articleandeditorial2018

[articleandeditorial2018]

I came out and smile for one of the strictest class

Be on time, dress properly and be ethical. These are the 3 rules that I concerned the most throughout the semester. These 3 rules are simple, but guess what, some students failed to do according to the rules. In fact, these rules are common in a professional world but from what I have seen, it is not at a university level. Some students skip class, talk loudly or even plagiarize. There are many problems within Thai educational system and to be honest, I was hopeless and believe that there is no way to improve this.

But… I was wrong. I see a new hope for Thai education after I took JM310, a famous Editorial and Article Writing Class for BJM students. This is the class where every BJM students must take in order to finish the whole course. Before taking the class, I heard some good and bad rumors from some of my friends who took the class last semester. One of them told me that he did not enjoy the class, there was too much writing and he did not like going to the class early. Another said that the professor was too strict and there are plenty of rules that could deduct the score. All of these elements built up every student’s nightmares. There is no way out, and next semester, I will have to confront the same situation as he did, I thought to myself.

-The time has come-

It was 8 in the morning when I was waiting for the van. The class starts at 9:30 am, so I did not feel that I needed to rush. However, as I scrolling down one of my friend’s Instagram account, she took a picture of herself sitting in a classroom. I was really shocked by the fact that it was only 8 in the morning and some of the students already arrived. Maybe they also heard the same rumors as I did. I rushed to the classroom and realize that most of the students already arrived and they all wore their uniforms. It’s going to be a tough semester, I told myself.

Mr. Bruce Avasadanond was standing in front of the classroom saying nothing. That was the very first moment I met the famous professor, who everyone talked about. He is going to teach this JM310 class throughout the semester. For me he is an unreadable person, this means that I cannot read his expression or what he is thinking. All I needed to do to survive this class was to hand in all the work and come to class on time, that is what I thought at first but I was wrong. Hand in the work or come to class on time is not enough. We have to do something extra in order to survive the whole course. First, I will have to put 100% effort into my work and come to class earlier than usual. This is what I promised to myself at the end of the very first day.

Mr. Bruce presented different rules on the first day. For me, there were some rules that I did not quite understand, for example, the students should not put their perfume on. But according to him, it is because some people might get allergic to the scent of the perfume. After listening to his reasons, it is reasonable. However, if the students fail to act according to the rules, they will get their score deducted. Actually, these rules help maintain and boost the learning environment. If there are no rules, then the world would be unorganized and people would do whatever they want which is not a good idea if we want to live in an idealistic society.

-What I like and dislike about the class?-

“Editorial and Article writing class”, just reading this sentence, most people would just expect tons of writing. However, there are many things that we could learn apart from writing. Mr. Bruce actually teaches us every step to become a good investigative journalist. He does not only provide us a professional atmosphere but every individual and group assignments allow us to build a better understanding towards investigative journalism. From one of the assignments that we have to observe a stranger, I think that is an interesting activity. It makes us know how to analyze people just by looking at their facial expression and body language which is an important skill for an investigative journalist.

Mr. Bruce once said that “Every people that we met can be helpful in the future”. I didn’t agree at first since I am not a type of person who can go out and talk to strangers. But after I study this course, I realize how important it was to know people from the different field. Each person has their knowledge which could be useful when it comes to understanding the subject matters. Nevertheless, throughout the course, we were assigned to work in a group of 6 to 7 people. This group assignment helps increase a positive relationship with the classmate as well as knowing the importance teamwork.

From the start to the end of the course, I learn the new skill that could lead me to become a good journalist. If someone asks me about the course, I will tell them the truth that it is not an easy class; however, it is one of the most valuable lessons for every student. To be honest I changed a lot from the start. The small things such as jotting down the notes or keeping all the papers inside the folder could actually change someone in a positive way. I will never forget such a wonderful class. Thank you, Mr. Bruce and class JM310 for making everything possible. This class will remain in my heart forever, thank you.

By: Eriko Iwamoto

[articleandeditorial2018]

What are the goals to improve the country?

I took the step out of the car and realize the unusual cold weather on the last day of April. Today, I got a chance to visit the United Nation building as a field trip for Editorial and Article Writing class. What would people think when they first heard the word United Nation? I am sure that people would think about peace, harmony and human rights. Yes, United Nation is a huge organization that deals with International problems. People with same passion around the world could come out and do what they love, which is to help the world they are living in.

The rain sprinkled lightly as I walked through the gate of the United Nation building which is located near Rachadamnoen road. The 2 security guards were standing in front of the glass door.

“Why are you so early today?” One of the security guards asked me while checking the handbag.

“I thought there would be a huge traffic jam in the morning so I came here early” I smiled at him.

“I see, maybe you can rest inside the café, we have a small café next to the post office,” the security guard said while pointing to the direction of the post office which is located on the left-hand side of the entrance. I said thank you to him and walked off to the café.

I ordered a cup of hot coffee and killed an hour inside. There were so many foreigners speaking in English. Most of them wore a businessman like formal suit with a simple necktie. Maybe I’m the only Thai who sit inside the café beside the waitress.

After I waited until 9:30, I headed up to the third floor. This is where the second conference room is located. The second conference room could hold around 300 people and it is the second largest conference room in the building. “Briefing of students from Thammasat University”, is what it was written on the wall. As I walked through the enormous wooden door, there is a huge United Nation’s logo on the wall, moreover, there are two screens hanging from the top. The students in uniform sit quietly while waiting for the presenter to speak.

The briefing starts later than expected. “Good morning everyone, I guess this is the first time you guys entered the place right?” the women in her mid-40’s speak slowly. “I will starts by asking you guys some simple questions and see if you can answer some of it. If you know the answer, please click the button and wait until the red lights to turn on.” She explained each step carefully.

The first session was all about asking general questions. For example, what was the longest speech in the UN history or where is the United Nation’s headquarter located? At first, it seems like an easy and relatable discussion that every one of us could talk, but everything starts to get serious when Dr. Riccardo Mesiano opens the discussion about the sustainable development goals. The sustainable development goals are the 17 objectives that are set by the UN to change the world by the year 2030. He stated all the 17 sustainable development’s objective from the start to the end. This includes no poverty, zero hunger, promote wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, sustainable energy and so on… All of these goals can help to make the world a better place.  

“What do you think is the most important goal in Thailand?” Dr. Riccardo asked the crowd. The answer differs from students to students. Some people might think that poverty is the most important aspect and some people might think that education is. According to Dr. Riccardo, everything interlinked and connected. There is no right or wrong answer. However, if we want to achieve all goals, every goal must be completed.

The topic change to education entirely after Dr. Riccardo challenge the crowd on the importance of education in Thailand. One student answered him with confidence that “It is almost impossible to get a good job, a good living standard or a minimum wage if you didn’t get an education.” Dr. Riccardo smiled and totally agreed with him. “That is a very good answer, but let me built a little bit more” Dr. Riccardo continued. “If you make a progress on education, people will get a better job and it will reduce in poverty. Moreover, people will understand that they can consume in a sustainable way, thus it can decrease the usage of plastic.”

After talking about education, the topic change again, this time the topic change to gender inequality. “But let me ask you another question, how important do you think is gender equality in Thailand?” Dr. Riccardo asked again.

Gender inequality is also one of the main problems that Thai people face. I could feel that there is a problem with stereotype and gender role. Men can play sports while women can cook. Not everyone could fit the role that the society creates. But in some country, the gender inequality is a big issue. Women cannot do various thing according to the law. For example, women cannot drive or women cannot vote.

After all different countries have different goals. Even if the problem in Thailand is about poverty and education. But in some countries, they don’t even need to deal with it. As the member of this world, we should all think about what we can do to improve the society. Our action can lead to change. For the better future, it is time for us to do something, this is what I thought after listening to all of the speech at the United Nation building.

The rain stops and we walk out of the building. The van is waiting for us and we all needed to head back to the university. It was one of the memorable days and I would never forget this experience. Thank you.        

By: Eriko Iwamoto

[articleandeditorial2018]