Favorite Teacher Time



Today's session with Ken Paulson on First Amendment rights was the most pleasurable so far.  I am not a history buff, don't teach Social Studies, or know much about the Constitution, but it was very enjoyable.  He had a good mix of humor, information, and an infusion of music to keep me interested in the subject matter.  I learned through playing a game, listening to songs from historical points in time, and got ideas on how students can work in small groups to make the learning more fun.  Although my group didn't win the game, I asked Ken for a shirt and he was happy to oblige.
He considers his time with teachers his favorite presentation to do as well.  "The work you do is noble and important," he said.  The idea that Journalism is more thriving than ever is part of the reason we can include so much in our curriculum.  The learning of the craft includes:  reading, researching, collecting information, and interviewing.  Students are learning to decipher complex information, write succinctly, and communicate clearly.  That is why he considers it the best learning for anything you want to do.
Today was also my first experience with shooting video.  I managed to beat the heat and work with a phenomenal team.  We had shared opportunities with the camera, interviewing, and editing.  We devoted a little extra time after dinner to return to the lab where we uploaded our audio and video.  It is still a work in progress, but I think the final product will be worthy of praise.


Kenya Vance
Creative Communications Academy
Calumet City, Illinois