Take my class, please

I. Am. Teaching.

Actually, I hope I’ll be teaching. The lovely folks at the Bucharest Center for Independent Journalism have given me the chance to teach a course in long-form writing. We’re calling it Narrative Journalism, although I mean that in the broadest sense of the word: journalism that includes elements of narrative storytelling.

The “hope” part has to do with the fact that the class needs 12 to 15 people before it kicks off. I’m positive we’ll get the numbers we need, but still a little nervous. Teaching is something I’ve wanted very much to do upon my return to Romania. My lack of experience in teaching is balanced by my enthusiasm, which I often manage enough off to get others to care about storytelling. Which ultimately is what this class will be about: how do we go about finding and telling stories.

I think that a group of students would have a lot of fun in my class – we’d exchange ideas, talk about writing strategies and, hopefully, do those heartfelt and true stories that Romanian journalism lacks.

If you can read Romanian, an outline of what I plan to teach in the course in here.

For those interested, you can find details on signing up here.

6 Responses to “Take my class, please”

  1. Wow, that sounds great. Congrats. It’s such a necessary class. If I were a student I would sign up in no time. You’ll see, you’ll love it. With a small class, you don’t have lectures, but a friendly discussion, and you learn so much about yourself and about your students.

  2. Drept sa spun pe mine m-ar interesa destul de mult. Problema este ca nu mai sunt studenta, am studiat Arhitectura si lucrez deci nu am foarte mult timp, timpul liber fiind foarte limitat de orele foarte lungi la birou, drept pentru care nu stiu daca ma pot inscrie, cand ar fi cursul, de cate ori, in ce zi, la ce ore, etc.

    De fapt, ce nu stiu este daca m-as califica pentru asa ceva, avand in vedere interesul tangential la prima vedere. Nu am studiat nimic in legatura cu jurnalismul, cel putin nu pe hartie. De scris am mai scris dar in afara de review-uri sau scurte articole pe bloguri n-am publicat. In general scriu fictiune. Dar nu asta e neaparat important. Ma intereseaza pentru ca ma intereseaza naratiunea in general, avand in vedere ca diploma mea a combinat naratiunea cu arhitectura (narrative spaces) si ca urmeaza sa ma inscriu la un master de cercetare (la centrul de excelenta ins tudiul imaginii) pe aceeasi tema extrapoland “spusul povestilor” prin imagine in arhitectura, literatura si film, cu referire la unheimlich/uncanny. Deci, in cele din urma intrebarea mea este daca trebuie pentru inscrierea la acest curs sa fi avut vreo tangenta academica cu scrisul/jurnalismul. Personal simt nevoia de a scrie si mi-ar placea pe viitor sa public in reviste, dar scopul meu principal este pentru cercetare in vederea masterului si dezvoltarea abilitatilor personale. Studiind “outline”-ul cursului am devenit foarte interesata si mi-ar placea sa particip.

  3. AWESOME. I’d love to see you up there like good ol’ professor Kennedy. You need to get some orange socks.

  4. Last night I was really glad to stumble upon the brief article which Bradut Ulmanu wrote for ro.mykinda, promoting your class. I very much want to sign up, but there’s just one major inconvenience: couldn’t it begin at 17:30 instead of 17:00? That way I could make it in time from work:)

  5. Raluca: Thank you. The kind of teaching I got to do in grad school was more like newsroom mentoring, where I’d help reporters develop clearer story ideas. I hope I can manage teaching a class, too.

    Rhea: Nu trebuie neaparat experienta in jurnalism. Ar fi ideal ca un cursant sa aiba notiunile elementare de ce se poate sau nu se poate face cand scrii o poveste (chestii de etica si verificarea informatiilor in special), dar si astea se pot aprofunda destul de repede. Background-ul tau poate fi foarte interesant pentru restul lumii. Da-mi o adresa de contact daca vrei sa discutam mai pe larg.

    Sara: Orange socks, here I come.

    Midori: I don’t know if that can be done. Can’t your work be kind to you once a week? Or at least let you go 15-20 minutes earlier. The class will be held in the Kogalniceanu area.

  6. I’d like to join, too :). I think I need some structure and this may be just the perfect opportunity. I’ll email the people at CJI. Hope to see u in class :)…

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