops can help. While Cooney is a longtime adviser, others are just starting out. Brad Perry just finished his first year of advising at Martinsville High School.

“The management class has been really helpful after just one day,” he said. “I have material I now can translate to students about the flow of work, from adviser to editors to staff.”

Photo by Gena Asher

Cooney and Victoria VerPlanck of Fort Wayne compared notes about their workshop, which focused on strategies to take student media online.

Arielle Wegbreit is a senior education major who hopes to be a publications adviser, so she’s in the management class to get an idea of the expectations.

“I don’t have anything to apply to what I’m learning, but being with experienced teachers is wonderful,” she said.

HSJI director Teresa White and instructors Dan Niles, Steve Layton and Bonnie Layton were on hand for the coffee hours, where attendees also met HSJI administrative services coordinator Linda Johnson, among others.

The second phase of HSJI begins July 11 with the first of three weeks of workshops for high school students.

Questions? Comments? Email the Web editor.