Stories - School

I am a French teacher at Rhizo Lyceum in Kortrijk. For seven years now, the students - aged about 17 - have been making a magazine in the makerspace of Jilster to show how they master the French language. The students form real editorial teams of about seven editors, with everyone getting his or her own role. Someone does the interviews, another is chief editor, and yet another does the design. They discover how important they are to each other in order to create a magazine of significance. As they present their magazine to family and friends in a press conference at the end, it really does matter.

• Mathilde

Most students find it boring to write an essay. However, writing an essay in a self made magazine is much more exciting. This way of teaching - making a magazine - allowed me to put in a lot of assignments in the area of writing skills. During the class I explained what an essay is, what an advertorial must meet and the students got writing plans. Using that information, they got to work. A new, appealing way to work on writing for students.

• Miranda

I have known Marriët for four years now. She is my best friend. We've had a lot to put up with, but with each other's support, we always knew how to pull through. Marriët is currently busy with her graduation, which is taking her quite a lot of effort. With a self-made magazine, I want to give her a shot in the arm. Marriët: At first I thought Priya was carrying an LP under her arm when she came in. She had wrapped the present so crazily. When I unwrapped the gift, I couldn't help but shed a tear.

• Priya

The Zuyd students are working 9 weeks on the magazine in the months May - June. After six weeks it’s finished and an acquisition conversation follows in which the student uses the magazine to position themselves. This conversation ensures that they know very well what they have to offer. Here they show their knowledge and skills, before they start their internship in the third year. The students really appreciate it to make something of their own. I would like to tell other schools, try to innovate in your test format. The making of a magazine is a fun, personal and qualitative way to test.

• Matthias

Laisser-faire. The pupils were given the freedom to create the magazine. The execution was more or less left to their own devices. It was asked immediately after the assignment was explained, but the pupils were not given a mark for making a French page for the magazine. The aim was to be active in the French language. Therefore, I did not pay attention to language mistakes. Otherwise the assignment would have been different. The pupils are so clever at it, they get straight to work.

I am convinced that making a magazine is a teaching approach that is interesting for several subjects. When they were ready, I put the magazines in the staff room. Colleagues were immediately enthusiastic about them. This creative way of teaching is very nice. I don't hope all my colleagues will do this too, because then I have to invent something new ;) On the open day we had the magazines displayed. Parents didn't even realise that the students had made them themselves. They think it is, for instance, teaching material. Next year, there will be a note: 'Made by pupils'.

• The Teacher

The pupils were given about six weeks to work on the Golden Age project. We explained to the pupils that we are going to do this step by step and that we have a few weeks to do it. And by keeping your own planning schedule in the booklet, things will work themselves out. The result is our own Golden Age magazine. There are such great ideas in education. By working on the magazine at home, the pupils didn't feel like doing homework. It was just fun.

• Mirjam

I am a student at the Colour & Style course. I made a magazine that serves as my final project. The result is a colourful magazine that gives an impression of my education. Soon I will open my own company 'Manon L'Eco', where I provide women with personal style advice. I am going to further develop the magazine with my own photos, so that I can use it in my own business later on. I received many positive reactions and some people even asked if they could buy the magazine.

• Manon

A teaching booklet with the most important stories about Jesus, as found in the Bible, was the guideline for making a glossy. This booklet was used in the religion lesson. In a number of lessons we dealt with the contents. The second year havo and gymnasium students studied the different stories about Jesus and made assignments about them from the textbook. The assignment was that about half of the glossy should consist of pictures. The students themselves looked for the pictures to go with the stories.

• Richtje

Making a magazine is fun because you really make a product, not just a paper report. You have to think about the layout. It has to be fun to read. That is why we, the teacher training colleges of Nature, Mathematics and Chemistry of the University of Arnhem and Nijmegen (HAN), have started to record company internships in a magazine. During this pilot, the students get to know various companies in the region and have to compile their findings and experiences in the self-made magazine.

• Hans

Farewell Jitters. I e-mail the teacher of my eighth grade class, Tim van der Knaap, about my 'top secret' plan. He thinks that a personal glossy as a farewell gift is a great idea. He thinks it would make the moment of saying goodbye unforgettable for all of us. For now, but certainly for later. Master Tim refers me to the parents' council. Off to the parents' council. There I explain my idea.... the rest became history....

• Marlies

It is the beginning of April. Without any curious eighth-graders around, the three glossy mothers meet in secret. Amidst a pile of different farewell magazines, they discuss how they are going to approach things. All kinds of ideas are discussed. Karen picks up last year's magazine for inspiration. It was made for her eldest, who left school then. Will this year's glossy be a colourful collection, a magazine like a friends' book or a 'growth of a class' magazine?

• Teacher Joke

When I heard that we were going to make a magazine, I thought 'wow'. I've wanted to do that since I was little. It was great to come up with the ideas and make it all by myself. It's very cool to have your own magazine now. I think it is the best project we have done at school so far. I wanted a magazine just like the one in the shops, with a hard cover and a glossy front. I had researched what it costs to advertise in a real magazine. I gave a copy to all the companies that sponsored me. Now my magazine is at a number of companies in Emmeloord.

• Delina