The first day at Hofstra was very exciting for me. It was a new and different for me. Every other writing program that I have experienced have all been indifferent and boring. They’re all the same and I learn nothing new. I learned new things just from the first day. I was exposed to some new jobs that I never thought that I would ever think of. When the reporter came from Newsday, it was interesting to see how his job was performed. He showed us how his camera worked and he told us some interviewing techniques.
The second day at the program was a good day. There was a ‘press conference’ in which the director from the New York index came in and scared everyone with the issues that were going on in Long Island. The same reporter from the previous day came in and showed the group how to edit our embarrassing videos. I thought the day went by quick!
The third day was a new experience for me! We learned how to create our website! I have never done anything like that before. I never thought that it would be so simple, easy and FREE! I always believed making your own webpage would be expensive and difficult. Then we started to gather and research information about each of our school’s budget situation. Then later during the day, John Hildebrand, a Senior Education writer, came in and talked to the group about the tax caps and how everyone is being affected by it. Everyday I’m learning more and more about politics and how it influences Long Island.
The fourth day went by extremely fast! First, Dean Susan Murphy took an hour and showed us her many important interviewing techniques. she taught how to speak and breathe during and interviewing. She also showed us how act and what kind of questions were appropriate for it. Murphy explained that the reporter should be polite and make eye contact with the person that he or she is interviewing. A good reporter should be patient and be a good listener. These tips are good for future use. After lunch, we went on our computers and started to form our questions for our district administrators about the school tax cap.
The last couple of days have been quite the same. We were all just working quietly on our computers for most of the day. Everyone seems to be in their own world listening to music and researching topics. The days have gone by quickly yet quiet and calm.
7/14- today was just like any other ordinary day here. Yesterday I interviewed one of my mom’s friends for my person Profile article. Shes a teacher at hofstra and was able to give me some feedback about the current tax cap.
