On 18 Jan 2006 10:54:48 -0800, "jadel" wrote:


wrote:
I've just started teaching a journalism feature writing course, and if
you (or anybody else here) is planning on writing a letter complaining
about the article, I'd appreciate it if you could send me a copy (or
post it here). I'd love to be able to hand out a copy of this story,
ask the students what they thought about it, and then show them some
critiques penned by people who really know the topic. I think it would
be an eye-opener for them, and it wouldn't require me stamping all
over their fragile egos by slashing and burning their own work.


Never mind their precious egos; it's your job.. People with fragile
egos don't belong among the cadre of ink-stained wretches.

Make the students do the research. That's what they'll have to do in
the real world.

Let them critique each other, and then you critique them. If they
snivel, too bad.


J. Del Col (erstwhile journalism teacher)

Don't worry, I plan on making them miserable, and on being as tough on
them as I would be on any professional reporter whose story I'm
required to edit.

I just thought it would be helpful to show them that:

a) so-called professionals make mistakes

and that as a result

b) people who are actually experts on a topic ridicule those mistakes,
even if they don't always send in letters to the editor to complain
about the sloppy reporting.

This is my first time teaching, so I'm still in the process of
rounding up good teaching examples, which is why I thought I would
post this request. I know what I want to accomplish with the class,
and I have some idea about how to get there -- lots of small writing
exercises, plenty of self and group critique, fact-checking each
other's work, fact-checking their work myself, required drafts and
re-writes, and a nice, tight schedule of assignments -- but I'm also
willing to admit that I'm learning on the job, and I'll take help from
whatever sources I can find.

And to get this back on topic, my phal is blooming again.
--Vic