Support for advisers

Today I attended a conference sponsored by my state organization the Washington Journalism Education Association. Students and advisers from all over the state met to listen to speakers and, most important, share ideas and discuss problems. Your state organizations as well as JEA are invaluable sources for advisers.
In your school, you are one of a kind. No one there really understands your situation. However, advisers from other schools do and can help you. In fact they are eager to do so.
Your students can meet other young journalists at these conferences and exchange idea with someone with similar interests and problems. Advisers have the chance to connect with other advisers and get lifelines to people who understand. Believe me, you make lifelong friends as well.
Please make these connections, exchange papers and ideas with other schools and lend your expertise as well as get help from others.
State and national organizations all have web sites with important links to sources of help for you and your students.
Advising is a challenge but you don’t have to meet that challenge alone.
Fern Valentine, MJE