COURSE DESCRIPTION
FALL SEMESTER
How do we define our existence? What do we want? What do we need? Why do we choose what we do? How do we deal with setbacks? What exactly are we responsible for? If we are lucky enough to answer any of these questions...what comes next? This class is designed to look at the positive and negative influences in our world through classic literature and contemporary nonfiction. The discussions, readings, and composition will all be centered around how students can apply the philosophical concepts of reaching one’s potential in their current lives and in their future. Various assignments will question what drives us, collectively and individually, to seek a better world.
SPRING SEMESTER
What exactly motivates people to succeed? Does “human potential” concern the individual or humanity at large? Is literature able to predict the future based on past human behavior? What does the future look like in the 21st century? We will explore how human beings struggle to secure better futures and build a better world. As before, the curriculum will include a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and films. The readings during this semester will be more contemporary in order for students to build a better understanding of our current world. There will be various assignments designed for students to reflect on how they define their existence throughout the semester in order to prepare them for an independent life after high school.
How do we define our existence? What do we want? What do we need? Why do we choose what we do? How do we deal with setbacks? What exactly are we responsible for? If we are lucky enough to answer any of these questions...what comes next? This class is designed to look at the positive and negative influences in our world through classic literature and contemporary nonfiction. The discussions, readings, and composition will all be centered around how students can apply the philosophical concepts of reaching one’s potential in their current lives and in their future. Various assignments will question what drives us, collectively and individually, to seek a better world.
SPRING SEMESTER
What exactly motivates people to succeed? Does “human potential” concern the individual or humanity at large? Is literature able to predict the future based on past human behavior? What does the future look like in the 21st century? We will explore how human beings struggle to secure better futures and build a better world. As before, the curriculum will include a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and films. The readings during this semester will be more contemporary in order for students to build a better understanding of our current world. There will be various assignments designed for students to reflect on how they define their existence throughout the semester in order to prepare them for an independent life after high school.
I really enjoyed this class actually. It definitely met my expectations and it was interesting to see how much I could learn from the different readings we've done. I thought older literature was not relatable to me; however, I found connections to my own way while other students connected in another. Ultimately, I just feel like I've become more aware of myself through what we've done in general, not even just from specific assignments and readings we did. All of it has made me look more into myself and who I am to apply what I learned.
In this class, we had discussed many aspects our lives such as responsibility toward parents and life and death, which I think are really interesting and reflective. I believe these lessons will affect the rest of my life as if I had expected this class would be. |
Going into this class, I didn't really know who I was, but as we progressed and read different material, I got more of an idea of the person I am and how I can reach my full potential. It's helped me a lot in expanding my ideas, being more open-minded, and has just made me a better person in the grand scheme of things. |
This course ended up being far more then a mere glimpse at human nature. It delved in all the directions that humanity has gone, from kindness to cruelness to more. It has been an eye-opening experience. Siddhartha, Macbeth, and Beowulf were all glimpses into not only human nature, but the societies of the time and how they shaped human nature.
I really enjoyed the experience I had in this class, not only because of the content but because I was able to have a voice on my own on many of the assignments given. It aligned my expectations because I was able to expand my perspectives on life while being an enjoyable class.
We had a lot of discussions based on personal opinions such as: free will vs. fate and our thoughts on the rise of technology. Students were very comfortable with sharing their opinions even if they disagreed with each other. |
The class allowed time to reflect on my life and how I can relate my own experiences to the literature we have read. It made me think about my future and the impact I could have on this world. |
This class definitely had a unique curriculum. Our readings ended up having a bigger meaning to it and we were able to connect our lives to fictional stories such as Frankenstein. Because of this class, I am further able to understand multiple perspectives of why things happen and how one event influences another event, and so on. It aligned with my expectations because I expected to grow as an individual from this class and I did.
The class focused on critical thinking and analysis. This focus was required for the philosophical interpretations expected of the readings. What stood out to me is the amount of personal reflection assignments, analysis of the human condition, and the freedom students had with their interpretations. The discussions helped look at a story with a multiple perspectives regarding characters reaching or not reaching their potential.
Everything I did in this class impacted me. Im at a time in my life where I am figuring out who I am and who I will be when I get into the real world. Every lesson in this class somehow connects back to reflecting on your own life, I would often find myself thinking about the questions way after school. The lessons about wasted potential, time, and some aspects of the American Dream really helped me define my own set of morals.
I actually liked this class and especially enjoyed the King Lear unit when I came to realize that life is short. My parents won't be here forever. I won't be here forever. And therefore, I should make the most of things. |
Despite the class being more difficult than I anticipated, this is the most I've ever learned in an English class. Not only am I learning different ways of writing such as "Metacognitive Essays," but also I am learning a lot about myself which continues to surprise me. |
My expectations were accurate, but this class focuses more so on human desires and interactions. We read Siddhartha, which is about the son of a successful family chasing after his own dreams. We also talked about the future - where we had a hypothetical list of how much time we will spend to see our family, friends, significant other, and coworkers during adulthood. This class makes me realize a lot of things about the future, such as the fact that I do not get to see my parents often and that I spend more time seeing coworkers I dislike than seeing my friends. The discussions are thought-provoking, and quite philosophical.
I absolutely loved this class as I expected I would. I have read Frankenstein before but I loved reading Frankenstein in this class because I never read the novel the way I did in this class. I never analyzed Frankenstein as a waste of human potential as he is information-hungry and never accepts his mistakes. I also loved the lessons of defining the end of one´s potential (death), that was so important for me to hear at this time of my life where I am going to be on my own soon. This class has blown my mind, I never expected to learn so much about myself in such a short amount of time. The class really goes into depth about the comparison of me to the characters, it covers all parts of my actions, thoughts and decisions instead of ¨oh, I too feel like my free will is challenged.¨ Then I have to think of all the times I made poor decisions and reflect on them.