Peer Learning Courses
Spring 2023
READING SHAKESPEARE Facilitator: Matt Epstein & Kris Yensen
In-person at Binkley
MONDAY 11:15 am -12:45 pm 12 weeks: Jan 30-Feb 20, Mar 6-27, Apr 10-May 1
You don’t need to be an “expert” to read Shakespeare and have a wonderful time doing it! His play The Tempest is a passionate exploration of being trapped by the past and by others' expectations, showing the potentially destructive force of emotions. It’s a fierce and innovative romantic drama, with strong roles for a variety of readers. Reading and discussing it within a group can open up new ways of thinking about it.
We will spend part of each meeting reading through the play aloud to get a sense of the sound and rhythm, and hear the voices at work. After reading, we’ll take time for discussion, because our perceptions of the play and the characters will evolve as we hear them “speak” through us.
SHORT STORY Facilitator: Lori Shapiro
In-person at Binkley
MONDAY 1:15-2:45 pm 12 weeks: Jan 30-Feb 20, Mar 6-27, Apr 10-May 1
The “short story” is a unique literary genre with its own guidelines and craft. Join us as we embark on a rewarding journey of literary exploration and discussion. Each week a different group participant selects and moderates the discussion based on a story from Art of the Tale: An International Anthology, edited by Daniel Halpern, 1987.
LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR Facilitator: Gary West
Zoom
TUESDAY 11:15 am - 12:45 pm 8 weeks: Mar 7-28, Apr 11-May 2
This course is the second offered by Peer Learning on the Legend of King Arthur. The course is based on lectures from “King Arthur: History and Legend” by Professor Dorsey Armstrong, from the Great Courses series. Dr. Armstrong is a professor of English and a nationally recognized scholar on the Arthurian legend.
This second course will include the remaining 8 lectures by Dr. Armstrong that we were not covered in the first. It will be held via Zoom and have a delayed starting date that will be announced next month. Gary West will facilitate and lead discussions.
CARTOGRAPHY Facilitator: Beth Timson
Zoom
WEDNESDAY 11:15 am -12:45 pm 12 weeks: Feb 1-22, Mar 8-29, Apr 12-May 3
CARTOGRAPHY IS WHERE IT'S AT!
The creation of maps is both a science and an art. Maps have allowed travelers to record where they've been and inspire those at home to think of wider worlds and travel themselves. But maps are all inherently wrong in some way, as we try to map a 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional piece of paper -- how the mapmaker uses his art can increase knowledge or increase misunderstanding and even lead to war. We will look at what maps are and how they are made, how maps can lie, some "alternative" maps, and how some famous maps have made (and changed) history.
CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT DOES THE LATEST SCIENCE SAY? Facilitator: Frank Princiotta
Zoom
WEDNESDAY 1:30-3:00 pm 12 weeks: Feb 1-22, Mar 8-29, Apr 12-May 3
Frank Princiotta recently retired Air Pollution Prevention & Control Division Dir., USEPA, He will lead discussions on recent scientific findings including the three recently published reports from the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We will also discuss the near-term actions necessary to meet international warming targets and projections of climate impacts as a function of warming. Three key questions to be addressed during this course: What is the extent to which humanity is already dealing with the consequences of climate change? “What can we do to slow greenhouse gas emission growth and attempt to adapt to current and projected climate change impacts?” and “Is the mitigation challenge too great and the likely global response too weak to avoid catastrophic impacts?” Before each meeting, videos, and other material relevant to the next class’s subject matter will be sent to classmates to facilitate discussion.
KITCHEN TABLE Facilitator: Kris Yensen
Alternating in-person at Binkley and Zoom; first session in-person
THURSDAY 11:15 am - 12:45 pm 12 weeks: Feb 2-23, Mar 9-30, Apr 13- May 4
We can’t visit each other’s kitchens right now, but we can still share our stories--- and now we can do it in our slippers! Each week, we’ll have a theme and everyone who wants to tell a five-minute related story can have the floor, so to speak. (No pressure, though--- you’re welcome to sit and listen, too.) We share stories about childhood friends, pet peeves, favorite parables, neighborhoods, heroes, wins and losses.
Ted Talks – Ideas Worth Sharing Moderators: Scott Parent, Kris Yensen, and others
Alternating in-person and zoom; first session in-person
THURSDAY 1:30-3:00 pm 12 weeks: Feb 2-23, Mar 9-30, Apr 13- May 4
Ever listened to a Ted Talk and wished you had someone to talk about it with? Never seen a Ted Talk? Either way, we want you! Ted Talks are short, pithy presentations by “experts” on all sorts of subjects. They are usually surprising, sometimes funny, and frequently inspiring. We’ll focus on subjects of interest to our members, watch together, and share our insights.
In-person at Binkley
MONDAY 11:15 am -12:45 pm 12 weeks: Jan 30-Feb 20, Mar 6-27, Apr 10-May 1
You don’t need to be an “expert” to read Shakespeare and have a wonderful time doing it! His play The Tempest is a passionate exploration of being trapped by the past and by others' expectations, showing the potentially destructive force of emotions. It’s a fierce and innovative romantic drama, with strong roles for a variety of readers. Reading and discussing it within a group can open up new ways of thinking about it.
We will spend part of each meeting reading through the play aloud to get a sense of the sound and rhythm, and hear the voices at work. After reading, we’ll take time for discussion, because our perceptions of the play and the characters will evolve as we hear them “speak” through us.
SHORT STORY Facilitator: Lori Shapiro
In-person at Binkley
MONDAY 1:15-2:45 pm 12 weeks: Jan 30-Feb 20, Mar 6-27, Apr 10-May 1
The “short story” is a unique literary genre with its own guidelines and craft. Join us as we embark on a rewarding journey of literary exploration and discussion. Each week a different group participant selects and moderates the discussion based on a story from Art of the Tale: An International Anthology, edited by Daniel Halpern, 1987.
LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR Facilitator: Gary West
Zoom
TUESDAY 11:15 am - 12:45 pm 8 weeks: Mar 7-28, Apr 11-May 2
This course is the second offered by Peer Learning on the Legend of King Arthur. The course is based on lectures from “King Arthur: History and Legend” by Professor Dorsey Armstrong, from the Great Courses series. Dr. Armstrong is a professor of English and a nationally recognized scholar on the Arthurian legend.
This second course will include the remaining 8 lectures by Dr. Armstrong that we were not covered in the first. It will be held via Zoom and have a delayed starting date that will be announced next month. Gary West will facilitate and lead discussions.
CARTOGRAPHY Facilitator: Beth Timson
Zoom
WEDNESDAY 11:15 am -12:45 pm 12 weeks: Feb 1-22, Mar 8-29, Apr 12-May 3
CARTOGRAPHY IS WHERE IT'S AT!
The creation of maps is both a science and an art. Maps have allowed travelers to record where they've been and inspire those at home to think of wider worlds and travel themselves. But maps are all inherently wrong in some way, as we try to map a 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional piece of paper -- how the mapmaker uses his art can increase knowledge or increase misunderstanding and even lead to war. We will look at what maps are and how they are made, how maps can lie, some "alternative" maps, and how some famous maps have made (and changed) history.
CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT DOES THE LATEST SCIENCE SAY? Facilitator: Frank Princiotta
Zoom
WEDNESDAY 1:30-3:00 pm 12 weeks: Feb 1-22, Mar 8-29, Apr 12-May 3
Frank Princiotta recently retired Air Pollution Prevention & Control Division Dir., USEPA, He will lead discussions on recent scientific findings including the three recently published reports from the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We will also discuss the near-term actions necessary to meet international warming targets and projections of climate impacts as a function of warming. Three key questions to be addressed during this course: What is the extent to which humanity is already dealing with the consequences of climate change? “What can we do to slow greenhouse gas emission growth and attempt to adapt to current and projected climate change impacts?” and “Is the mitigation challenge too great and the likely global response too weak to avoid catastrophic impacts?” Before each meeting, videos, and other material relevant to the next class’s subject matter will be sent to classmates to facilitate discussion.
KITCHEN TABLE Facilitator: Kris Yensen
Alternating in-person at Binkley and Zoom; first session in-person
THURSDAY 11:15 am - 12:45 pm 12 weeks: Feb 2-23, Mar 9-30, Apr 13- May 4
We can’t visit each other’s kitchens right now, but we can still share our stories--- and now we can do it in our slippers! Each week, we’ll have a theme and everyone who wants to tell a five-minute related story can have the floor, so to speak. (No pressure, though--- you’re welcome to sit and listen, too.) We share stories about childhood friends, pet peeves, favorite parables, neighborhoods, heroes, wins and losses.
Ted Talks – Ideas Worth Sharing Moderators: Scott Parent, Kris Yensen, and others
Alternating in-person and zoom; first session in-person
THURSDAY 1:30-3:00 pm 12 weeks: Feb 2-23, Mar 9-30, Apr 13- May 4
Ever listened to a Ted Talk and wished you had someone to talk about it with? Never seen a Ted Talk? Either way, we want you! Ted Talks are short, pithy presentations by “experts” on all sorts of subjects. They are usually surprising, sometimes funny, and frequently inspiring. We’ll focus on subjects of interest to our members, watch together, and share our insights.