Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Teaching Time

So, in a couple hours, the spring semester will arrive for me. For the third spring semester in a row, I will be teaching a class on magazine journalism at Southern. While it's my third year doing it, I think it will be my first year where I incorporate this blog into the mix.

How am I going to do that? I'm not sure. But I might share some of the better articles on here, post some of the good query letters, maybe I'll complain a bit ... who knows? I'm not sure what benefit this might all have, but maybe someone will learn something, and maybe I'll be able to get things off my chest. Anyway, it should be fun. Wish me luck tonight.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck Prof. Patrick - when you do incorporate hte blog - let us know how it works....others might steal your idea. And I know at least one of your students....so I will get the real scoop on the class!

Anonymous said...

Break a leg, man.

I'm sure that the class will be as interesting, informative and entertaining way to earn 3 credits as anything I ever sat through. I'd offer that the blogs, if employed constructively, can offer the journalist and his/her readers the opportunity to exchange data and ideas in ways heretofore untried.

Twenty years ago, interaction between the journalist and his/her audience was restricted to the occasional angry or appreciative letter, or - if the switchboard put them through - phone call.

Today, we can participate in more of an exchange. Maybe the journalist learns something, maybe the reader learns something. Hey, maybe we get somebody off their sofa and away from CNN or Jon Stewart long enough to READ the news - and formulate a thought about it. I know...call me a dreamer - but I think it's a good thing.

Anyway, much luck with the class. Please just refrain from using "poop" too much. You may frighten them.