A blank page confronts every writer on deadline. Turning that empty space into an article someone might read takes more than simply hitting keys on a keyboard. Two images of a woman at a typewriter trying to find an idea. Photo illustration by News Decoder. This...
Important events are taking place around the world. It is essential that young people understand what is happening and why they should care. Photo illustration by News Decoder We believe that it is more important than ever that education be grounded in global...
Living in a globalized world means appreciating the nuance of diverse perspectives and shared experiences. Global Citizenship Education (Canva). The field of education loves its buzzphrases. Standards-based grading. Project-based learning. Media literacy education. ...
We’ve created a library of educational resources to decode climate science and face the crisis with journalism, activism and art. CO2 written on a blackboard. (Credit: Getty Images Signature) Teaching climate change is a daunting task for educators, whether for...
To get good stories you need to start with simple questions. The answers will be complicated. Reporters at a press conference raise their hands to ask a question. (Credit: Comstock) What’s your question? Journalists ask questions. Lots and lots and lots of questions....
In this piece, News Decoder editors help students develop a line of inquiry and questioning that can lead to solutions journalism. To get good stories, students should start with simple questions with big answers.
Exercise: After students read the article, have them brainstorm simple questions about the world around them that may lead to a great story. Perhaps students are curious about the options on their school lunch menu, or about why football is called “soccer” in some countries. Students should then consider who they may ask/interview to answer their question. This activity may be paired with a classroom writing assignment. If students produce a finished story, they are eligible to pitch the article to our team, with the possibility of publication on our site.
Sometimes saying yes can seem scary. But if you say no you close yourself off to opportunities. And some of them might be amazing. Photo illustration by News Decoder. “Say ‘yes.’” That’s Emma Bapt’s advice to high school students, especially girls. “I think...
It’s the serenity and commotion that I love about Spain. I must seize the day because I will never again be 17 running around a Spanish city I love. Zaragoza (Photo by Asher Lefkoff) This article, by high school student Asher Lefkoff, was produced out of News...
When the language of instruction in Rwanda shifted from French to English, I stumbled academically. My father taught me to ask for help when in a jam. The author with her father in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2008. “That was my first time in Kigali. My father had...
I have always wondered why my Mom gave me a merciless beating over a piece of meat. But that meal changed my life for the better. The author with his mother and elder sister Isata in 2009 This story won second prize in News Decoder’s 11th Storytelling Contest....
We studied together ahead of exams. What I learned about friendship and adversity at study camp in West Africa will serve me for life. At study camp in 2019 in Kpelleh Town Community, Jacob Town, Painesville, Liberia. From left to right, Teddy Jallah, Varlee Fofana,...