Page 73 - 1985

*gold note*

No more starving;

teacher is quite a cuisine

er hus ­ the country, so consequently
band and many of the finest writers have
she c o l ­ been there, and a writer that is
laborated fortunate enough to attend Iowa
on two man­ University’s writer’s workshop is
uscripts for almost assured that a publisher
the Bob will at least look at his writing,
N ew hart said the French teacher.
Show, she has written a story Lund, who became a teacher
concept for Little House On The in 1974 after moving to Omaha
Prairie, she has written for an from California because of an
ill-fated series entitled Family inability to find work, said that
that was cancelled early in its she had no illusions about her
television infancy, and now she writing. She described herself as
has written the script for a not a great writer but having
made-for-television movie that “better than average skills.”
she is hoping to sell to one of the “A great writer presents a story
networks, but has had no luck in in a different way than anybody
doing so. else,” said Lund. An example she
She has also published a gave was F. Scott Fitzgerald.
collection of poetry, created an The French teacher essentially
advertisement for Brandeis, and considered herself to be a writer,
has written articles for the but teaches for purely “realistic
Omaha World-Herald. reasons.” She realized, she said,
Jan Lund, French teacher at that writing is not always a
Ralston High, said that since she for-sure career, that she “could
first became conscious of writing starve”.
in the eighth grade, her writing Lund, whose main interest is in
interest has been in family poetry, can not specifically ex­
relations. Lund said that because plain it but it probably isn’t
she has gone through a lot (in unlike the dissertation of scores
family situations) she is able to of other writers’ scores, “I know
analyze and seek out the good there is something that I’ve got to
relations and the bad. say; it has got to come out, there’s
The script she wrote for a story to be told.”
television is about two girls Yet there is still a story to be
growing up in the 1960’s, one of written about this particular
the girls being from an upper French teacher. With former
class family and the other being students’ letters supporting her
Dressing for the occasion of Foreign from a normal middle class nomination and hard work of
Language Week is French teacher Jan
Lund, who is lecturing to her class family. teaching, both in and out of the
before showing a video tape. In addition, one of the girls is, classroom, Lund was awarded
one might have guessed, French Foreign Language Teacher of
and one is also annorexic. The Year by the Nebraska
Lund said that the research she Foreign Language Association in
was required to do on annorexia ’84.
took the greater duration of five Lund, in her fifth year at
months and a summer, and the Ralston, said the award had
actual writing of the movie script come by surprise but that it was
took her four years to complete. “quite an honor”.
Then before her lay the Lund, who studied in France
tremendous task of getting her in ’68-’69, holding the degree
project published, though the Degre de Langueet de Civilisa­
French teacher admits to having tion, said the key to teaching
;ood fortune in that she has a French is finding ways of keep­
? riend who reads her material. ing a student’s interest in a
Lund said that writers generally sometimes difficult course. Tech­
have a terrible time trying to get niques which she used to keep an
their work published. interesting view of the French
“You have to send your language were video tapes, films
manuscript around to 14, even 20 and classroom conversation in
jublishers before it is pub- French, also teaching the culture.
{ ished.” “If kids don't relate to the teacher
But another thing Lund said or the subject matter and get
she had going for her was that bored, it inhibits their ability to
the University of Iowa, her alma learn the language,” she said.
mater, is known for having one “We try to have a mixture of fun
of the best writers’ workshops in and work.” By Brian Gibbs

Instead of whistle while you work, It’s
smile as you work in Office Occupations
class for teacher Charlene Kremke and
seniors Chris Simeon! and Yvonne
Young.