{"id":31,"date":"2015-05-31T05:52:30","date_gmt":"2015-05-31T05:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coverstory.wpengine.com\/?page_id=31"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:45:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T16:45:46","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/clearwaterpress.com\/byline\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About Byline"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”About Byline” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:40|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Merriweather%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”.vc_custom_1554881635386{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]\"\"Byline<\/strong><\/em> takes 9th\u201312th graders on a wild quest for stories left untold in the forgotten corners of history. As they step into the role of a 1930s-era newspaper reporter<\/strong>, students train under Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Schwabauer, who takes students under his wings to teach them everything he knows. Along the way, and before they even realize what they are doing, students learn to write great essays!<\/p>\n

Byline<\/em> combines writing instruction with intriguing historic people and events to not only\u00a0equip students with essay-writing skills, but to help them\u00a0enjoy the journey!<\/p>\n

Award-winning author\u00a0Daniel Schwabauer<\/a><\/strong>, creator of the highly-praised One\u00a0Year Adventure Novel<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and Cover Story<\/a><\/em>, fuses journalism with history in this innovative “chronojournalism” course.<\/p>\n

Your student will study the work of great journalists of the past, including:<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]\n

\u2022 <\/span>Rudyard Kipling<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Mark Twain
\n\u2022 <\/span>Nellie Bly<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Ernest Hemingway<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Jacob Riis<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>James Connolly<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>H. L. Mencken<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Jack London<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Joseph Pulitzer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/4″][vc_column_text]\n

\u2022 <\/span>Damon Runyon<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Lincoln Steffens<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Ida Tarbell<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Ray Stannard Baker<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Grantland Rice<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Russell B. Porter<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Mary Ann Shadd<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>William Allen White<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Richard Harding Davis<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/4″][vc_single_image image=”907″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Students discover the power of words to shape history!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”22px”][vc_column_text]\n\n\n\n
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Course Philosophy<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Journalism trains the mind to write great essays.<\/strong> For years, families have been asking Daniel Schwabauer to create a curriculum to teach essay writing. Byline<\/em> is his answer.<\/p>\n

On the surface, a journalism course may not seem to teach essay writing, but the truth is, the skill set required for journalism translates to writing strong essays<\/strong>. It translates so well that it can result in better<\/em> essays than those produced by students consciously concentrating on the formal essay structure. That the connection isn\u2019t obvious is a terrific asset,<\/strong> because many teens balk at the thought of essays, but get them thinking about reporting on fascinating historical events, and they are intrigued.<\/p>\n

Read Daniel’s thoughts on this in his own words \u00bb<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n

At Clear Water Press, we are known for our revolutionary approach to writing instruction<\/strong>. We turn the refrain “What’s the point of writing?”<\/em> around, training it back on students. “What do you<\/em> think the point of writing should be?” we ask. Or, to put it another way, “What do you want<\/em> to write about?”<\/p>\n

In our flagship curriculum, The One Year Adventure Novel<\/em>, we help young writers uncover the secrets of storytelling in the stories they read, watch, and write. In Cover Story<\/em>, our middle school curriculum, we harness students’ hobbies and interests to walk them through creating their very own themed magazine. There is more of storytelling in good essays than most people know, and certainly many of the skills that go into writing articles for a magazine lay the foundation for academic writing, but in Byline<\/em>\u2014in journalism\u2014we offer students a direct way to master the scariest of all assignments: the essay<\/strong>. And we do it in a fun and altogether fascinating format: We enlist the student as a “cub reporter” in Daniel Schwabauer’s own fictional newspaper, The Metropolitan World<\/em>.<\/p>\n

If your student’s essay writing skills need boning up, why not encourage your student to apply for the open position writing for The Metropolitan World<\/em>? Together, Daniel Schwabauer and your student will uncover the untold stories of the past.<\/p>\n

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Skills your student will learn:<\/h1>\n

CRITICAL THINKING<\/strong>:<\/span>
\nIf you can\u2019t think<\/em> well, you won\u2019t write<\/em> well. Writing is about putting thoughts onto paper. Observation, inference, analysis, and interpretation are essential to writing.<\/p>\n

SEPARATING FACT FROM INTERPRETATION<\/strong>: <\/span>
\nByline<\/em> inoculates students against propaganda. Propaganda isn\u2019t about telling lies. It\u2019s about creating interpretations<\/em> of facts. The student who learns to separate fact from interpretation is much harder to indoctrinate.<\/p>\n

WRITING INTELLIGENTLY WITHOUT JARGON<\/strong>: <\/span>
\nByline<\/em> challenges the common misconception that obtuse writing impresses college professors. Clear<\/em> writing is the key. No young writer should have to resort to jargon and fancy-sounding sentences. Byline<\/em> frees students to write directly and from the heart.<\/p>\n

FOLLOWING LEADS<\/strong>: <\/span>
\nWhether working to uncover a specific story on the orders of the Editor or following a lead of their own, students will discover how an intriguing detail can be a clue to an untold story, submerged in time. Byline<\/em> offers your student reporter “100 Tips<\/strong>” about notable, heroic, or bizarre individuals, each designed to be the beginning of a chronojournalism adventure. Learning to conduct research has never been more fun!<\/p>\n

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE<\/strong>: <\/span>
\nGood journalists back up their expos\u00e9s. So will your student reporter. Byline<\/em> is a great introduction to the ethics of quality citations. And you know what academic essays require? Citations. With Byline<\/em> under their belt, students will see citations for what they are: the evidence of first-class reporting.<\/p>\n

Byline<\/em> is 1 High School English credit, with the option<\/em> of earning a half History credit as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The Curriculum includes:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u2022 <\/span>72 video lessons accessed via a 12-month Cloud video streaming<\/a> (renewable)
\n<\/strong><\/span>\u2022<\/span> The Training Manual<\/em>, a reporter’s instructional book<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022<\/span> The<\/span><\/strong> Reporter’s Notebook<\/span><\/strong><\/em>
\n\u2022<\/span> Teacher’s Guide <\/em>with simple weekly summaries of what to expect from your student<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022<\/span> The Metropolitan World<\/em>, a printed newspaper of example articles <\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022<\/span> The Retro Metro<\/em>, a printed newspaper of historic pieces of journalism<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_row_inner remove_bottom_col_margin=”true”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”6px”][vc_column_text]\"\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”7px”][vc_column_text]\n

Video Lessons<\/h2>\n

All the instruction in Byline<\/em> is done for<\/em> you by Daniel Schwabauer, in the guise of the 1930s editor of the fictional Metropolitan World.<\/em> Byline<\/em> opens with a How to Use<\/strong> video and a Parents & Teachers<\/strong> video followed by 72 video lessons, each 15\u201320 minutes long<\/strong>. Students begin with watching a video lesson and then proceed, as instructed, to complete assignments in the Training Manual<\/em> and Reporter’s Notebook<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Video and audio are high quality<\/strong> and are accessible via a Cloud video streaming subscription. Watch\u00a0anywhere with a strong Internet connection, world over.
\n“Benefits of Cloud Streaming” \u00bb<\/em><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]\"Cover-Story-DVDs-cover2\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\n

Training Manual<\/h2>\n

More than just another textbook, the Training Manual<\/em> is written as a series of inter-office memos, notes, training exercises, and selected readings<\/strong>\u2014all chosen by the editor of the Metropolitan World<\/em> for the benefit of his newest cub reporter. The relaxed tone<\/strong> and inside-scoop flavor<\/strong> of the manual invites students on a journey of discovery.<\/p>\n

The Editor is there every step of the way, so students can confidently write \u201cYesterday\u2019s News Today!”<\/p>\n

Each lesson reinforces and expands on the material in the videos, and a special TIPS section in the back provides over 100 breadcrumbs for interesting story possibilities<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]\"Byline-Teachers-Guide-web\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\n

Teacher’s Guide<\/h2>\n

The Teacher’s Guide<\/em> contains answer keys<\/strong> and unit tests<\/strong>, but it does more: It provides you, the educator, with week-by-week summaries of what your student is learning<\/strong>. We know you need to support your student even if Daniel Schwabauer is doing the teaching. Byline<\/em> performs the delicate balancing act of both taking weight off your shoulders and supplying you with the information you need to follow your student’s journey<\/strong>. Each weekly summary is one page long<\/strong> and tells you what creative project your student reporter is undertaking, what that week’s key concepts are, and what to focus on when assessing your student’s work.
\n“How to Use and Grade Byline” \u00bb<\/a>
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+ The Reporter’s Notebook<\/h1>\n

\"\"The Reporter’s Notebook <\/em>is laid out to correspond to the lessons on video and in the Training Manual. <\/em>It helps student journalists separate fact from opinion and encourages observation on two levels. Good writers notice interesting details in stories and in life. But they don\u2019t just notice the details. They also notice their own reactions to those details. The Reporter’s Notebook<\/em> is designed to help student reporters interpret their findings and observations by organizing them into Questions and Answers. It is also formatted to develop good citation skills\u2014necessary for academic essays at the college level.<\/p>\n

The patterns used in The Reporter’s Notebook<\/em> reinforce the story structures and outlines used throughout the course, building writing habits that will carry over to other types of writing.<\/p>\n

+ The Metropolitan World<\/h1>\n

Byline<\/em> comes with a high-quality print copy of the Metropolitan World<\/em>. Written by Mr. S., this newspaper contains examples of every type of story required for the course. Although reading the Metro<\/em> isn\u2019t strictly required, students may find its stories helpful as models of the various techniques and structures taught in the course.<\/p>\n

+ The Retro Metro<\/h1>\n

Like the Metropolitan World<\/em>, the Retro<\/em> is a high-quality print newspaper containing models of the various assignments. Unlike the Metro<\/em>, these stories are taken from the work of historic journalists such as Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Nellie Bly, Ray Stannard Baker, Grantland Rice, William Allen White, and Richard Harding Davis.<\/p>\n

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Extra Student Kits<\/strong> include the consumable Training Manual<\/em>, the Reporter’s Notebook<\/em>, and the print newspapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Pieces Your Student Will Write:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Byline<\/em> reporters write all kinds of pieces for the Metro World<\/em><\/strong>, ranging from short press releases and news briefs of 100\u2013300 words to long Op Eds, personality features, sports stories, and narratives of 500\u2013800 words\u2014or more!<\/p>\n

Writing assignments are pegged at two different levels<\/strong>, in view of Byline<\/em>‘s wide grade range, 9th\u201312th grade. Read about the Flex Projects below!<\/p>\n

\"\"The 22 varied newspaper pieces student reporters undertake cover the following types of essays<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u2022 <\/span>Expository<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Descriptive<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Persuasive<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u2022 <\/span>Narrative<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of Byline<\/em>, your student reporter will have logged over 9,000 words\u2014probably much more! If you pasted all 9,000 words into one double-spaced document, that’s over 37 pages in Times New Roman font!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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What Are “Flex Projects”?<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Byline<\/em> may be used for any one school year in grades 9 through 12. As with The One Year Adventure Novel<\/em>, older students will get more out of the course than younger ones, primarily because they bring more life experience and a more mature understanding of people and history.<\/p>\n

To make the course accessible for younger or struggling students<\/strong>, six of the 22 writing assignments are marked as Flex Projects. This means students do not need to write the actual paper to receive full credit<\/strong>, as long as they complete the readings, exercises, and outlining included in the Training Manual<\/em> and Reporter\u2019s Notebook<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Byline<\/em> is divided into six units, with one Flex Project per unit<\/strong>. Students on the Flex Track complete 16 projects\/essays<\/strong> by the end of the school year. Older students write all 22. A reporter on the Flex Track will log at least 5,000 words, as contrasted with the 9,000+ logged by older reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Syllabus<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Byline<\/em> Syllabus with Lesson Table \u00bb<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
You may not strictly need<\/em> a syllabus or lesson planning table to follow the course, since it is self-directed, but they will be helpful if you need to<\/strong>:<\/div>\n
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