Adviser Testimonials
Diane Schieffer
Elkhorn High School
Yearbook Adviser
NHSPA Summer Camp Director
Member of NHSPA, JEA
16 years teaching
7 years teaching/advising Yearbook
BA in Language Arts Education. I DID have journalism classes in college because a language arts endorsement requires that. I also was on the yearbook staff in my own high school for two years. I didn’t anticipate being a yearbook adviser ever, though. I was a speech coach for most of my career until I came to my current school.
Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction in 2008.
1. If no formal journalism education, how did you get started teaching journalism?
Though I did have some journalism classes in college, I got started teaching this class because I was hired, and they told me I was doing yearbook. So then I found out that there was such a thing as COMPETITIVE journalism, and my world opened up to something new.
2. What has been the biggest struggle(s) you’ve encountered while advising?
My biggest struggles advising is managing time. Sometimes I just have SO much stuff to do, and I get OCYD. Obsessive Compulsive Yearbook Disorder. I feel like I personally have sacrificed time and health to create a book, and I don’t know how to manage that.
3. What resources (if any) do you frequently use and/or rely on in your classroom?
I don’t utilize any books. I pretty just have my own way or doing things, and I have set organizational practices that are routine.
4. What would have better prepared you for teaching and advising journalism classes and programs?
I don’t know. I honestly think that I have to jump in and just go when I am doing something unfamiliar. I don’t need extra prep. I just can learn as I go. I will say having a network of people help me is key.
Sarah Crotzer
Millard North High School
Newspaper Adviser - Hoofbeat
Yearbook Adviser - Stampede
Member of NHSPA, JEA
16 years teaching
10 years teaching/advising Yearbook & Newspaper
BA in Journalism Education with a minor in teaching English from The University
of Iowa.
Master’s in Instructional Technology from Peru State College
1. What has been the biggest struggle(s) you’ve encountered while advising?
Producing high quality work while managing two publications (and teaching 2-3 other
preps.), in addition to incorporating technology such as a website and social media. I’ve
also struggled with the contradiction between the Free Press, and my students not
being allowed to print their articles, although this has improved as I have gained more trust
with my principal and district administrators. I also struggle now with recruiting students
because there are so many activities that I compete with, including IB. Students sometimes
have huge scheduling conflicts with IB classes, so they can’t do publications, which is
very frustrating.
2. What resources (if any) do you frequently use and/or rely on in your classroom?
Google Docs are extremely important right now, especially in newspaper, because it is how we are in constant communication with each other. I use Remind app a lot to text students. Of course Adobe Suite and Online Design are important for production. I don’t rely heavily on textbooks but I do like Tim Harrower’s textbooks.
3. What would have better prepared you for teaching and advising journalism classes and programs? I think being immersed in it is extremely important, which you don’t really get until you are in your first year advising. Technology keeps changing; most of the technology that exists now didn’t when I was in training, so I’m not sure if that is important. I think more training on Design would have helped me, or organizing a staff, organizing materials such as cameras, etc.
Hillary DeVoss
Omaha North High School
Newspaper Adviser
Yearbook Adviser
14 years teaching
14 years teaching/advising Yearbook & Newspaper
Member of NHSPA, JEA, NSPA
BA in Journalism
M.Ed. in Secondary Education
1. What resources (if any) do you frequently use and/or rely on in your classroom?
Personal money, my PowerPoint knowledge and an overhead projector
2. What would have better prepared you for teaching and advising journalism classes and programs?
Maybe an additional semester of student teaching. Looking back, I was ridiculously unprepared. (To be fair, I still feel unprepared on a typical day.)
