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« on: May 02, 2010, 10:50 am »
I am not in favor of banning all classroom assignments, but I think there should be some limits. What we, as experienced SM's and long-time Forum members really object to has been clearly stated: answering the same questions, in essay format, over and over again. Answering these questions fully, really takes a lot more time and thought than one or two paragraphs can justify. That's why Stage Management books exist, after all, because there is so much to say about any subject, and so many different angles of approach to any topic.
So, here are my thoughts:
If a student has the assignment to INTERVIEW Stage Managers and get answers to either assigned or self created questions, I propose they post, as usual, making the request, following the guidelines. But no SM on this forum should be expected to ever answer more than ONE question for any assignment. When the questions are posted, if we see one we'd like to answer, we send a PM or email to the student letting them know which question we are prepared to answer, and they let us know if that question is taken or still available.
AND, the SM should have the choice to either send them a written answer (as in the past) or to set up a phone session or internet chat with the student to answer the question. This puts the onus on the student to block out time to do their assignment, rather than just using our words and having us take all our time to do their work. Additionally, it puts the onus on them to take notes while we talk about our craft, which for many of us is easier than writing an essay. Again, THEY are really doing the hard work. Then, if they have followup questions, they can ask right on the spot. Yes, this adds some steps to the process, but ultimately no one feels obligated or taken advantage of, and the student does the bulk of the labor. Personally, I would much rather schedule a 1/2 hour for a phone chat with a student than write a response. The written response will never be fully fleshed out enough. (And, before you all yell at me, I realize I might be alone here, and that many of you would rather craft a written response, on your own time, in the middle of the night. You would still have that option.) If the student MUST interview one, and only one SM, then the phone idea really is a great option. That's REALLY an interview, after all!
If the assignment is something other than an interview, then I think it's the student's personal responsibility to research elsewhere, search this site for previous threads, and after that's complete, then post a topic on the board describing the project, steps taken on their own to get the answers, and what ADDITIONAL information might be needed to finish it.
An addendum--the student should be forewarned that they may not get any responses at all from members of this Forum, and they should have an alternate plan!!
Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it!
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