For someone who never set out to teach "in any way, shape or form," Jeffrey Fisher (Bolingbrook), an instructor in College of DuPage's Motion Picture/Television program, has produced a part-time teaching career that has earned plaudits from students and peers and a top award from the college. To say that he hit the ground running in his teaching vocation may be an understatement. After being hired in 2002 by Jeff Curto, C.O.D. professor/coordinator of Photography, who at the time was coordinating the college's Multimedia Arts area, Fisher's first teaching assignment was an all-day class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fisher's task: Teach Audio I and II at the same time in the same room. Despite the daunting challenge, Fisher said he felt "as comfortable as a good pair of jeans. It just felt right." After that class, two students came up to Fisher and said, "Oh, you've been teaching for awhile." Fisher responded: "Would you think less of me if I told you that I had never taught a class before in my life?" The students said, "Well, you should probably keep doing it." And he did. Drawing on a bonanza of experiences as owner and manager of Fisher Creative Group, and his passion for the motion picture/television industry, Fisher has been named winner of C.O.D.'s 2008 Overall Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award. He is the third part-time faculty member to be honored with this recognition. The C.O.D. Foundation also recognized Fisher with a $500 cash award. Moreover, he will receive a personal plaque as well as formal recognition at the fall All-College Workshop, which ushers in the college's 42nd academic year. Further, Fisher and other part-time outstanding faculty winners will be acknowledged at a part-time faculty recognition dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn. Fisher's real-world work experience at Fisher Creative Group is key to his teaching success. "I share things that happen to me in my business with my students," Fisher said. His work in the industry centers on audio, video, music, writing, training and media production services. He has published 11 books addressing audio, video and music subjects and has authored magazine and web articles and training manuals. Fisher has also produced more than 225 videos for corporate and educational clients and completed many audio-based projects including award-winning work in audio post-production for film, television, CDs, DVDs and web audio. Further, Fisher is a regular speaker and trainer at the prestigious National Association of Broadcasters convention. Last year, he and Jennifer Piehl, C.O.D. professor/coordinator of the Motion Picture/Television program, took a group of students to the convention. "That trip opens students' eyes," Fisher said. "It is the real world and sometimes students don't understand how really diverse this industry is." He said students who attend the convention come to understand that the industry is not just directors and producers, but that it is broad-based with myriad career options. "All the projects that I design for my classes introduce skills that I feel the students need to know in order to go forward," Fisher said. A big fan of hands-on projects, Fisher will "cement a skill in place" and then reinforce that skill in the next project. These projects and learned skills continue to build until the moment of truth, which Fisher said usually occurs about this time in the semester. "Suddenly it dawns on my students - that 'aha moment' - when they say, 'Now I get it. "At the beginning of class, students wonder why we do this and why we do that. Then, all of a sudden, there is perspective and they can see that every skill they learned now comes to its head with these final projects. That makes me feel so good. "When my students grow, I feel satisfied," Fisher said. "I try to give them a new appreciation of audio, which I really enjoy teaching. Usually by the end of the course, students realize there is a little more to audio than they thought. It may not be as glamorous as video editing and production, but it is still necessary." Fisher said he likes students who come to his classes with an open mind and "just take the journey. "Sometimes students may have some skills, but they don't necessarily grow; they never take it to the next level. I like to push these students to really go in another direction," he said. Fisher is passionate about the industry and likes to see students who share that excitement. "I see a little bit of myself in some students and I say to myself: 'I know where you are at. You'll get there.' "Teaching is coaching. You're trying to bring out the best in these students and give them some detail, challenges and encouragement." Sometimes students discover they don't enjoy a project and a learned skill, which is just fine with Fisher. Fisher and one advanced student, who was very skilled in audio, agreed on an independent study course. The student would design an entire sound track of an animated film. "The student conducted spotting sessions, came up with a sound pallet and did the grunt work of designing the sound and putting it in place. He did a pretty decent job." What the student told Fisher at the conclusion of the project was that he didn't want to make a career in that field. "I found that wonderful," Fisher said. "At 20 years of age, he found something that he didn't want to do. Imagine going on to a four-year school and five or 10 years later, find out that he made the wrong career choice." That's not the case with Fisher. "I love it at C.O.D. While you have goals to meet for each class, beyond that it is your class. I love that aspect. "We have a great program at Motion Picture/Television. We are not behind the curve; we are on the leading edge, in some cases on the bleeding edge. It is a great time to be in this industry." |
