I've taken on teaching three summer courses.
The first one is a television reporting class. It's challenging and it's been awhile since I've taught it alone. I'm loving every minute of it.
For the first time in a long time, I find myself anxiously looking ahead as I plan my lectures each night. I look for materials, reading text and finding new notes. I recently attended a conference where I ordered a number of new textbooks and it has really been like Christmas for me, reading the new books as I've filtered through them looking for new chapters to use for my lectures.
The students are in their final days at the University. There are only 8 of them. It's the perfect number for this type of course. They are all seniors and are willing and ready to take on challenging stories. Each week they turn packages and look-lives, learn the in's and out's of the newsroom....the patience of a journalist....quality writing....how to be a multi-faceted journalist.
This week we are posting their stories to the web for the first time.
The first week of class they went to Joplin to cover the horrific aftermath of the tornado. I didn't make them go, they all carpooled and wanted to go on their own. They came back with amazing stories of survival. You can check out all of them at www.uatvonline.net.
My UATV students were some of the first reporters on the scene there in Joplin. What an amazing accomplishment for them. I'm so proud of the work they're doing and the aspiring journalists they are.
The next class ahead is new! Field Production on location from Hot Springs....I'll let you know how it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment