Media Matters: Writing Conference

For High School Teachers and Students
Thursday, November 6, 2008

Download HIGH SCHOOL Registration Form Here (PDF)

Conference registration begins at 7:30am in the UMass Boston Campus Center, with workshops running from 8:30am - 1:30pm. Please plan transportation accordingly.

(Scroll down for Middle/Junior High registration forms and workshops.)

Workshop Descriptions

All workshops are 45-minutes unless noted otherwise

Teacher-Only

Hooking Students on Revision (2 hours)

This workshop demonstrates how to shift from what revision is necessary (and ignored) to how writers actually revise: by using strategies such as writing five new introductions, mapping a first draft in order to organize, or creating questions that build transitions.

Workshop Facilitator:
Barbara Ohrstrom – Writing Coach – WriteBoston
Amanda Anderson – Writing Coach - WriteBoston

Student and Teacher

The 5 W’s (2 hours)

What happened? Why? How? When and Where did it happen? Who was affected? News writing delivers straightforward facts. Learn the art of reporting them in an engaging way that hooks the reader.

Workshop Facilitator:
Kelly Knopf-Goldner – Writing Coach – WriteBoston
Angela Smith – Boston Teens in Print Coordinator – WriteBoston

 

Comedy News (2 hours)

Like reading The Onion? Watch The Daily Show? Maybe “Weekend Update” on SNL? Well, if you ever wanted to come up with timely, topical jokes of your own, this workshop is for you. Learn how to turn a phrase, craft an exquisite pun, and play on words in this fun, interactive workshop.

Workshop Facilitator:
826 Boston Staff & Volunteers

 

Don’t Print That! 20 Years in the Trenches with Teen Journalism

Donna Myrow, Editor of the student newspaper, L.A. Youth will give an overview of her experiences leading this fascinating project. Hear about the process from its start-up, recruiting teens, distribution to schools, censorship issues, handling crisis with teen writers, and more.

Workshop Facilitator:
Donna Myrow – Editor – L.A. Youth

Eat, Listen, Watch… and Write a Review (2 hours)

Have you been to a great restaurant lately? Seen a movie you hated? Spent an entire evening glued to a new video game? Want to share your discovery with the world? A good review includes expository, descriptive, and persuasive writing. In this workshop you’ll learn how to do it all--and entertain your readers! You will leave the workshop with a draft of a review and some ideas about where to publish it.

Workshop Facilitator:
Rebecca Steinitz - Editor - Teen Voices magazine

 

Fiction and Poetry Tag-Team: Writing Exercises to Unleash your Creativity

The first hour will be spent on a fiction exercise called “Jocks, Nerds and Beauty Queens: Creating Memorable Characters in Fiction.” In this exercise we will read a few brief character sketches and discuss what makes them compelling. Then we will do writing exercises geared toward character-building. Group activities and writing exercises will focus on getting away from clichés and caricatures to develop characters that live off the page. This workshop is good for short story writers, novelists and writers of nonfiction as well. The second hour will be spent on a poetry exercise called “Catching a Tiger by the Toe: Experience in Poetry.” It is often challenging for writers to find the right words to capture the right image. In this exercise, we will go beyond conventional vocabulary in order to “define experience”.

Workshop Facilitators:
Regie Gibson and Becky Tuch - Authors

 

Fiction Techniques for Journalists (2 hours)

In this fun writing workshop, learn how to bring your journalism alive and craft compelling stories using the fiction techniques of voice, character, perspective, imagery and more.

Workshop Facilitator:
Jennifer De Leon and Alison Lobron - Authors

 

From the Ground Up (2 hours)

You will leave this unique seminar with the beginnings of a brand-new story (or novel) that no one else in the world could have possibly created. For the first part of the class, you and your classmates will collaborate on building a town and community using maps and other prompts provided by the instructor. You will then begin to investigate the town’s inhabitants, zeroing in on a few that will become your character(s), and you will have some time to work on your story individually. Throughout, the instructor will guide you with tips about craft and how to create the most compelling narrative from the details you discover.

Workshop Facilitator:
Jim Scott – Author – Grub Street

 

From Inspiration to Anthology (2 hours)

This workshop will encourage students to write their family stories and preserve the legacies of those who have paved the way for them. Students will gain a fuller appreciation for untold family stories and heroes they may have been named for.

Workshop Facilitator:
Nancy O’Malley – Teacher – Boston Latin School

 

How to Sound Smart (2 hours)

Learn what goes into an interview: the research, the focus, the objectives, crafting questions and the necessity of listening

Workshop Facilitator:
Janis Pryor – Host and Producer – Commonwealth Journal on WUMB 91.9FM

 

The Ingredients that go into Producing Phantom Gourmet

Learn from Senior Producer Eric Sherman what it takes to produce the award-winning The Phantom Gourmet television show. The weekly program focuses on restaurants, food, and fun throughout New England. The show features reviews, interviews, and stories about some of the tastiest topics in Greater Boston.

Workshop Facilitator:
Eric Sherman – Senior Producer – The Phantom Gourmet

 

Interviewing 101: Before, During, & After (2 hours)

This workshop will be facilitated by nationally recognized youth-career coach and Founder of Career Coaching 4 Kidz (www.cc4kidz.com), Lynette Correa. Lynette will career coach students during this highly- interactive workshop on the do's & don'ts of interviewing, and will give successful tips for a student to be competitive during the interview process. There will be an "Ask the Expert" segment at the end of the workshop to provide students a chance to ask questions.

Workshop Facilitator:
Lynette Correa - youth-career coach and Founder of Career Coaching 4 Kidz

 

Investigative Reporting

Learn from one of Boston's best journalists, a founding member and former chief of the Boston Globe Spotlight team. Investigative reporting involves research, creativity and persistence. Find out how reporters choose the stories they will cover; how they find sources and follow leads. Hear real-life examples of major investigative stories and the effect they had when published.

Workshop Facilitator:
Steve Kurkjian – Former Chief and Founding Member – Boston Globe Spotlight Team

 

Killer Apps: How to Write a Great College Essay

For most students, the essay is the toughest part of the college application process. We’ll discuss some strategies to get you started, to get it done, and to make it great. We’ll look at a few actual student application essays – some successful, some not so much – and spend some time brainstorming and critiquing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Patrick Dwyer – Assistant Director of Admissions – University of Massachusetts Boston

 

Make Publications Come Alive with Graphics and Design

Does your publication need a makeover? Take a look at some examples of interesting and eye-catching layouts from a variety of actual publications, and learn how to improve your school's publication and attract more readers with a new design layout and graphic elements.

Workshop Facilitator:
Irene Mauch – Designer – The Boston Globe

Making the Pitch: A Workshop in Persuasive Speechmaking (2 hours)

Learn what goes into writing and delivering an effective persuasive speech, and then put this knowledge to use by crafting and presenting your own speech. This performance workshop will give you the tools and the confidence you need to win over an audience.

Workshop Facilitator:
Nina Tisch – Education Specialist – JFK Presidential Library and Museum

Mapping the Words (2 Hours)

What is the path from the image to the word? Participants will learn how to use historic and contemporary maps to stimulate and shape both expository and creative writing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Debra Block – Director of Education – Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library

 

Moving Digital: Inside Boston.com

These days you don’t have to wait to learn what’s going on – you can get the news online as soon as it happens. Hear from the editor of Boston.com, one of the nation's top news websites, on how newspapers like The Boston Globe are keeping up, by moving online, building blogs, adding audio and video, and becoming 24/7 news operations.

Workshop Facilitator:
David Beard – Editor – Boston.com

Photojournalism in 2008 and the Big Picture

With so much emphasis on video, interactivity, social websites and Flash or javascript, where does still photography fit into the art (and business) of storytelling in 2008? Using the recent success of "The Big Picture", a photography blog on The Boston Globe's website, we can take a look at the current state of photojournalism, both online and in print, where it has been, and where it might progress in the near future.

Workshop Facilitator:
Alan Taylor – Boston.com

Planning and Executing Major Investigations in High School Journalism

Donna Myrow will present case studies from articles published in L.A. Youth and guide advisors and students through the process of investigative reporting. From selecting a topic and getting the story, to putting the story together and promoting it, this workshop is a great overview of this process from start to finish. Story ideas include school problems, dating violence, and criticizing a principal.

Workshop Facilitator:
Donna Myrow – Editor – L.A. Youth

 

Political Cartooning (2 hours)

Get involved in discussions, brainstorm sessions, creative processing, free association and writing captions. All materials for this workshop will be provided.

Workshop Facilitator:
Dan Wasserman – Cartoonist – The Boston Globe

 

Politics, the Media, and You

Hear about how politics and media affect your everyday lives! This workshop will feature a panel of Emerson College Journalism students who attended this year’s Democratic National Convention.

Workshop Facilitators:
Magdalena Parker, Alison Klein, Josh Miller, and Kailani Koenig-Muenster – Student Journalists – Emerson College

 

Spoken Word: Writing to Be Heard (2 hours)

Write your own spoken word piece about a pressing social issue you do not see covered in mainstream media. Learn how to amplify your message and be heard by the masses.

Workshop Facilitator:
Edward Hegeman and Scherazade Daruvalla King - Project: Think Different

 

Sports Stories – How to Get YOUR Angle

Interested in sports and in writing? Learn how to find your own story idea and how to pursue it from a sports writer who has taken his writing and story telling skills and created a weekly radio show.

Workshop Facilitator:
Bill Littlefield – Host of WBUR’s Only a Game

Talk about TV: Media Literacy, Reality TV, and Film

Explore the past, present, and future effects of TV and film on the individual and society.

Workshop Facilitator:
Joshua Friedman and Edward Hegeman - Project: Think Different

 

Television News and Radio Communication

Dan will share his experience as a television journalist and radio news show host at WBZ-TV and WBZ 1030. He will talk about the process of developing and delivering a story and of gearing information to a particular audience. Dan will offer a special focus on the global nature of topic and audience with the broad reach of the internet and other electronic media.

Workshop Facilitator:
Dan Rea – Host of NightSide on WBZ NewsRadio 1030

Telling a Good Story (2 hours)

This class will focus on experimenting and taking creative risks in order to push our writing. We’ll work with the short story, playing with character development, setting, and dialogue through a series of fun exercises. By the end of the class, everyone will have started a short story in which new characters are beginning to come to life, speak, act, and surprise us.

Workshop Facilitator:
Sage Marsters - Writing Coach - WriteBoston

 

Tips and Techniques to Sell Ad Space in your Publication

Having trouble financing your high school newspaper? In this workshop students will get helpful tips on how to find advertising prospects and sell ads, and teachers will learn techniques to motivate students to sell ads.

Workshop Facilitators:
Donna Rice, Dwight Branch, Cindy Karalius and Debra Sheehan – Boston Globe Media

Write-Off News Story Contest (2 hours)

Participants will listen to a 30-minute presentation about a current issue. After a 15-minute question and answer session, participants will write a news story in ink (350 words or less), according to the instructions given by the moderator. Stories will be judged on style, strong leads, use of facts instead of generalizations, and other similar criteria. Knowledge of current events will be beneficial.

Workshop Facilitator:
Marie Franklin – Writer – The Boston Globe

 

The Writing Process

Writing is rewriting. This workshop will teach what the role of an editor should be, the basics of peer editing, tips for descriptive writing, how to add dialogue, using your own voice, and the differences between personal and reported story writing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Donna Myrow – Editor – L.A. Youth

Writing the Narrative (2 hours)

Learn how you will write your story of overcoming one of your challenges and, in so doing, discover your transformation within one of the experiences of your life. This workshop will get you started, step by step: defining your challenge, developing character, creating setting, and reordering time so that the deeper meaning of your experience becomes the significant message of your story.

Workshop Facilitator:
Diana Hammond – Writing Coach – WriteBoston

 

Young Sportscasters of America Presents Read Aloud to Succeed!
An Introduction to Sportscasting (2 hours)

This is an opportunity for you to create your own sportscast using the highlights of the Golden Age of Boston Sports, and the greatest games of the 21st century! YSA’s 2-hour curriculum offers students the opportunity to learn from Boston’s best sports TV talent on how to write a lead, read the teleprompter, voice over highlights, Play-by-Play, interview techniques, host a TV show, and public address announcing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Jimmy Young – Founder and President – Young Sportscasters of America

___________________________________________________________________

Media Matters: Writing Conference

For Middle/Junior High School Teachers and Students Friday, November 7, 2008

7th and 8th Grades Only

Download MIDDLE SCHOOL Registration Form Here (PDF)

Conference registration begins at 8:30am in the UMass Boston Campus Center, with workshops running from 10:00am - 1:00pm. Please plan transportation accordingly.

Workshop Descriptions

All workshops are 45-minutes unless noted otherwise.

Teacher-Only

The Writers’ Express (WEX): Habits, Routines, and Teacher Feedback that Students “Dig” (1 hour)

The key to generating a natural momentum in the writing classroom is to provide students with the opportunity to succeed by establishing a read-to-learn mindset from day one. At the core of the WEX Method™ is the close relationship it creates between teacher and students. In a carefully structured back-and-forth communication we call the “dynamic feedback system,” students write regularly in their journals and teachers respond with straightforward written and verbal comments that students crave. In this session, participants will use The Writers’ Express (WEX) classroom research to create routines and habits that lead to powerful writing, and practice giving written and verbal feedback that engages students and fuels their writing progress.

Workshop Facilitator:
Patricia Scully, Senior Program Manager/Teacher Trainer at The Writers’ Express

Student and Teacher

The 5 W’s (1 hour)

What happened? Why? How? When and Where did it happen? Who was affected? News writing delivers straightforward facts. Learn the art of reporting them in an engaging way that hooks the reader.

Workshop Facilitator:
Kelly Knopf-Goldner – Writing Coach – WriteBoston
Angela Smith – Boston Teens in Print Coordinator – WriteBoston

 

Celebrity in the Room (1 hour)

Want to rule the red carpet? Write for Entertainment Tonight? Interview the famous & fabulous? Come to this workshop, where you’ll be conducting a press conference with a mysterious celebrity guest. Learn how to ask the right questions to get the juicy details and then put it all together in a hip, punchy profile of the mystery star.

Workshop Facilitator:
826 Boston Staff & Volunteers

Don’t Print That! 20 Years in the Trenches with Teen Journalism

Donna Myrow, Editor of the student newspaper, L.A. Youth will give an overview of her experiences with this fascinating project. Hear about the process from its start-up, recruiting teens, distribution to schools, censorship issues, handling crisis with teen writers, and more.

Workshop Facilitator:
Donna Myrow – Editor – L.A. Youth

 

Finding Your Leadership Style (1 hour)

Everyone has different strengths and skills. Join us for this interactive workshop where we'll help you discover your unique leadership style! Through a variety of fun activities we'll help you discover your strengths and learn how you can become a better leader.

Workshop Facilitator:
Priti Rao - Associate Director - Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus

 

From Inspiration to Anthology (1 hour)

This workshop will encourage students to write their family stories and preserve the legacies of those who have paved the way for them. Students will gain a fuller appreciation for untold family stories and heroesthey may have been named for.

Workshop Facilitator:
Nancy O’Malley – Teacher – Boston Latin School

 

I Want My MTV: Music Videos and Media Literacy

Deconstruct music video production as you explore music video images and become a more educated viewer.

Workshop Facilitator:
Joshua Friedman and Edward Hegeman - Project: Think Different

 

I’m a Published Writer! (1 hour)

This workshop will be an interactive opportunity to learn from Citizen Schools’ staff, volunteer writing coaches, and students about the process through which writing coaches nurture the love and skill of writing with middle schools students.  The writing projects culminate with the production of Bridging Magazine, a professionally published 100 page magazine.  The students and writing coaches work through the process of identifying topics that students are passionate about and then practice the skills of drafting, redrafting, and editing to the final polished published piece.

Workshop Facilitators:
Julia Somers, volunteer writing coaches, and students – Citizen Schools

 

Interviewing 101: Before, During, & After (1 hour)

This workshop will be facilitated by nationally recognized youth-career coach and Founder of Career Coaching 4 Kidz (www.cc4kidz.com), Lynette Correa. Lynette will career coach students during this highly-interactive workshop on the do's & don'ts of interviewing, and will give successful tips for a student to be competitive during the interview process. There will be an "Ask the Expert" segment in the end of the workshop to provide students a chance to ask questions.

Workshop Facilitator:
Lynette Correa - youth-career coach and Founder of Career Coaching 4 Kidz

Make Publications Come Alive with Graphics and Design

Does your publication need a makeover? Take a look at some examples of interesting and eye-catching layouts from a variety of actual publications, and learn how to improve your school's publication and attract more readers with a new design layout and graphic elements.

Workshop Facilitator:
Irene Mauch – Designer – The Boston Globe

Percussive Writing: Bucket Drumming to Energize Writing (90 minutes)

Participants will find their natural rhythm in drumming and in writing in a Writers’ Express activity-based workshop that will jumpstart their bodies and energize their writing. Using the WEX Method ™, participants will deepen their “drumming” experience by connecting observation to emotion and using precise detail to describe their unique perspective.

Workshop Facilitator:
Marcos Santos - Percussionist

 

Photojournalism in 2008 and the Big Picture

With so much emphasis on video, interactivity, social websites and Flash or javascript, where does still photography fit into the art (and business) of storytelling in 2008? Using the recent success of "The Big Picture", a photography blog on the Boston Globe's website, we can take a look at the current state of photojournalism, both online and in print, where it has been, and where it might progress in the near future.

Workshop Facilitator:
Alan Taylor – Boston.com

Photojournalism: Every Picture Tells a Story (1 hour)

Sometimes getting the perfect picture means dealing with hostile environments. Learn how to improve your photography skills from the best in the business.

PARTICIPANTS MUST BRING THEIR OWN DIGITAL CAMERAS.

Workshop Facilitator:
Essdras Suarez – Photographer – The Boston Globe

 

Radio- The New Millennium (1 hour)

In this workshop, participants will explore the on-air production focusing on the five elements of a show. All aspects of this workshop will be interactive and educational.

Workshop Facilitators:
Dalida Rocha, Brenda Brown, Mirayah Rivera, Shayla Biggs-Russ, & Samantha Alan - GRLZ Radio, Grady Moates - WUMB

 

Swimming with the Sharks: Publishing a Student-Run Newspaper

This workshop focuses on publishing a student-run newspaper at a public middle school. Advisor & Students from the newspaper will be part of this presentation.

Workshop Facilitator:
Linda Kincaid – Day Time Advisor – F.A. Day Middle School

 

Tips and Techniques to Sell Ad Space in your Publication

Having trouble financing your high school newspaper? In this workshop students will get helpful tips on how to find advertising prospects and sell ads, and teachers will learn techniques to motivate students to sell ads.

Workshop Facilitators:
Donna Rice, Dwight Branch, Cindy Karalius and Debra Sheehan – Boston Globe Media

The Writing Process

Writing is rewriting. This workshop will teach what the role of an editor should be, the basics of peer editing, tips for descriptive writing, how to add dialogue, using your own voice, and the differences between personal and reported story writing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Donna Myrow – Editor – L.A. Youth

 

Young Sportscasters of America Presents Read Aloud to Succeed!
An Introduction to Sportscasting (1 hour)

This is an opportunity for you to create your own sportscast using the highlights of the Golden Age of Boston Sports, and the greatest games of the 21st century! YSA’s 2-hour curriculum offers students the opportunity to learn from Boston’s best sports TV talent on how to write a lead, read the teleprompter, voice over highlights, Play-by-Play, interview techniques, host a TV show, and public address announcing.

Workshop Facilitator:
Jimmy Young – Founder and President – Young Sportscasters of America