This course will trace the social, economic, and political development of world civilizations and the growth of important ideas from ancient times through Early Modern Period. Live class sessions will cover both Western and non-Western cultures, with particular attention devoted to the history of China and surrounding regions, India, the Mediterranean World, and Europe.
Students master a lot of historical content. But they also have plenty of opportunity to think critically about what they are learning as well. I build of our time together around questions that I pepper our live sessions with. So, when we discuss the ancient Greeks, I ask them: “what options does a society have when they don’t have enough resources to feed their people?” When we’re talking about the Middle Ages, I ask them, “why would people who are living in oppressed conditions continue to go along with the status quo?” When we’re talking about worldviews in medieval Europe, I ask them, “Why do you think this time period was not famous for many rebellions against the status quo?” Student contributions get woven in meaningful ways into the class material.
My aim is to make my course as interactive and thought-provoking as possible. But I’m also interested in all of us having a good time together while we learn history. From the feedback I’ve received over the years from parents and students, I am confident that I’ve been able to create a class environment where we have a lot of fun while exploring the past and improving critical thinking skills.
The course is built on a pattern of eight Units, each containing four weeks: Week A, B, C, and D. Certain assignment types fall dependably on particular weeks each Unit so that students and parents can rely on a regular, repeated schedule of work throughout the year.
Live class sessions are designed to engage students at different levels. Homework assignments are designed to meet the needs of the average student. However, for families who wish a more challenging, honors-level course, additional homework and testing expectations can be added to the course. Parents simply have to contact me to opt their students into the honors-level track. For the typical student, weekly workloads should average about 4 or 5 hours.
For families who are interested in a more detailed “tour” of my classes, along with an excerpt of an actual live meeting, please click on this link.
Who should enroll?
This course is primarily for 9th-12th graders, although parents of advanced 8th graders can contact me about the possibility of their son/daughter joining.
- High speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
The course is designed to improve critical thinking and historical reasoning skills particularly during our live class sessions. Regular homework assignments promote mastery of content. If parents want to opt their children into more writing-intensive or project-based assignments, they can contact me and we can work those aspects into the course for their children.
Parents are encouraged to contact me through the Canvas messaging system.