Covid-19 has brought the world to a standstill, and has changed the way that we do just about everything. This time has been especially hard for students, since remote learning can be difficult to emotionally invest in and stay on top of. Your yearbook team is no exception to this – everyone is trying to acclimate, and yearbook advisors everywhere are having to find new and creative ways of motivating their yearbook staff. Below is the story of yearbook advisor Joon Kim, who has some advice for other advisors.
Never Give Up
There was a point where Joon realized that this way of doing things wasn’t working, and that he needed to change the way he held his students accountable.
Joon reports that he wanted to give up on the yearbook because, after him and his team went into quarantine on March 13th, they all lost motivation. His team found it hard to do work – the kids were getting stressed, and he’d tell them “Okay, we need to have this project done by next week,” but then they wouldn’t do it. There was a point where Joon realized that this way of doing things wasn’t working, and that he needed to change the way he held his students accountable. So, what they did was they met every day for three weeks from 9pm to 2am. Contrary to what you may be thinking, it was actually productive! What the students really needed was a designated time to work on the yearbook as a team.
In this way, Joon suggests that yearbook advisors have a specific time dedicated to working on the book, since a lack of structure, schedule, and accountability could prove to be too overwhelming for your team. We hope that this advice is helpful! If you want to read more stories and suggestions from advisors like Joon, let us know and we will make it a series!
Alyse Mgrdichian, Senior Editor
Alyse Mgrdichian holds a B.A. from Biola University, having majored in psychology and minored in philosophy. She is a senior editor for TSE Worldwide Press, the parent company of United Yearbook Printing, and she applies her expertise and love of stories to the role.
Joon Kim, Content Contributor: Yearbook Advisor at Garden Grove High School, Garden Grove, CA