Producing Wordsmiths: School Paper Advisers’ Roles in Developing Students Journalistic Writing Skills

Abstract

The study explored the key roles that school paper advisers assume in developing students’ journalistic writing skills. This study employed a phenomenological research design to determine the experiences and perceptions of the eight (8) participants. The participants of this study were eight (8) school paper advisers in public high schools in Calinan District, Division of Davao City, and a purposive sampling design was used since the participants were chosen based on the criteria or purpose of the study.  The findings revealed that the emerging themes on the key roles that school paper advisers assume in developing students’ journalistic writing skills were instructor and content expert, constructive feedback provider, and curriculum designer. The emerging themes of the challenges with assuming the roles were using flexible teaching approaches, learning language through immersion, and seeking professional support. Lastly, the educational management insights drawn from the participants' experiences were building credibility and trust, continuing learning, and establishing positive relationships. The interconnectedness of these themes signifies a dynamic and mutually dependent relationship that serves as the foundation for successful interactions in nurturing the advancement of student's journalistic writing skills. All these emerging themes provide a framework for educational managers to support school paper advisers in this endeavor. In essence, the results generated provided comprehensive data for future research with a similar scope.