Sondak
Spare Change News started a writing workshop ages ago, and they were looking for staff members to help out with tutoring. I applied and got it, but it took me a month to find my first "student." Someone with no job, no cell phone and no home is a little hard to find.
But, four weeks later, I tracked him down this past Monday, and we had our first session yesterday. I didn't know this at the time, but my boss Adam told me that Sondak is autistic, which I am to take into consideration with the tutoring. Parts of that show in the way he talks to me, but otherwise we typically have some nice conversations.
What fascinates me is that, although his writing is atrocious, he could potentially be a better journalist than a lot of people I went to college with. This guy, for lack of a better way to put it, has "the journalist spark." He loves the business, which helps in every way, and his mind thinks like a good journalist should; every question leads to more questions. He's very diplomatic about what information the people have a right to know, what information the source needs the people to know, and what information the people shouldn't know. His researching skills are excellent - he just needs a good writing lesson and a good tape recorder.
It will be an honor to teach Sondak how to write. This only further solidifies my convictions that not every homeless person is a bum, or an idiot for that matter.
-Didroy
But, four weeks later, I tracked him down this past Monday, and we had our first session yesterday. I didn't know this at the time, but my boss Adam told me that Sondak is autistic, which I am to take into consideration with the tutoring. Parts of that show in the way he talks to me, but otherwise we typically have some nice conversations.
What fascinates me is that, although his writing is atrocious, he could potentially be a better journalist than a lot of people I went to college with. This guy, for lack of a better way to put it, has "the journalist spark." He loves the business, which helps in every way, and his mind thinks like a good journalist should; every question leads to more questions. He's very diplomatic about what information the people have a right to know, what information the source needs the people to know, and what information the people shouldn't know. His researching skills are excellent - he just needs a good writing lesson and a good tape recorder.
It will be an honor to teach Sondak how to write. This only further solidifies my convictions that not every homeless person is a bum, or an idiot for that matter.
-Didroy