Transformational Journalism Esther Wojcicki Carnegie Foundation CASTL Scholar Palo Alto High School Palo Alto,CA

The Scholarship of Teaching involves two aspects — 1. Making the ‘invisible’ visible 2. Passing the findings on to other educators

1984 Journalism program Beginning Journalism—18 students Beginning Journalism—18 students Advanced Journalism—19 students Advanced Journalism—19 students 6-8 page newspaper 6-8 page newspaper Typed up on a typewriter Typed up on a typewriter Pasted up with wax Pasted up with wax Adviser functions as teacher Adviser functions as teacher

Journalism Programs 2002 Beginning Journalism Newspaper Journalism Magazine Journalism Broadcast Journalism Web Journalism 250 students Use PageMaker Files sent on Internet Student run program Adviser acts as coach Journalism students accepting Time Magazine Best of Nation Award 2002

Transformational Journalism Supportive CULTURE Community STRUCTURE Strong CURRICULUM

Classroom Culture Gauge Required for an effective learning community-- Shared Power High Expectations Mutual Trust Mutual Respect Authentic Work

Shared Power Students help determine lesson plans Students help determine lesson plans Students teach on a regular basis Students teach on a regular basis Students help run the class Students help run the class Students determine story ideas Students determine story ideas Students edit each other’s work Students edit each other’s work Students make final decisions about what to include in the paper based on standards learned in beginning class. Students make final decisions about what to include in the paper based on standards learned in beginning class.

High Expectations Use New York Times daily. Use New York Times daily. Use Time Magazine weekly. Use Time Magazine weekly. Students revise until they get an A. Students revise until they get an A. Regularly ask for student input on local and national issues. Regularly ask for student input on local and national issues. Compare them to the best and expect them to do as well or better. Compare them to the best and expect them to do as well or better.

Mutual Trust Give students a responsibility and count on them to do it. Rarely bail them out. Give students a responsibility and count on them to do it. Rarely bail them out. Respect their confidence on all levels Respect their confidence on all levels If they give me an excuse, I trust them to tell the truth. If they give me an excuse, I trust them to tell the truth. Do special favors to help students. Do special favors to help students. Expect them to do favors for me. Expect them to do favors for me. Write extra stories, stay late, take photos. Write extra stories, stay late, take photos.

Authentic Work Write for a real audience. Write for a real audience. Produce a newspaper, magazine or website. Produce a newspaper, magazine or website. Write for local newspapers. Write for local newspapers. Write letters to editor of local papers. Write letters to editor of local papers. Speakers include writers & editors of local & national publications Speakers include writers & editors of local & national publications

Outcomes Student self confidence skyrockets. Student self confidence skyrockets. Students love school—they don’t want to leave (can also be a problem). Students love school—they don’t want to leave (can also be a problem). Students feel connected to each other, to school, and to broader community. Students feel connected to each other, to school, and to broader community. Interdisciplinary aspect positively impacts student performance in other subjects— Interdisciplinary aspect positively impacts student performance in other subjects— Students have developed excellent people skills. Students have developed excellent people skills.

Questions Will it work in other settings? Will it work in other settings? Middle schools, elementary schools? Middle schools, elementary schools? Diverse student populations? Diverse student populations? Can other teachers learn how to do it? Can other teachers learn how to do it? Why should other teachers want to do it? Why should other teachers want to do it? These are questions for further research. These are questions for further research.

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Acknowledgements Dr. Kim Austin, Stanford University Dr. Kim Austin, Stanford University Dr. Desiree Pointer, Carnegie Foundation Dr. Desiree Pointer, Carnegie Foundation Dr. Ann Lieberman, Carnegie Foundation Dr. Ann Lieberman, Carnegie Foundation James Morgan, Carnegie Foundation James Morgan, Carnegie Foundation Dilruba Ahmed, Carnegie Foundation Dilruba Ahmed, Carnegie Foundation Carnegie Foundation Staff Carnegie Foundation Staff