Blogtrotter

ESL@FIDM

Well, it's called "Writing Skills GNST 400," but it's a five-week, six-hour crash course in developing students' ability to comprehend advanced grammar and create short essays. Although the intricacies of English compressed into 8:30--2:30 Saturdays in a chilly, flourescent, and hissing classroom overwhelmed both me and my fifteen students, many of whom you can see here, they all survived the all-day final (first a 100-question test and then an in-class essay) and most of my charges still smile. A dozen are Korean, one Indian, one Japanese, and one Vietnamese. Yes, there were two young men in the class, but one is obscured in the shot and the other must be off camera. I don't get to wear jeans at my "regular" teaching gig; this is the first time I did for this final class meeting, so pardon my sartorial lapse. The photo opportunity was a last-minute surprise to end the day and the course. I am fifth from left, in case you were wondering.

Yoojoung Park, who took this picture (and somehow turned up second from right), showed me a portfolio she had done a decade ago in her native country of 100 airbrushed drawings of her graduation project: those designs had been selected by her instructor to depict, and at times create (photos were also included) of a thousand original mock-ups for dresses and fashions based on a Mickey Mouse theme! The FIDM students will face the same challenge. They learn to sew, draw, envision, market, and present their creations. I cannot imagine a more arduous task. I hope that my instructions help them succeed in their demanding coursework. Project Runway awaits!