Pre and Post Story Engagement (updated 6/7/2013) We are trying to increase readership through more conscious, systematic

use of pre- and post-story engagement. Here's what that means:

PART ONE Story pitch: What is the story? Why will anyone want to read it? What's the controversy or issue? (This can be just a sentence or two.) Story: The College of Education and Human Development at the U of M is currently considering partnering with TFA. Controversy: The U says its TERI model is best for training teachers (Teacher Education Redesign Initiative: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/teri/). It puts student teachers in a classroom for one year before they get licensed. **Proposed U of M partnership would train TFA recruits for 5-8 weeks, maximum, before putting them in charge of a classroom. Us Cehd staff acknowledgeds this is not a good model. Why host it, then? Would this legitimize a system the U finds fault with? There is no official plan to put in a separate 2 year TFA licensure program at this point. Think about your audience and answer these questions: Who are the primary stakeholders - people with a stake in the subject matter of your story? Teachers, Parents, School Communities, UofM students and alumni, MN Taxpayers, U of M staff, College of Ed people, TFA recruits and employees Who needs the information that will be presented in the story? MN residents unaware of this proposed partnership and the implications of it; those with more of a vested interest who may want to influence whether or not this happens. Also, people who want to know why the U would consider this. Who will be interested in reading this story? Those interested in education, policy, the U of M, along with families, teachers, etc. List individuals or groups who will comprise this audience: 1) Teachers, Unions 2) TFA leadership (based in MN) 3) Parents, U of M staff, students, and alumni (add more as needed)

Where are people talking about the topic of this story? List organizational websites or Facebook pages or other locations in the community. 1) PEJAMs Facebook page; U of M CeHD cohorts 2) MFT, TFA supporters in MN (especially within the ed reform community) 3) It has national implications, too, with attention from national figures like Diane Ravitch (add more as needed) PART TWO Assignment and pre-story engagement, part one: Right now, when the story is assigned, post on your Facebook page, something like: "I'm writing a story about [your story topic] for the Daily Planet. Let me know if you have something to say, or know someone who does." or "I'm going to this public meeting about [subject of meeting]. What would you like to find out about [subject of meeting.]" Date and message: June 14. I'm writing a story about the U of M potentially partnering with TFA to provide
training through the College of Education. Any thoughts?

2) Tweet the same message. Date tweeted: June 14 3) Send the message to us, so we can put it on the Daily Planet Facebook and Twitter feeds. Date sent to TCDP: June 14 4) Send a message, via email or Facebook message, to stakeholders, asking for their input. List the stakeholders you have contacted, the date, and their addresses: 1. Contacted Jean Quam, U of M on June 12. jquam@umn.edu 2. Contacted Bill Lundquist, Associate Dean @ Hamline on June 14. wlundquist@hamline.edu 3. Contacted TFA Twin Cities on June 14 at 612-333-1158. No one answered; email to follow up. 4. I have contacted TFA Twin Cities PR person. June 14.
jackie.primeau@teachforamerica.org

5. Contacted Megan Marsnik, MPS teacher who attended an info session abt this partnership at the U. megan.marsnik@mpls.k12.mn.us

6. Contacted U of M Cehd faculty members for their view: Tim Lensmire lensmire@umn.ed, Nina Asher nasher@umn.edu, Kendall King kendall@umn.edu 7. Contacted Donald Easton-Brooks, former ELL Dean at Hamline on June 14 b/c he is rumored to have objected to TFA at Hamline and kicked a TFA recruit out of his class. Hes left Hamline for Oregon and says he does not want to talk. www.linkedin.com/in/donaldeastonbrooks 8. Contacted MPS teacher Pia Payne-Shannon for her position on TFA in MPS. She is African American and I feel this perspective needs to be voiced. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/pia-payne-shannon/1b/743/6ab 9. Contacted Jolinda Simes. Says she knows someone with info about Hamline and TFA. https://www.facebook.com/jmsimes 10. PART THREE Pre-story engagement, part two: We want to build interest in the completed story and to reach stakeholders and interested people as you are in the process of writing. So, as you work on the story: 1) Use Facebook and Twitter and TC Daily Planet to tell people about the story-inprogress. How to do this? Share a small part of the story on Facebook (e.g., "I talked to a parent who told me that her son is very stressed and anxious, but that the school counselor said he couldn't even make time for an appointment unless her son had an IEP, or needed one. There are 800 students and only one counselor.") Or ask a question: "What's the student/counselor ratio in your school?" Write about your reporting-in-progress, and we'll publish it as a Reporter's Notebook. This could be something like: June 10: Lots of background reading about history of TFA and its partnerships with Colleges of Ed/graduate schools. Trying to find purpose for this and goals/outcomes. Read a lot about Brown Univ and the focus on urban ed. June 10: Not many know about TFA potentially partnering with U of M. but lots of teachers are concerned. Had an email from dean Jean Quam forwarded to me by MPS Teacher Val Rittler. Who else is aware of this? Asking for feedback and input. June 12: Emailed Dean Quam for her perspective/purpose for partnering with TFA. Want to know more.

June 14: Sat in on a mtg at the U with Dean Quam, Assoc. Dean Ken Bartlett, and Rob Panning-Miller. Got a lot of good information. June 14: Contacted TFA for their point of view abt the partnership. Have contacted Hamline U b/c their relationship with TFA is rumored to be ending. Why? 2) Ask the people you interview to spread the word about the story to anyone else who might be interested. 3) As you talk to people, always ask: "Is there anything else I should know? And is there anyone else I should talk to?" What pre-story engagement did you do for this story? 1) Background reading abt TFA and partnerships with colleges. 2) Teachers perspectives from FB. A good starting point. 3) FB posts asking for more info and voices. Tweets looking for info. 4) Emails to U of M, Hamline, TFA. PART FOUR SOURCE AND CONTACT LIST Individual sources: For each person from whom you get information, whether by an interview or by phone or email, list the name of the individual, organization and title, contact information for individual (email and telephone), URL for organization, Facebook pages for individuals and organizations. Name: Public Education Justice Alliance Minnesota Email: Telephone: Facebook: facebook site Organization and title: Organization Facebook page: Interview (date + whether interview is in-person or by phone) 1. Ive gotten good leads and info about what is seen as controversial about this proposed partnership. Name: Robert Panning-Miller Email: Telephone: Facebook: facebook Organization and title: MPS Teacher at South High School; former MFT president Organization Facebook page: Interview (date + whether interview is in-person or by phone)

1. Friday, June 14. Rob had a meeting at the U with Dean of Education Dept. Jean Quam at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the proposed partnership with the U and TFA. I attended this meeting in order to learn more and ask Quam some questions. Name: Jean Quam Email: jquam@umn.edu Telephone: Facebook: Organization and title: Dean of the U of M College of Ed and Human Dev Organization Facebook page: School's website Interview (date + whether interview is in-person or by phone) 1. Friday, June 14. Interview/listening session at 104 Burton Hall, U of M. 2. Email contact Saturday, June 15, for confirmation Name: Crystal Brakke Email: crystal.brakke@teachforamerica.org Twitter: @crystaldbrakke Organization and Title: Executive Director, TFA-Twin Cities Organization Website: http://www.teachforamerica.org/where-we-work/twin-cities Interview: Saturday, June 15-Tuesday, June 18 via email b/c Brakke and I were both out of town. Name: Pia Payne-Shannon Email: piashannon@gmail.com Organization: Minneapolis Public Schools teacher Interview: Saturday, June 15 via email (b/c I am out of town) Websites consulted (list): TFA Twin Cities Brown U Press Release Cehd Hamline MPR PART FIVE Post story engagement with sources, and beyond

After the story is published, send the link to all of your sources and contacts, with a note saying something like: "Thanks for talking to me about this story. If you see anything I've missed, or have any additional input, please let me know. If you know other people who would be interested, please send them this link [insert story link] to the story. And we always appreciate your comments on the story!"

Also send the link to any other people and organizations that you think might need or want the information. I sent this link to (list): Jean Quam and Nina Asher from the U of M; Bill Lundquist from Hamline; Crystal Brakke from TFA
PART SIX Post story engagement in social media Use Facebook and Twitter to tell people the story has been published. Besides telling your own networks, post on other Facebook pages where people might be interested. For example, if you have talked to people from the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, go to their website, click on the link to their Facebook page, and post a brief note saying that the story has been published (with the link) and inviting comments. I posted this story to (list): Personal FB page; CSA FB page; PEJAM FB page; Tweeted the story to my followers, and to RT Rybak, Tim Post, Diane Ravitch, Jean Quam, CEHD, MinnCAN, TFA, EdShuyster, MPS, Bernadeia Johnson, Beth Hawkins, ED MN, Achieve MPLS, Steve Brandt PART SEVEN Follow-up What questions remain? The story mentions Hamline but doesnt really address or develop this aspect. Questions remain about the nature and strength of the Hamline/TFA partnership. Broader questions remain about how TFA has impacted MN--particularly MPS--schools. What other parts of the story need to be reported? Will the U partner with TFA? If they do, what will their teacher prep program alumni say? What will TFA say? Will Quam get the program conditions she says she wants?