Page 50 - Jostens Yearbook_Adviser Guide

IN THE CLUB

While a yearbook adviser may not want club meetings to be exactly like school,
they should still seek to find a balance. Students on a club staff still need to learn
and practice specific skills. It gets tricky to retain members if the work becomes
especially challenging, but also if it is boring. Therefore, the club adviser works
with the complicated task of organizing and conducting club meetings that are
informative, productive and most of all, fun.
“COMING TOGETHER
KEEP IT FUN
The fun draws them in. Naturally the way to win the continued support of teenage
students is with food and prizes. Some club advisers provide snacks and prizes
at each meeting, while others utilize a point system that rewards students for IS A BEGINNING,
attendance at both club meetings and to cover school events.
A certain number of points earns them prizes—maybe students who attend 10
meetings in a row earn a yearbook staff T-shirt. Points might also be used toward STAYING TOGETHER
pizza or snacks. Advisers with support from the businesses in the local community
may even be able to offer gift cards as prizes.
IS PROGRESS, AND
SHOWING UP MATTERS

Tracking attendance adds to the idea of accountability. Some advisers have a
student leader in charge of keeping an attendance record, while others use an
electronic sign-in via Google sheets. Advisers who manage to incorporate a WORKING TOGETHER
feedback tool within the sign-in document better connect with their staff and
provide ideas for how to reinforce attendance or run a more productive meeting.

EXPERTS IS SUCCESS.”

In early meetings, the adviser may need to work with 5- to 10-minute mini lessons
on concepts related to creating the yearbook. Advisers using the badge system may
make a checklist for self-paced mini lessons. Students can earn points or badges. If —HENRY FORD
the adviser tracks which students have mastered which skills, the students can be
in a position to act as leaders and share that information as new staff members join.
This allows the staff to continue to remain productive, even as membership changes.

Francisco Castaneda: Pittsburg Community Middle School, KS