FIRST PERSON - A REAL EDUCATION: When a Reporter Becomes a Teacher, She Learns Something

Columbia Jounralism Review ^ | March/April Edition 2002 | Christina Asquith

[Miss Marple]

Although I was originally a geologist, I spent two years as a sub in our suburban district. Boy, did I learn a lot!!

I would recommend that ALL reporters who work on education stories do this at least! They would learn a lot!

Thanks for this very interesting story!

[backhoe]

Wonder if at least Fox News Channel would be interested.

FWIW, I just emailed a link to this to about 50 papers, talk show hosts, and columnists- including Hannity. Maybe one will pick it up.

[jackbill]

Would these be the Philadelphia schools that Ed Rendell is claiming - in his gubernatorial primary campaign TV ads - to have rescued and made most excellent?

Wasn't it the Black Mayor Street who told the NAACP or some other Black organization the other day that "We are running the city"? Wonderful.

[summer]

Professionals don't have to ask

Leisler, that sounds like good advice, but mrfixit514 has a valid point too.

There have been threads right here on this forum about the problem -- student discipline verses the inability of teachers to impose consequences. And, while sometimes that problem has to do with the inexperience of a teacher in classroom management, and other times it has to do with the fact the teacher is not a great teacher, it also has to do with the fact that teachers, unlike other "professionals" have limited protection in terms of potential professional liability. In schools, for every action, there is an equal and potential quite alarming "reaction" -- often from parents previously nowhere to be found.

This can be a very tough problem. Many here have actually experienced, and suggested, parents being required to sign waivers. In other words, in some private and charter schools, a parent agrees not to sue if a student is disciplined. However, and unfortunately, that does not exist in public schools. Consequently, it has gotten to the point that a teacher can not EVER be alone with one student in a classroom after school or during lunch to provide tutoring or extra help out of fear of what can be alleged -- even though nothing but tutoring happens. It's a very serious problem in schools -- and, IMO, one that professionals in other fields do not encounter to this degree.

That's not to let all teachers off the hook, but to let you understand limitations to a teacher's authority certainly exist -- and some students are the first ones to tell you so.

[summer]

potential = potentially

[floriduh voter]

My initial question would be "What journalism schools did the curent crop of reporters/editors come from?" Because, conservatism is on the way IN, IN A BIG WAY, and at some point, nobody will care what the current crop feels or what their view of the world is.

The journalism schools will have to adapt or risk their very survival. CONSERVATIVISM IS FOR ADULTS. LIBERALS ARE SO ELEMENTARY IN THEIR THINKING WITH IDEAS THAT ARE NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT - just check out Southpark sometime on the comedy channel. Liberals and others take a beating on Southpark. One of the characters - the principal of the school, looks like Janet Reno. Southpark creators hate liberals! LOL

I think they are going to do a movie about Dubya. They had the tv show but it was too expensive - I actually enjoyed watching "That's My Bush". Of course, that was before 9-11. Lots of stuff isn't funny any more.

[summer]

backhoe, Thank you so much. :)!

[summer]

I spent two years as a sub in our suburban district. Boy, did I learn a lot!!

I would recommend that ALL reporters who work on education stories do this at least! They would learn a lot!

What a great suggestion. Thanks, Miss Marple. And, good for you, for subbing!

[summer]

To the top with you!

Thanks, JS! :)

[summer]

It's the same problem with journalists now trying to cover the war and the military. They should first try serving some time in the USA military, and who knows: their questions may suddenly improve.

[Loyalist]

Graduating from journalism school was enough to convince me that my future did not lie in journalism.

Reading Free Republic and the insightful analysis of the liberal media's version of the news confirms the wisdom of that decision anew everyday.

[floriduh voter]

The mainscream media operates an Alice in Wonderland operation. They ran the Catholic scandal into the ground, tried to convince me that the Palestinians were freedom fighters and now if I eat potato chips, I will get cancer.

I am sure whatever career path you chose instead, you were a success because you ended up here which is the greatest think tank on the internet. I learn from other posters every day and I am a more self confident person in my daily life because of all the well thought out discussions I jump into here. At this point, I help neighbors and my mom, calling upon my background as a paralegal. I am going to count this towards my 4000 hours of volunteering per the POTUS. Helping cut through red tape for people bombarded with denials, overcharges and fine print is one of my favorite preoccupations.

That's why I am for Jeb Bush. He's a new kind of leader and that's a large part of his attraction around the state. If he could, he'd personally do something for every Floridian.

[floriduh voter]

What amazes me is that they should know by now which questions are of a classified nature and yet they waste the valuable time of D. Rumsfeld by asking them anyway.

Rumsfeld is a great guy. At least Helen Thomas isn't covering the DOD. Poor Ari, though.

[summer]

:)!

[JoeSixPack1]

Nice Post Summer. Christina Asquith sounds like a caring person and a good educator. Her previous occupation as a reporter, in my eyes, is as underhanded an occupation as a carnival worker cheating kids at the ring toss booth.

The disservice done to this country by a complacent press corps has come full circle with Ms Asquith. But nowhere in her essay does she address the necessity of a reporter to tell a true and complete story. Her previous occupation gave her more power to address the real problems that she only discovered after she enrolled in her new occupation as a hands-on educator.

This is a bit harsh, but I feel she helped create her school environment. She stated in her essay that the teachers reacted differently to her once she was one of them. And it didn't ring any bells?

People fear the press not because of the exporsure they can give, but for the slant they give to a story.
This is my slant on this one.

[baseballmom]

So many of these problems start with the homelife. I used to volunteer 1 day a week at my kid's private school in reading enrichment and the great classics series. 99% of these kids were so well behaved it was a pure joy. 1 or 2 of them were pains in the neck, and they were very disruptive. A simple word with the teacher usually took care of it. I knew the parents from the PTO and they were real pieces of work too. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree in most cases.

I lived in the city of Philadelphia at the time - and there was NO way my kid's were going to the public schools - and they were fairly decent in our neighborhood. Friends of ours who teach in Philadelphia echo this author's problem's. Late arrival of school books, no up to date materials, even paper and drawing materials and copying materials are rationed out like it was war time. And forget discipline. One teacher I know who taught (no more) second grade, was challenged by her 7 yr old student," go ahead and call my mother, bitch, we ain't got a phone." I don't think more money is going to solve this type of problem. It is interesting to note how well the Catholic schools are able to educate their students on a much less student-dollar ratio.

[baseballmom]

I should add to my previous post, that when we left Philadelphia and moved to the suburbs, we enrolled our 2 youngest in the public schools in our township. They have received a first rate education - 1 is on scholarship to college and will graduate next month !!! The youngest is doing well too - he's in 10th. Now I ask you, what is the difference between 2 school districts about 6 miles apart??

[summer]

"go ahead and call my mother, bitch, we ain't got a phone."

nbaseballmom, Thanks for your insightful post.

Yes, such "threats" from a teacher of phoning the parents do not work when: (a) there is no phone at the student's house, and/or (b) there is really no parent.

[summer]

I'm glad you enjoyed this article, Joe. I appreciate your comments.

I think what this author meant is that once she was hired as a teacher, she was immediately accepted by other teachers as one of them -- a teacher. She was not a reporter in their eyes now.

However, I believe: Although she had been hired as a teacher, she was still a reporter in her own eyes -- as most teachers do not attempt to write about their experiences as she did.

But, I understand your point -- that in some respects, she contributed to the problem of the school. And, I feel she would agree with you, too ("lame" is how she describes her assignments for the students). Thanks for your post. :)

[summer]

Now I ask you, what is the difference between 2 school districts about 6 miles apart??

Good question. I'm sure some would just say "6 miles."