Shorthand day one. Dora, our instructor, is a Teeline wizardress. Last term her students scored the highest marks across the country, mastering this cryptic confusion of the english language. And don't you forget it.
She's feisty and feverish with an enthusiasm for teaching which is unmatched at this level (or at this early time of day), but which is unmistakably characteristic among grade three spelling teachers.
Our homework is marked in green pen.
"I use strictly green." She proclaims, her face turning to grimace as she recalls horrific red circles and disasterous x's on her own shorthand homework, many years ago. Checkmarks and positive remarks like, "Good Job," "Well Done," and, "Excellent!!" are sure to be plentiful.
Letter by letter, one word at a time, Dora will lead us up the treacherous climb of the "shorthand mountain" until we reach the NCTJ standard 60 wpm summit.
It is difficult to take her seriously, a streak of blue marker smudged across her powdered face. But it is a grave mistake to deny her advice. Shorthand may very well be the steepist challenge any journalist in training will face.
Imaging writing backward with your non dominant hand in hyroglyphics.
Imagine climbing a mountain fully geared, but your trusted tools fall off your belt, rendered useless. And you've only just begun.
