You Want Me To Do What?

Today was my first day of English 1010 at good ol' SLCC. 

Whenever I take a class there, it's always a gamble with the teacher I get. So far, it's been good. Though some classes have been really tough, I've never had a teacher do something out of the ordinary. They stick with the curriculum, teach the subject, and it's always turned out fine. This is my 4th semester there, and I guess finally it's my time to question the teaching.

After taking roll and asking everyone's majors, the instructor told us that she didn't want this to be the normal "english in a box" class with the "opinionated" papers that are quotes from everyone else but the students themselves. Her reasoning was that she has read too many papers on what is supposed to be a "student's opinion" but really is just the opposite.

She shut the door, then told us she doesn't teach from the book. I wasn't sure why the door would need to be shut for that, but I didn't think about it. Any teacher can shut the door. At first, I was excited - no book, a different kind of class, a "creative" class (which is how she put it).

Next, she gave us the course work. Over the course of the semester, we would be creating a Business and Marketing plan. We would be responsible for coming up with, in groups, something that could be sold - and everything that goes along with it. Advertising/marketing, financing, potential customers, management capabilities.

If you're thinking what I was thinking at the time, it was: What? Am I in the right class? Is this a business and marketing class? I assure you, it was indeed, "English 1010," disguised as such. She said there would be many opportunities to write - a campaign, a presentation, our work ethic and how everything is supposed to come together. All in all, a business proposal. 

She even gave us a long, three-page list of everything broken down, including questions such as, What is the ownership structure? How much will your product or service cost you? How much will you charge, and how have you determined the price? What is the potential growth in your target market? How will you connect with your potential customers? How will you fund the start up? If you take a loan, then for how much and what will you use the funds for? Will you be hiring employees? If so, how many and when?

How is that English? You got me.

This entire "project" revolved around a certain product that she herself sells. It's a pain reducer she created, and she sells it at Farmer's Market and in a couple of different pharmacies in Salt Lake. One group in the class is to come up with a business proposal for this "Magic Juice" (the real name of the product), and the rest of the groups are on their own. I couldn't help but get the feeling that she wanted to: 

A) either advertise/sell her stuff at school to her students, or B) get some ideas from her students on how to better sell it. But I could be wrong. What do you think?

What it comes down to is this: I need to take an english class. With english/journalism being my major, I don't want to pay for a business and marketing class disguised as something else. How convenient that all of the english classes are closed now. I may just have to pay a visit to the Dean... anonymously, of course. Or someone who will listen to how crazy this woman is. At least I know now why she closed the door.