Connecticut School of Broadcasting

Classes at Connecticut School of Broadcasting started yesterday and I'm digging the teaching thing. It's strange to go from being critiqued to doing the critiquing, but it's fun. Right now I'm teaching with Bob Leonard who used to work for the ABC Radio Network, and we tag team it.

Today after all the students had recorded a radio commercial about some random Harley Davidson shop and we had all critiqued them, I added something about how important it is to find that ability to really take ownership of the copy points and act like this is the most important bike shop ever and we would all be fools not to go buy at least a window sticker there. Before I knew it I had launched into some story about scrapbooking and how I don't give two hoots about it but have to imagine myself sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by hot glue guns and newspaper clippings every time I do a spot for one of the markets I record for. For thirty seconds it's earth shatteringly great to be a scrapbooker. :-) Then Bob did one of his silly voices, the lightbulbs turned on in the students' heads, and this whole teaching experience became profoundly worthwhile. Encouraging people to take something and make it their own is super cool. And this class has loads of potential. I know they'll do well.

I have found it to be embarassing when a student asks for my opinion on how to read something (where to place emphasis, inflection etc.), and then I try to read it and only get halfway through one sentence before thoroughly stumbling over my words and having to stop so I can burst out laughing at myself. The students got a charge out of it too and one of them said, "She gets paid to be on the radio?" Hard to believe, I know. When all of these students surpass my mad skillz I'll hit them up for a job.