When I was an education beat reporter, I spent a lot of time in August at office supply stores. Over the years I discovered this was fertile territory for meeting teachers as they re-stocked their classrooms for the coming academic year. The conversations I struck up strolling the aisles of bulk copier paper and hand sanitizer were often enlightening – and usually less harried than the ones squeezed in during a school board meeting or contentious vote at the union headquarters.

Talking to teachers isn’t just a technique for amplifying a story’s impact – it’s a vital component of thoughtful education reporting. On Tuesday, EWA will host a journalists-only webinar looking at innovative ways of connecting with classroom educators. Our presenters are Melissa Bailey (New Haven Independent); Molly Bloom (StateImpact Ohio); and Erin Richards (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). We’ll also get a New Haven teacher’s perspective on what it’s like to interact with reporters, and he’ll share some tips for making the most of those interviews.
 

“Adding Value: Giving Teachers a Voice in School Reporting” will be held at 1 p.m. EDT. Space is limited, so I suggest you register today.