I wonder just what sort of mindset would make a teacher inflict that
form on anyone, not just high school students. A few things astound
me about it:
the school system has enough money to sustain a serious photography program
the school system is so locked into control that it doesn't even see
the huge obstacle to achievement that such a form represents - and
I'm not even talking about imagination here
the students have the time outside of their academics and jobs to
involve themselves with such a monumental project as filling out a
form like that
the loss of validity of such a form when it's so overwhelming that
most just blow it off
I really wanted to send an email to the teacher, enquiring about how
the form came about and how it's respected in the school. I'm still
thinking I might do that.
Personally, I don't think there's anything flawed about our
non-system for reviewing. Among other things if people wish more
specific types of opinion from reviewers, like about technical or
compositional problems, they can always simply start a conversation
on the list, or outside of it.
And the area in which we can talk about our submission also allows
for enquiries, although sometimes I think I'm the only one who
perhaps overuses that feature.
And finally, the personalities of the reviewers certainly have plenty
of space to make themselves felt in our system.
We have some rigid reviewers, some happy types that always look on
the brightest possible side, some who look to put forth substantive,
if misguided, commentary, and some who bring their immense personal
creativity to the process of reviewing.
This reflects my idea of the way the world should be.
Mind control, like I see in that form, is not good for society.
--
Emily L. Ferguson
mailto:elf@cape.com
508-563-6822
New England landscapes, wooden boats and races, press photography
http://www.vsu.cape.com/~elf