J School blues continued
Second year sucks ass.
I feel like the talking plant from Little Shop of Horrors, only better looking and instead of adamantly screaming "Feed Me!," I yell "Teach Me!"
Here's 2nd-year Journalism class(es) for you: (prof) "Hi, blah blah blah, my wife, blah blah blah, mm maybe, blah blah blah, do this assignment and I'll put a letter from the beginning of the alphabet on it upon its return."
Why am I here? Notice who's talking in class this year - it's the "coolies." It isn't the better students, and that's because we're mute from shock.
In most cases, I finished top of my class last year. I was so excited to start this new year, especially in our new building. But I am not bursting with fruit flavour my friends, I am disappointed beyond belief.
NO ONE IS TEACHING. I don't know it all, neither do my friends. Teach us how to interview, how to chase stories and contacts, how to handle deadline, how to edit, how to function equipment and software, how to work in teams, how to write amazingly, whether it be leads, features, short stories, beats, copy, etc. I AM HERE TO LEARN - TEACH ME!
There should be more work, more reading, and more stimulus. I admire pretty much all professors of the department, but I find they won't let me in, they won't rub any of their deep experience and knowledge off. Unless MAYBE I try to visit them during elusive office hours.
I'm lucky I'm part of the minority that has an innate talent for this stuff. So even with a lack of teaching, I can pull off a good job. But I don't really give a shit, I want to be taught thoroughly. I am spending time and money, because I expect to get something from it in the end. But if someone hires me, in any specialization, and I don't know how to do what they ask of me, I'm fired. Maybe the diploma students have it better than we...
Please teach me everything I need to know before leaving. Hit me with it all. Abuse me, overload me with info and work. I can take it. I can't take sitting idle, I can't take lack.
I feel like the talking plant from Little Shop of Horrors, only better looking and instead of adamantly screaming "Feed Me!," I yell "Teach Me!"
Here's 2nd-year Journalism class(es) for you: (prof) "Hi, blah blah blah, my wife, blah blah blah, mm maybe, blah blah blah, do this assignment and I'll put a letter from the beginning of the alphabet on it upon its return."
Why am I here? Notice who's talking in class this year - it's the "coolies." It isn't the better students, and that's because we're mute from shock.
In most cases, I finished top of my class last year. I was so excited to start this new year, especially in our new building. But I am not bursting with fruit flavour my friends, I am disappointed beyond belief.
NO ONE IS TEACHING. I don't know it all, neither do my friends. Teach us how to interview, how to chase stories and contacts, how to handle deadline, how to edit, how to function equipment and software, how to work in teams, how to write amazingly, whether it be leads, features, short stories, beats, copy, etc. I AM HERE TO LEARN - TEACH ME!
There should be more work, more reading, and more stimulus. I admire pretty much all professors of the department, but I find they won't let me in, they won't rub any of their deep experience and knowledge off. Unless MAYBE I try to visit them during elusive office hours.
I'm lucky I'm part of the minority that has an innate talent for this stuff. So even with a lack of teaching, I can pull off a good job. But I don't really give a shit, I want to be taught thoroughly. I am spending time and money, because I expect to get something from it in the end. But if someone hires me, in any specialization, and I don't know how to do what they ask of me, I'm fired. Maybe the diploma students have it better than we...
Please teach me everything I need to know before leaving. Hit me with it all. Abuse me, overload me with info and work. I can take it. I can't take sitting idle, I can't take lack.
posted by Anonymous at 1:27 AM
4 Comments:
AMEN, SISTAH!
My theory is that most of the profs are too busy jerking off over how WONDERFUL the NEW FACILITIES are that they've forgotten their purpose here is to teach. (sony stick mics, anyone?)
Okay, maybe that's not entirely true, but I *do* think at least *some* of them have fallen victim to this pervasive techno-thrall. (or maybe there's something in the ventilation system?)
There's a certain prof in particular who was my all-time favourite last year, I couldn't WAIT to have him again - but so far this semester, i'm unimpressed. He's disengaged, he's allovertheplace, he's more focused on teaching us to operate the equipment than on the KEYSTONE of the profession: INTERVIEWING! We've barely had any instruction of that nature at all, and it's beginning to make me nervous: am I just expected to naturally "know" how to do good, probing interviews with people who don't wanna talk?
Because if that's the case, I might as well just drop out of the program - - I'm hopeless.
And, Sandra? You're right about the elusive office hours. Have you BEEN up to the fourth floor at any time during the day? They have a really great "closed-door" policy here.
really, it's so WARM and WELCOMING. All these cushy new offices and no one in 'em.
*sigh* what do we have to DO to get them to reveal their caramilk secrets of journalism?
As far as I know, the faculty had no input into the architecture of the building. And the only time I've been to the fourth floor is to look at my part-timer's office - although once we get the DVD player and HDTV in our lounge that might change. Be nice, and I'll bring in my Futurama DVDs.
I know this is a very old blog, but when I read it and saw it was written by you I could not belive my eyes!!! It's me Elise. Good to see you are putting those brains to good use. I still think of you from time to time honey!
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