Journalism

[Suet Seung]

Does any one know of someone who works as a journalist in a magazine or newspaper? Or does anyone here work as a journalist?

What's the job like?

[HuangYushi]

I wrote part-time for a magazine for 2 years during my college days, took up a different job for a couple of years when I graduated and returned full-time to the same magazine for 5.5 years after that.

Pros:
1. It was something I liked and had always wanted to do.
2. I got to meet many people and poke around many places, which was kinda fun when I was younger and more energetic. Not so fun anymore when I got older.
3. Honed my speaking, writing and (later) editing skills.
4. I got into the publishing industry just when the internet/web was becoming easily accessible in South-east Asia, so I had the opportunity to work on both print and 'e' forms of writing. The 'development' aspect of the whole print/'e' thing was a very good experience for later jobs/interests.

Cons:
1. Late nights (more for content collection than actual writing) didn't go well with me as I am an 'early morning' person.
2. Junior (new) writers can get their writing thrown out by editors in part or as a whole quite often ... until they learn what their editors (and not the readers) like.
3. Senior editors can be a pain in you-know-where, especially when they are in the middle of a mid-life crisis and experiencing the very real possibility of redundancy at the same time.

I quit in 1999 ... and my senior editor (who might even become a friend without the mid-life crisis and the threat of redundancy) really became redundant a year later.

[Suet Seung]

Wow, HuangYuShi, who knew you had so much experience there.

So you chose to teach instead of journalism eh?

I actually had some thought of going into photo journalism back in high school, but for some reason I just didn't like the competitiveness of journalism, and I knew somewhere along the line, I'll just never get to write what I really want to write. So that is why I'm pursuing teaching bratty high school students because I enjoy interacting and working with people.

What about you? Are you happy where you are career-wise?

[HuangYushi]

I teach because I see a need ... and an opportunity to make a difference with the kids whom I come into contact with. It's pretty heart-warming when parents visit and show their appreciation with stories of how their kids were confident interacting with guests in a language they learnt in school (i.e. English or Chinese, depending on which class the kids were in), and how well their kids did with later grades/levels because of the learning foundations that they had developed.

In short, I enjoy what I do ... although the pay can always be a lot better!

[Suet Seung]

In short, I enjoy what I do ... although the pay can always be a lot better!

If you were in it for the money, you wouldn't enjoy it as much as you do or rather you wouldn't be pursuing this kind of job.

Sometimes going into teaching seems daunting because of the long process and path to get there, but I hope I'll learn to love it even more. After interviewing a former teacher, now friend, I appreciate the work that teachers put out more because they're always working for their students' learning, and to help build a future for their students. It's a meaningful job that does not pay much financially, but thats okay, that's where my future husband (where ever he is or whoever he is) comes in!

Where do you teach? In the States? Or where?

I have to take the Praxis test and GRE? and start applying for Grad school with several recommendation letters. A lot of paper work and money to spend just in order to get in Grad school.

So after all these years, have you managed to tame your procrastination side? You know the DARK side.

[HuangYushi]

If you were in it for the money, you wouldn't enjoy it as much as you do or rather you wouldn't be pursuing this kind of job.

Yeah, I know.

---

Although the process of getting certified (the extra years of schooling, etc, etc) is interesting (I actually enjoy learning about child development, education, psychology, etc), true satisfaction comes from interacting with the kids ... and parents who are open enough to learn and participate in their children's education.

Where do you teach? In the States? Or where?

In Malaysia. I teach English to kids with no or very limited English, and Mandarin to kids who will be going to school in that language. Sorry if it sounds confusing. Let me know, and I'll explain about the Mandarin if necessary.

So after all these years, have you managed to tame your procrastination side? You know the DARK side.

What procrastination!? heh-heh

Since I'm an 'early morning' person, I get up at an unearthly hour (usually 5 a.m. on normal workdays, or 4.00 a.m. on terribly busy days), spend 60-90 minutes doing whatever I have left over from school the day before (usually grading endless piles of assignments and grumbling under my breath about parents who do their kids' homework for them), have a leisurely breakfast (VERY IMPORTANT for teachers), shower, get dressed and get to work by 7.30 a.m. I'm a zombie by 9.00 p.m. and am only good for one TVB serial before hitting the sack by 10.30.

That's why my OTG translations have been very slow recently. Since I'm a language teacher who also happens to be an ex-writer/editor, I can't stand bad written work. So I can only translate at the level/quality that I demand of myself during vacations.

I use software as much as possible to create re-usable lesson plans (e.g. same general plans and activities, but for different classes in different time-slots) and simplify grading (e.g. to manipulate raw scores that can be fed into a spreadsheet for assessing specific skills).

We've just finished the 2007 school-year. The next one starts in Jan 2008, and I'm looking at a minimum of 100 students in 5 classes and 4 levels, about 30% more than what I had in the past year. So I'm looking at training my older students (at least 25 of them) to be more independent and responsible for their school-work next year. That will take a load off me as I won't have to give out too many reminders about assignments and such.

Besides the academic stuff, I also do fun things with the kids. In the past 2 years, I've had a 10-min skit based on Chapter 19 of SPW (in Mandarin), a mock wushu display (to the opening theme of LOCH 2003), and English/Chinese poem readings. I'm planning for a few mass display performances with taiji, drumming and what-not, plus another wuxia skit (not SPW), next year.

So do I procrastinate? YES!!!
But do I have the time to actually procrastinate?

I can hear the toilets beckoning, they want me to have them washed ....

[remember_Cedric]

My cousin works as a journalist. I don't know what exactly is her jobscope, but I know it is described by one word "busy". She is required to do lots of researches. She often work til hours even its the usual 9 to 6 worktime. She gets sudden calls to go back on Saturdays. She rushes over her lunch and skipped it at times.

That's what I know about being a journalist

[annaaa]

My journalism teacher was one. and now hes a teachers as well.