EWA's blog about education issues and topics from a journalist's perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions from EWA staff and guests.
EWA’s blog about education issues and topics from a journalist’s
perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions
from EWA staff and guests.
Few years are as laden with
symbolic touchstones as the senior year of high school. With this
year’s graduates denied those rites of passage due to the
coronavirus pandemic — or at least the traditional rituals
associated with them — emotions are running understandably
high.
For Frances Suavillo, an immigrant
from the Philippines who is the valedictorian at Carson High
School near Los Angeles, the change in plans wasn’t easy.
Few, if any, education reporters are tackling tougher issues right now than Erica Green of The New York Times, whose stories often share a common theme of focusing on the unmet needs of marginalized students. She discusses recent coverage, including how school cafeteria workers in Baltimore are feeding an entire neighborhood, concerns about a potential federal waiver that would let districts pause services for students with disabilities, and a rare look inside a juvenile detention center where young adults are being left largely unprotected from COVID-19.
When the Seattle suburb of Kirkland became Ground Zero of the
U.S. coronavirus outbreak, the Seattle Times reporter Paige
Cornwell found her beat transforming from covering city council
elections to reporting on the most urgently unfolding story in
the country.
By Alia Malik of the San Antonio Express-News for EWA
When Nygel Turner was 5 or 6 years old, he would wake up in the middle of the night unable to breathe, with a lump in his throat.
He’d run to his father, who would put Vaseline on his chest. Turner’s father had written “breathe cream” in Sharpie on the Vaseline jar. It would calm Turner down every time.
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented demand for
high-quality news and information – and destroyed the finances of
many of the news outlets that served that demand. Luckily, a
growing number of organizations are attempting to provide cash to
journalists who wish to continue informing their communities
during this crisis.
Here’s a list of organizations offering help to journalists
during the crisis:
With most colleges and universities forced to close campuses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, postsecondary learning has moved online for millions of students. Doug Lederman, the co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed, discusses the fallout of the shift and its potential long-term implications, especially for postsecondary institutions that were already in precarious financial straits.
In popular culture, the teen years are a worrisome period when
kids can spiral downward, developing anxieties and addictions.
But Ron Dahl, who directs the Institute for Human Development at
the University of California, Berkeley, argues that adolescence
is a second opportunity to invest in children because of the
enormous brain development taking place.
“It’s a perfect storm of change,” said Dahl, speaking before
education reporters at an Education Writers Association seminar
on adolescent learning and well-being in Berkeley, Calif., in
late February.
Education reporters, like everyone else, are struggling to cope with the stress and many day-to-day challenges of life during a pandemic. At the same time, they’re working hard under difficult conditions to chronicle the impact on students, schools and families. and pitching in on broader coverage for their newsrooms.
As communities nationwide grapple with the coronavirus
pandemic, educators are struggling to provide young people with
meaningful opportunities to continue learning even with most
public schools now closed. In this installment of Word on the
Beat, we look at how digital tools are being put into quick
action for K-12 education — and how that’s creating both
opportunities and challenges for teachers, students, and
families.
Amidst the tsunami of headline-making impacts from the
coronavirus, this spring’s closure of nearly all the nation’s
4,200 college campuses could have some of the longest-term
effects.
As higher education scrambles to provide instruction and prepare
for whatever is next, “the big issue that’s out there is what
will enrollment look like in fall 2020,” says Terry Hartle,
a senior vice president at the American Council on Education, the
largest membership organization of colleges.
With more than 1.1 million K-12 students, New York City’s public schools are dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on a massive scale. While district officials scramble to close the technology gap and get computers to students who need them, teachers are getting a crash course in the “do’s and don’ts” of remote instruction.
Under the Circumstances, No Pomp for the Class of 2020
Telling the story of a senior year changed by coronavirus
Few years are as laden with symbolic touchstones as the senior year of high school. With this year’s graduates denied those rites of passage due to the coronavirus pandemic — or at least the traditional rituals associated with them — emotions are running understandably high.
For Frances Suavillo, an immigrant from the Philippines who is the valedictorian at Carson High School near Los Angeles, the change in plans wasn’t easy.
‘There Are No Invisible Children’: Erica Green of The New York Times
Veteran reporter shares insights from the national education beat, and how COVID-19 pandemic is influencing her work
(EWA Radio: Episode 236)
Few, if any, education reporters are tackling tougher issues right now than Erica Green of The New York Times, whose stories often share a common theme of focusing on the unmet needs of marginalized students. She discusses recent coverage, including how school cafeteria workers in Baltimore are feeding an entire neighborhood, concerns about a potential federal waiver that would let districts pause services for students with disabilities, and a rare look inside a juvenile detention center where young adults are being left largely unprotected from COVID-19.
One Journalist Crowdfunds for the Furloughed as She Covers the Coronavirus
Inspired by friends' kindness, this Seattle Times reporter set up a furlough fund
When the Seattle suburb of Kirkland became Ground Zero of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, the Seattle Times reporter Paige Cornwell found her beat transforming from covering city council elections to reporting on the most urgently unfolding story in the country.
Child Care for Essential Workers During the Coronavirus Pandemic? Not From Head Start.
The federal child care program is hamstrung under current law
Editor’s Note: This post was updated on April 28, 2020, based on new information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Teen Mental Health: Barriers to Treatment, Tips for Nuanced News Coverage
Don't leave your reader, viewer 'reeling' from your stories
When Nygel Turner was 5 or 6 years old, he would wake up in the middle of the night unable to breathe, with a lump in his throat.
He’d run to his father, who would put Vaseline on his chest. Turner’s father had written “breathe cream” in Sharpie on the Vaseline jar. It would calm Turner down every time.
New Grants Help Journalists Through the Coronavirus Crisis
These organizations will provide money for freelance projects, help out furloughed reporters
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented demand for high-quality news and information – and destroyed the finances of many of the news outlets that served that demand. Luckily, a growing number of organizations are attempting to provide cash to journalists who wish to continue informing their communities during this crisis.
Here’s a list of organizations offering help to journalists during the crisis:
Higher Ed Goes Remote
How colleges and universities are adapting to the new realities of the coronavirus crisis
(EWA Radio: Episode 235)
With most colleges and universities forced to close campuses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, postsecondary learning has moved online for millions of students. Doug Lederman, the co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed, discusses the fallout of the shift and its potential long-term implications, especially for postsecondary institutions that were already in precarious financial straits.
Adolescence: A Prime Chance to Invest in Learning
Youths are wiring their brains for the rest of their lives during this time
In popular culture, the teen years are a worrisome period when kids can spiral downward, developing anxieties and addictions. But Ron Dahl, who directs the Institute for Human Development at the University of California, Berkeley, argues that adolescence is a second opportunity to invest in children because of the enormous brain development taking place.
“It’s a perfect storm of change,” said Dahl, speaking before education reporters at an Education Writers Association seminar on adolescent learning and well-being in Berkeley, Calif., in late February.
Self-Care for Journalists 101
How to protect your mental health and physical well-being while covering crises like the COVID-19 pandemic
(EWA Radio: Episode 234)
Education reporters, like everyone else, are struggling to cope with the stress and many day-to-day challenges of life during a pandemic. At the same time, they’re working hard under difficult conditions to chronicle the impact on students, schools and families. and pitching in on broader coverage for their newsrooms.
Word on the Beat: Remote Learning
As communities nationwide grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, educators are struggling to provide young people with meaningful opportunities to continue learning even with most public schools now closed. In this installment of Word on the Beat, we look at how digital tools are being put into quick action for K-12 education — and how that’s creating both opportunities and challenges for teachers, students, and families.
Five Story Angles on College Admissions During the Coronavirus Pandemic
How higher ed reporters can plan for their next enrollment-related story
Amidst the tsunami of headline-making impacts from the coronavirus, this spring’s closure of nearly all the nation’s 4,200 college campuses could have some of the longest-term effects.
As higher education scrambles to provide instruction and prepare for whatever is next, “the big issue that’s out there is what will enrollment look like in fall 2020,” says Terry Hartle, a senior vice president at the American Council on Education, the largest membership organization of colleges.
COVID-19 and New York City Schools
Covering the coronavirus pandemic, remote learning from the nation’s largest district
(EWA Radio: Episode 233)
With more than 1.1 million K-12 students, New York City’s public schools are dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on a massive scale. While district officials scramble to close the technology gap and get computers to students who need them, teachers are getting a crash course in the “do’s and don’ts” of remote instruction.