|
AP
European History |
Online for 2012-2013 School Year
We have two sections, a new section taught by Meghan Bishop Paher and the other by Gloria Harrison.
Email: paherhistory@gmail.com
Class Fees: $635
Audit Option: The
audit option is available for $150. Audit
students receive all assignments, emails, tests, materials, and access to the
class website. Students who choose to
audit have the option of joining the class and paying the balance of tuition if
an enrolled student drops.
Texts Required:
Western
Civilization Since 1300, by J. J. Spielvogel,
7th edition
Barron’s Guide to AP
European History
Two other books are
required. Total cost of textbooks may be about $150, depending on which
you editions you get and whether they are new or used.
Tech Needs: Full internet access, printer, and
scanner or digital camera.
Who should apply: Highly motivated homeschooled students
in grades 10 to 12 in the 2012-2013 school year.
Students must be strong readers and writers with a love of learning and
keen interest in history. They need to
enjoy an academic challenge and be self-motivated and willing to work hard!
As with all history classes, AP European History requires large amounts
of reading and writing, as well as regular interaction on the class website. Students
must have advanced reading and writing skills and must be prepared to spend 12
hours minimum per week on this
course. Enjoyment of creative projects is a plus, as this class
incorporates visual and hands-on learning.
Students with a creative or artistic bent are encouraged to apply, as
are students considering a college major or minor in history; I will be glad to
help them prepare for their future history studies and offer career
guidance.
Class
Description: This
course prepares students for the AP European History exam in May 2013. It covers the social, economic,
cultural, intellectual, political, and diplomatic history of
Parents are
encouraged to check the website regularly and be involved. I send out
weekly assignment emails, 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 progress reports and grades will be very useful to show evaluators and
include in a portfolio.
Class Schedule: The class will begin Monday, August 27, 2012 and end with the AP
European History Exam on May 15, 2013.
The class does not “meet” at a certain time, but assignments are due
each week on Friday.
Registration: Click the link to access an
application for this class. Please email me with any questions, or if you
cannot access the application. Class size is limited to 10 students
and there will be a number of summer reading
assignments, 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 the Indiana Historical Society,
the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana,
Class Philosophy: "For young students, history comes
alive when we concentrate on the end of the word: hiSTORY."
So said Jane Yolen, author of
young adult historical fiction books. 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, and I enjoy sparking a love of
history in my students! In addition to readings and essays, my course
includes a number of hands-on creative assignments. My goal is to make this class a fun and
memorable experience for my students!
In spite of the fun,
however, this is a difficult, fast-paced, college-level course. I
expect my students to work very hard and invest a large amount time and energy
in their studies—a minimum 10 to 12
hours per week. If you are not willing
work hard and go above and beyond, please do not apply. Students who do not
participate in extra credit work, going above and beyond the requirements, are
not likely to do well.
Some material
discussed in brief sections of the textbooks may be considered immoral or
objectionable. Although this is a secular class, I am a New Testament
Christian and will not give assignments on potentially offensive topics.
If for some reason students or parents do object on moral grounds to a
certain assignment, we will find an alternative. Students will not be required to read, watch,
or write any material to which they have a moral objection.
Click here to
read class reviews from participants in this class
Click here to download an audit application for this section
Click here to download an application for this section
Instructor: Mrs. Gloria Harrison, harrison220@juno.com
Tuition Fees: Early $670.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, July 31, 2012. Class size is limited to 10 students, and I receive lots of applications, so apply early. Students are required to read four books during the summer (The Prince, Daughter of Time, Nicholas and Alexandra, and a biography). Students may be accepted after the deadline if there are still openings in the class. Audit option for strong students available ($150) but only after the class has been filled, with the option of joining the class and paying balance of tuition if an enrolled student drops the class.
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 well above average, as substantiated by standardized tests
scores, such as SAT I, PSAT, other AP scores, etc. Email me at harrison220@juno.com to request an
application form, which will include a more detailed class description.
Texts Required:
Western Civilization Since 1300, by J. J. Spielvogel, 6th
edition.
AP European History: An Essential Coursebook, by Ethel Wood.
Two other books required, as well
as optional texts. These books will be described in more detail in the
application form. Cost of textbooks may run from $100 to $150, depending on
whether they are new or used. It is fairly easy to find good secondhand copies
online.
Technical Requirements: High-speed Internet access. Computer and printer both in peak working condition. Anti-virus program required. 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
The class lasts 35 weeks
(not counting a three-week Christmas break, during which there will be a
reading assignment) and begins Monday,
August 27, 2012. There is no spring break. Thanksgiving and Easter weeks will have
minimal assignments. There will be a
midterm exam in December and a final exam at the end of April. We will have finished the textbook by the end
of March, and will spend April reviewing.
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 12th
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 a secular class. All textbooks appropriate for AP European History have material which students and/or parents might find offensive, particularly from a religious or political viewpoint. I consider myself a Christian, and I will not ask students to write essays on these or other topics 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 due to my 60 years of globe-trotting, and my European background, I tend to view the world from a broader perspective. 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. I believe that careful reading and study of historical texts with an open mind can help 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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