|
AP
European History |
Online for 2010-2011 School Year
We have two sections, a new section taught by Meghan Bishop Paher and the other by Gloria Harrison.
Teacher: Meghan Bishop Paher
Email: mayflower024@yahoo.com
Texts Required: Main text Western Civilization
Since 1300, by J. J. Spielvogel, 6th or
7th edition; AP European History: An Essential
Coursebook by Ethel Wood; an anthology of primary
source documents. Cost of textbooks may be about $100 to $150, depending
on which you editions you get and whether they are new or used.
Tech Needs: Full internet access.
Class Tuition: $525
Who should apply: This course is open to homeschooled
students who will be in grades 10 through 12 in the 2010-2011 school year. Advanced 9th graders may be
considered. Students must be avid
readers and writers with a love of learning and strong interest in history, and
must enjoy an academic challenge. As with all history classes, AP
European History will require large amounts of reading and writing, as well as
regular class discussion and interaction on the website. Students must
have advanced reading and writing skills and must be prepared to spend 10-12
hours per week on this course. Students considering a college major or
minor in history are encouraged to apply; I will be glad to help them prepare
for their future studies, as well as provide career guidance.
Class
Description: This
course will prepare students to take the AP European History exam in May 2011,
covering the social, economic, cultural, intellectual, political, and diplomatic
history of Europe and its place in the history of the world from 1300 to
the early 21st century. Textbooks will be
supplemented with additional reading, primary source documents, and internet
research. Students will seek out other
sources such as articles, videos, visits to historic sites, and novels.
The course will have an interactive website where students will post
questions, participate in discussions, get to know each other, and respond to
each other’s work. Each month's work will include assigned readings from
the texts, 2-3 essays, and quizzes. Students may also choose to complete
extra credit assignments.
Parents are
encouraged to check the website regularly and be involved. I will send
out a midyear progress report and a final progress report to parents, which
includes a final letter grade based on the student’s class work. (After the exam, the student will receive an
AP score which, if high enough, will give them college credit.) The letters
and grades will be very useful to show evaluators and include in a portfolio!
The class will begin
Monday,
Registration: Click here
to access an application for this class. Please email me with any
questions, or if you cannot access the application. Class size is limited
and there will be a summer reading assignment, so sign up early.
Instructor
Qualifications:
M.A. in History,
B.A. in History,
In addition to
holding two degrees in history, I've worked for a number of historic sites,
museums, and historic institutions, including Conner Prairie Living History
Museum, the Indiana Historical Society, the Historic Landmarks Foundation of
Indiana, Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens, and the Shriver House Museum
in Gettysburg, PA, among others. Over the years I've led a number of
history programs for both high school and college students, as well as serving
as a private tutor for history students at the college level.
I am a graduate of
the PHAA diploma program and took AP European History myself ten years ago - I
am thrilled to be returning to it as a teacher!
Class Philosophy: "For young students, history
comes alive when we concentrate on the end of the word: hiSTORY."
So said Jane Yolen, historic fiction author,
during an interview in 2002. I agree with Yolen,
and history as a great story has been my teaching philosophy with students ages
kindergarten through retirement! I believe history should be fun - it has always been one of my greatest loves, and I enjoy
sparking a similar love in my students. I plan to give interesting - and
sometimes creative - assignments, making this class a fun and memorable
experience.
In spite of the fun,
however, bear in mind that this is a fast-paced, college-level course. I
expect my students to work hard and invest a large amount time and energy in
their studies. In addition to the fun elements, I plan to
"teach the test," so that students entering the exam room next May
will know exactly what to expect and be as prepared as possible to do well and
earn college credit.
Some material
discussed in brief sections of the textbooks may be considered immoral or
objectionable. Although this is a secular class, I consider myself a
Christian and will not give writing assignments on potentially offensive
topics. If for some reason students or parents do object on moral grounds
to a certain reading or assignment, we will find an alternative.
Instructor: Mrs. Gloria Harrison, harrison220@juno.com
Tuition Fee: $655.
Registration Deadline:
Who should apply: Homeschooled students in grades 10-12,
who are avid and mature readers, have advanced writing skills and a strong
passion for history. Academic
performance must be above average, as substantiated by standardized tests
scores, such as
Texts Required: Main text Western Civilization Since 1300, by J. J. Spielvogel, 6th edition. Two other books required, which are listed in the application form. Optional texts will also be recommended.
Cost of Books: Total cost may run around $150. It is fairly easy to find good secondhand copies online. My former students are often willing to sell their own texts at very reasonable prices, and I can put you in touch with them.
Technical Requirements: Computer and printer both in peak working condition. Anti-virus program required. Reliable Internet access with separate email addresses for student and parent. Latest version of free Adobe Acrobat Reader, easily downloaded from the Internet. Scanner highly recommended.
The class is very intense and fast paced. Students and their parents must understand that the reading and writing component is significant. Students will also be expected to use outside sources as well as their textbooks: movies, novels, biographies, and Internet research. They will be submitting two or three essays a month, as well as taking weekly multiple-choice tests. Students should NOT apply unless they are extremely self-motivated, hard-working, and have both the time and the willingness to spend about 12 hours a week on the class. They will be expected to actively participate in the class through regular discussion on the website. The class website is highly interactive (rating: 3) with a message board, links to history sites, quizzes, etc.
Class Meeting Time: Students do not "meet" at a scheduled time, but all homework is due by Friday evening via an online checklist. Although the basic syllabus is posted online, I send out detailed emails on Fridays with the assignments for the following week.
Class description: A study of the social, economic, cultural, intellectual, political, and diplomatic history of Europe from 1300 to the early 21st century. The class will thoroughly prepare students for the College Board examination in European History given in May. All students electing this class must take the Advanced Placement Exam in European History.
The class lasts 34 weeks (not counting a three-week
Christmas break, during which there will be a light reading assignment) and
begins Monday,
General Objectives of the Class:
to develop a knowledge of European history from the Late Middle Ages to the present
to develop an appreciation of the cultural traditions of Western Civilization
to analyze relationships in European political, social, economic and intellectual issues
to understand the consequences of European contacts with other cultures
to analyze and interpret primary and secondary historical sources
to develop skills in written and verbal historical analysis
Instructor
qualifications: This will be my 10th
year teaching this class online. I have
participated in a workshop for AP European History teachers, and am on the AP
European History teachers' list-serve.
My teaching experience also includes homeschooling my four children for
24 years, running the Homeschoolers Geography Club from 1995 to 2001, creating
and maintaining during three years a Geography enrichment website for
homeschoolers, and giving French lessons.
My background is, to put it mildly, very international. My father was Portuguese, my mother from
My approach to the class: This is not a "Christian" class. All the best textbooks dealing in depth with the complex subject of European History are secular. All of them have material which students and/or their parents might find potentially offensive. Prostitution, birth control practices, and homosexuality are topics which are discussed in the textbook, although not graphically. I will not ask students to write essays on these or other subjects which might be deemed inappropriate, nor will my exams contain questions on these topics. I will not require my students to watch R-rated movies or read 'racy' novels. I approach the class from a relatively conservative point-of-view, but obviously, due to my European background, I may sometimes have a different perspective on historical and current events. Even so, I do not seek to enforce my own opinions. In turn, students should feel free to express theirs, while always being respectful of others' religious or political views, even if those views don't agree with theirs. I monitor the class website and reserve the right to caution any student whose postings may unintentionally offend others. One of my beliefs is that careful reading and study of historical texts with an open mind can help us to better understand the world we live in and God's plan for it.
Click here to read class reviews from former participants in Gloria Harrison’s class
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