Larsen career fair presentation teaches the presenter, too
Arriving at Larsen Middle School's career fair Tuesday morning, I felt a little queasy.
Until then, my only teaching experience was working as a teaching assistant in Villanova University's English department.
Sleep-deprived college kids seemed worlds away from the energetic seventh- and eighth-graders I'd soon face to tell about journalism.
Would my presentations put them to sleep? Would they be remotely interested in what I do every day?
"You'll do just fine," said Deb Weir, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at the school on Elgin's east side.
"I think you'll actually find giving presentations a soothing experience."
Six half-hour talks and a sweat-soaked blazer later, I realized the wisdom of those words.
Each class I met had a different personality. Some were rambunctious, some were inquisitive, and one looked entirely bored.
But as I delved into the inverted pyramid, the importance of accuracy, and the adrenaline rush of getting a scoop, students raised their hands -- asking some of the most original and honest questions I'd ever heard.
"Do you ever use your press pass to sneak into concerts or Bears games?" one eighth-grader asked.
"No," I answered, "but sometimes I'd like to."
"Do you ever get really mad at your editors?" another wanted to know.
"Sometimes," I admitted. "But I try to remind myself they're trying to help me be a better reporter."
As an education reporter for Elgin-area schools, I spend much of my time looking from the outside in--covering school board meetings, events and policy issues.
Larsen's career fair gave me a chance to look from the inside out. Just three hours in a teacher's shoes gave me a tremendous amount of respect for the profession, and a love for an entirely different kind of on-the-ground reporting.
Michael Learned at Einstein: Ever watch re-runs of "The Waltons"?
Four-time Emmy Award-winning actress Michael Learned, a.k.a Olivia Walton from the popular 1970s TV series, will partner with local actor Robert Maher in a performance of A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters."
The play will be staged at 7:30 p.m. March 8 at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre as a benefit for The Einstein Academy, where two of Learned's grandchildren are students.
"Love Letters" traces the relationship of childhood friends through a lifetime of correspondence. Tickets are $55 and may be ordered by calling the ECC box office at (847) 622-0300, or e-mailing artscenter@elgin.edu. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more.
Open house at St. Mary: St. Mary Catholic School, 103 S. Gifford St. in Elgin, will have an open house Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Registration information, as well as tours for prospective students and families, will be available.
Contact the school at (847) 695-6609, or check out the Web site, www.stmaryelgin.com, for more information.