EDITING, leadership and Teambuilding
When the final bell rings for class to start, the class looks to us editors. When a new staff member needs help, they look to us editors.
We lead not only by our words, but by our actions. This signifies the importance of having a strong editing, leadership and teambuilding skills.
Editing
Whether I help with finding a better quote, reorganizing the structure for better flow, checking for AP style, brainstorming a side module or assisting in finding more people to interview, constructive editing is essential to developing the first draft from the one that is published. I see the importance of talking through edits with a staff member. This is so they can see and learn from their mistakes.
The Process for Editing Stories
WHAT I LOOK FOR ON THE DOCS
While editing a story, I first read through each paragraph, so I understand the focus that the writer is trying to convey.
Then, I go back through each paragraph and make comments on what to change. This may include changing words to AP Style, changing the order of transitions, eliminating nonessential parts of a quote or ensuring that a statement is correctly cited.
Following this, I walk through some of my specific comments with the writer, so they can learn from what I am saying.
THREE EDITORS
When an editor has completed editing a story, they denote it by putting their initials in the top right hand side of the document. Typically, a staff writer must have three editors read and make comments before our adviser reads through it.
The Process for Editing the Web
WHAT I LOOK FOR ON THE WEB
As the Web Editor-in-Chief, I read through each web stories, as well as go through each post to make sure it is formatted correctly for a cohesive look. For example, the the subhead, on the left, was originally formatted incorrectly because the first letter of each word was capitalized. Since we only capitalize the first letter of the first word of the subhead, I made sure to change it before it was published on our website.
Leadership
Leadership is not something that came easy to me. My freshman self saying minimal words in my first journalism class would never imagine me being one of the editors preparing the task for each newspaper class by my senior year, but I am thankful for it. I am pleased that I have had the opportunity to lead and watch myself grow. My leadership skills in journalism have helped me in and outside of school.
The Ladder
To be a successful leader, I find organization necessary. The ladder is accessible to all staff members and is a helpful tool for them to know their assignments and what we expect from them each class period.
​
After we have brainstormed and shared story ideas as a class, myself and the two Print Editors-in-Chief create a ladder for the print issue. The ladder includes which story is on each page, as well as who is writing it.
Each person on the design team as a corresponding color to their name. Their color on the ladder represents the story they are designing.
​
The check boxes on the side of each story are for the final days of editing session before we send the issue off to print. They ensure that we spell check every name, exported it correctly and queued it up on the web.
​
The use of the ladder started my junior year when I was the Features Editor.
Due Dates
To the right of the ladder is what is due at the beginning of each class period. The editors and I plan out each class period from the brainstorming stage of the print issue to the day we send it to the printing company. This allows us to meet our deadlines and ensures us that we will receive the print copies on time.
Reminders
GROUPME
Outside of school, GroupMe is our main form of communication. It is where announcements and reminders are sent out.
Teambuilding
Looking back to my sophomore year, when I first joined the newspaper staff, I remember the entire staff going straight to their computers to start working right when the bell rang. At the time, I saw nothing wrong with this, as I didn't know any other way. Now, as an editor, I see how I wanted to change that. I see the importance of taking the time to do teambuilding activities with the staff. This is how we, as editors, set the tone that we can have fun while also working hard to create awesome work.
Question of the Day
The two Print Editors-in-Chiefs and I have a shared document with Questions of the Day. At the beginning of each class we ask one of the questions before beginning to work. I enjoy these questions because it allows the staff to get to know facts and attributes that they never may have known about each other.
Since my junior year, I have seen the progression of the staff using a check in question. It use to take the editors a long time to come up with a question. Now, we make great use of our time and have the question ready before class begins.
Emotion Charts
The editors an I have a shared drive of emotion charts. Below are two examples of them. Once a week, we choose a chart to check in with the staff to see how they are feeling for the day.
Small Groups
Staff Activity
The staff is divided into three small groups. In these groups the editors check in with their staff members to see how their stories, photos, or designs are going and what we can do to help them. Coming back from Christmas break, we did the Pringle challenge with our small group. I helped plan this activity by going out and buying the can of Pringles for each group.
After completing our first print issue and earning the SNO Audience Engagement Badge on our website, the editors decided to take a class period to celebrate and paint mini pumpkins in a Disney theme.