Welcome to our Ad-Free Education Blog for Tutors, Teachers and Parents

See our other articles on this series below:

• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (1): understanding the fundamentals of media
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (2): the elements of a news story
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (3): learning to write news copy (part 1)
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (3): learning to write news copy (part 2)
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (4): learning to research and identify sources of information
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (5): learning to critique the media and spot ‘fake news’
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (6): tips and resources for fact checking
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (7): covering magazines and feature stories
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (8): desktop publishing, design and layout training
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (9): photojournalism

The importance of teaching kids about citizen journalism

In this series on teaching kids how to start a newspaper, we realize the goal of these lessons is not to produce career journalists out of our students. Instead, it is to help them become media literate.

It is important, as kids mature into adults, that they understand they are being given curated and selective messages in the media. This can affect what they believe to be true, or the biases they maintain. And, this is not just about understanding propaganda like the North Korean government-controlled media. Or war propaganda, which they may learn about in history class. Media messaging can be subtly biased, without being out-right propaganda.

Today, with the advent of mobile phones and easy-to-publish tools (like online blogs), it is the citizens who can do much of the reporting of what happens. This has brought about debate; there are pros and cons to citizen journalism.

In a way, though, some of the responsibility of making information accessible now lies on us – citizens – as opposed to editors, journalists and media conglomerates.

And so, are our children aware of these issues? Are they able to discern stories that need to be told to a wider audience? Do they know when to turn the camera on, and when to leave it off? And, can they identify the difference between quality journalism, and unprofessional reporting?

Showing kids examples of citizen journalism, and how it has made a difference so far

One of the best ways to learn is by example. In your class, group tutoring session or homeschooling lesson, you can show kids how citizen journalism has affected media coverage until today.

While not citizen journalism per se, the recent 2017 solar eclipse that travelled across North America brought about a citizen science project. People everywhere could record images of the solar eclipse, and its effects, thus helping scientists gather more data. This is the type of thing you can get your students to participate in, and teach them a science lesson about it too!

This article on CNN.com gives several examples of citizen journalism, and some may resonate with kids too. And this article, about the citizen reporting of the Ferguson riots, can get kids thinking about the way in which our cameras and mobile devices play a part in democracy and civil rights.

Although, we would advise that you use caution when presenting cases to certain age groups or personalities, as they can bring about some other serious talks, which parents may want to have with their kids.

Teach kids about the limits of citizen journalism

As this article explains, our kids of today need to understand how to be citizen journalists in a responsible way. The role of journalists in the recent past was to report on events with training, and an understanding of the laws and moral implications of doing so.

For instance, kids should be taught about the difference between citizen journalism and an invasion of privacy. They also need to know the potential downfalls of publishing hearsay and rumour, as opposed to hard facts and research. They also need to understand how context changes the meaning and interpretation of a video or photo – the things that happened before and after can tell a new story. And, as we discussed in earlier lessons of this series, kids need to be taught the difference between opinion and fact – and that means recognizing their own bias too (the ones we all think we don’t have, included!).

This page of Wikipedia also explains how citizen journalism differs from other types of efforts, with similar naming. It gives a rundown of the history of citizen journalism, its uses, and its outlets too.

Finding online lesson plans to teach citizen journalism to students

We found a couple of lessons you can use when teaching kids about citizen journalism:

• The Citizen Reporter – Lesson
• Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens

To conclude: students may not turn journalism into a career, but they can still participate in media coverage as citizens

After learning the ins and outs of responsible reporting, we hope that kids can learn the importance of citizen journalism, its dangers, and its role within a democratic society. They may not turn reporting into their career of choice. But that hasn’t stopped many who contribute to society’s storytelling today, still making a difference through mass media.

See our other articles on this series below:

• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (1): understanding the fundamentals of media
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (2): the elements of a news story
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (3): learning to write news copy (part 1)
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (3): learning to write news copy (part 2)
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (4): learning to research and identify sources of information
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (5): learning to critique the media and spot ‘fake news’
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (6): tips and resources for fact checking
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (7): covering magazines and feature stories
• Teaching kids how to start a newspaper (8): desktop publishing, design and layout training

In follow up to our series on teaching kids how to start a newspaper, this lesson will focus on photojournalism.

While we are now entering into the more creative aspects of the news media industry, we can’t forget that these are not just ‘fun’ topics (but they are, so enjoy them!). Creative parts of media publication and broadcasting still affect the consumption of news by the masses, and how we perceive the importance of certain news topics. Our exposure to imagery, or lack thereof, can shape our world perception.

For example, this article explains how strong imagery of a drowned boy escaping Syria began to change political policies around the world (despite that issue occurring for several months, if not years earlier). But when Boko Haram massacres 2000 people, we know little of it, and thus the world is not as outraged. Why is that?

And, society abounds with examples of celebrity photos and their influence on our buying decisions. Think: Sophie the Giraffe, an over-priced teething toy that got popular because celebrities started using it, and were seen with it.

And so, do our young students of today understand the way media imagery can influence their bias? We talked about bias on past resources in this series, which we encourage you to read up on (see links above). Today, we will learn how to  teach kids about photojournalism, so they can understand the process that creates influence.

Learning outcomes of teaching photojournalism to students can be:

• Understanding the basics of good photography: composition, lighting, framing, cropping and so on.
• The difference between other types of photography and photojournalism.
• Knowing how to reveal emotion and induce empathy through photographic moments.
• Recognizing sensationalism, why it is used, and how to avoid it.
• Knowing the limits of photography, due to access, legalities and moral boundaries (such as taking public photos without consent, even if it’s legal).
• How photos and photo essays tell stories in themselves.
• How photos attract readership, and their ripple effects (see commentary and links above).
• How photojournalists turn photography into careers. Also, who are they?
• The technical tools used in photojournalism, and how to use them (types of cameras, lenses, software, etc. – this can also delve into a history lesson of photography technologies).
• Copyright laws and photography usage.
• The rights of photojournalists to take pictures, and how it affects democracy.
• Citizen photojournalism.

And possibly more…

See related posts on our blog:

• 4 ways in which going to the movies can be educational
• How to stir up career passion in your child
• The impact brands have on children
• 3 crucial reasons to teach art in schools

Finding lesson plans to teach photojournalism to kids:

Below are some lesson plans we’ve found to help you teach photojournalism to kids. You can adapt these, and also find ways to incorporate integrated topics or discussions.

Beginner’s Photojournalism

Composition and Photojournalism and Composition for Elementary Students

Photojournalism: A New York Times Learning Network Lesson Plan Unit

Photojournalism Scope & Sequence 18 Week Class

Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion (MIT Open Courseware)

Teaching Digital Photography to Students

Photojournalism: Lesson for Kids

Restrictions on Photographing Sports Events (while this is a USA-based article, principles can apply to Canadians too, and in different contexts, not just sports).

Transforming Students into Citizen Journalists

How Photojournalism Connects Kids and Community

A note about using tragic news photography in the classroom

To conclude, we want to let you know that some of the prime examples of photojournalism can be shocking – most especially because they depict the brutality of war victims. Above we mentioned the photo of a drowned Syrian boy that sparked public policy on the refugee crisis. To be frank, parents may not want their children exposed to the world’s perils in the classroom. These are extremely sad situations, and not all kids – regardless of age group – may be ready to see those realities. And so, before you use those types of examples in your classroom, make sure the parents know, and can speak up about it beforehand. Otherwise, use photo examples that won’t require an explanation on why the world is such a terrible place.

Last week we talked about the pros and cons of competition in schools. If you do decide to implement competitive activities in your classroom, try to pick competitions that include everyone, and keep all of your students engaged. These types of activities can be labelled as ‘healthy competitions.’ Here are 6 examples of healthy school competition ideas you can try out in your classroom:

1. Have students compete in teams

When defining “healthy competition,” the leadership notebook highlights the importance of encouraging teamwork. Obviously, team-based school competition is very valuable because it engages kids through an exciting learning environment, while encouraging cooperation. Working toward a common goal as a team could help decrease self-consciousness and anxiety, which is often found in competition settings (and one of the ‘cons’ noted in our aforementioned article about competitions in schools).

An example of team-based competition could be dividing your class in half for a game of Social Studies trivia, or into groups of four to create the catchiest rhyme for a Science unit summary.

2. Give all the students a chance to win

When designing a healthy school competition, it is a good idea to make sure everyone has a significant chance of actually winning the game.

For example, you don’t want a kid getting kicked out of a game if they get the very first question wrong, or miss a shot at the beginning of a hockey game. By including everyone throughout the competition, they are more likely to stay engaged (and excited to participate).

3. Introduce rewards, based on effort

Not every competition has to be standardized across the board. Try having kids enter a competition that is personalized for their individual strengths, as suggested by Edquarter.

This could include students picking their favourite subject, or a specific goal they want to work on. Their progress in the competition can be measured according to the amount of effort they have put into their work. You can be creative and tailor this general idea to the needs of your class, as long as the main idea is to encourage kids to try their best.

4. Have students focus on personal academic goals

If you do want to have students participate in an academic competition, Classroom suggests you should “encourage students to beat their own previous individual scores.” This is a great idea, because instead of stressing over competing against another student for the better grade, students will be competing against no one other than themselves. This way, they can only get better and better!

5. Test out competition based on chance, rather than ability

Math games are a great way to implement this healthy competition idea. For example, grade 3 students learning multiplication can pair up with two dice each. Each round, the two students roll their dice at the same time. Each student multiplies the numbers on their dice together, and whoever has the higher product gets a point. This way, they are still practicing multiplication in a fun game setting without the competition being focused on each student’s speed or math ability. Instead, it is left up to chance. This is a great activity if you have a class of students with a variety of math skills, or if you are a parent looking to play a math game with your child.

Feel free to modify any of these healthy school competition ideas to suit the needs of your classroom or tutoring group. And if you haven’t already checked it out, here’s our last article on the pros and cons of competition in schools.

See related posts on our blog:

How to teach conflict resolution to kids

7 brain games for kids

Should children join a spelling bee contest in Canada? (Part 1: the pros)

Should children join a spelling bee contest in Canada? (Part 2: the cons)

How can we teach social competence to teens?

Kids fight. It’s human nature; we have disagreements all the time, even as adults. But learning how to handle each other’s differences is no doubt an important part of life. Tolerance can keep mankind working as a unit. And let’s face it: we’re social creatures. We need each other, kids need each other, and to meet that need, we have to learn to get along. So, how do you teach conflict resolution to kids? In this article, we’ll discuss some tips for doing so as a tutor, teacher or parent.

Understand where conflict originates, and why it should be discussed in the first place

This point may seem obvious. But there are some good ways of articulating or describing conflict and its need to be resolved. For kids, getting it ‘into their heads’ might take a while. As this article states, “like violence, nonviolence is learned behaviour.”

So, follow-through may be needed, for when the lessons become applicable. When you read resources online for teaching conflict resolution to kids, you’ll see that most of them surround the real experiences kids are going through, or have in their memory. Thus, the subject requires application to be learned.

But for a teacher, tutor or parent, having this ‘talk’ with your students can reduce the amount of time you need to spend as the ‘mediator’ or ‘judge.’ Petty fights among kids can cause them to lose focus on the more important lessons you’re trying to teach, or get the whole class through. You won’t want a bunch of annoyed, disturbed and outright angry kids in a classroom, causing more disruption either.

And, as mentioned above, kids need these skills to survive on their own one day. Helping them act as independent problem solvers is a major goal when teaching conflict resolution.

Develop or use online lesson plans for teaching conflict resolution to kids

Whether paid or free, the Internet is of course, full of open educational resources you can use to develop lessons on conflict resolution with your group of kids.

In addition to ones linked to in the article above, here are some to get you started:

Many Ways to Resolve Conflict

Resolving Conflicts

Teach kids to ask the right questions when resolving conflict

One way or another, parties who are angered by conflict need to find a personal solution. Whether that solution turns into violence and more fighting, or peace and resolution depends on how they handle conflict in the first place.

Here we’ll ‘steal’ a chapter from psychologists who use the practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). CBT is a method that explores how someone feels, thinks or acts, and the reasons why. It then helps them identify solutions to those problem tendencies, for long term change. When dealing with anger, CBT is a researched, established method for making a difference in someone’s life. To use a colloquial description, think of CBT as a way of ‘retraining’ the brain.

So, why are we bringing this up? Because, conflict resolution requires a way of thinking and looking at a problem that goes beyond the initial feelings of anger. To do this, you have to challenge yourself with questions. And the more people in a situation of conflict that are willing to do this, the better.

For example, see how this site, dedicated to conflict resolution, presents questions for conflicted parties to ask themselves. Questions include even first asking if a person wants to resolve a conflict. And then, it goes deeper to next steps, such as finding a fair, negotiable compromise.

This type of conflict resolution is a trait to be learned, as seen on the aforementioned site’s summary of skills on this issue. For example, asking the kids in your class to focus on the positives, instead of the negatives. For this, they need to first see how conflict can be turned into “creative opportunities.” They also need to dig deep to find out if perhaps, the conflict arose because of unapparent ‘seed’ issues (like, perhaps they are truly angry about something else, or very tired, or ‘hangry’).

In this relationship worksheet for conflict resolution, angry parties learn skills like focusing on a problem, instead of a person. They also learn to communicate better, so they don’t further exacerbate a problem. Our experiences can tell us that most of the time, people aren’t ‘born’ to handle things this way!

Teach kids the right vocabulary for conflict resolution

When teaching conflict resolution skills to kids, you’ll come across a lot of vocabulary surrounding the subject. These one-word lines can be useful memorization aids, to give kids a ‘toolbox’ of ideas to apply when they encounter conflict in the future. You’ll find these on the aforementioned articles we’ve linked to. They include words like “negotiate,” “arbitrate,” “litigate” and “mediate.” Depending on how old the kids are which you are teaching, you may want to start with vocabulary definitions. This can also be a way to ease-in to the topics of asking students to define situations when they could use those strategies.

To conclude: kids can become their own problem solvers, if we teach them how

Finally, as a concluding word, we should mention that our teaching kids of conflict resolution should come with good examples for them to follow. The skills taught above are knowledge-based. But most of this topic involves experience, as we’ve mentioned earlier. And so, while you can teach kids any number of facts, eventually it can come down to what they see and model around them. The good news is that since conflict resolution is a skill, and not a natural-born talent, there is hope for all of us!