Here’s your big chance. You’ve been thinking about becoming a moderator, but you’re hesitating. Well, have we got an offer for you!
We’re offering you the opportunity to moderate or co-moderate a LIFE class this winter. Why is that such a tempting offer? Because the winter session gives you the opportunity to offer either a shorter (4 or 5 weeks) or longer (6 to 10 weeks) course. And because the number of courses is lower in the winter than in the fall, you’ll have less competition from other courses!
However, you may be a little cautious about doing it on your own. If so, we’ll do our best to find a co-moderator to work with you and share everything. Or maybe you’ve met someone else in a LIFE class who would be good to work with – why not ask that person? Remember that being a moderator doesn’t mean you have to be an expert on the topic; you just need to be enthusiastic about it. Many courses work well as study groups with class members doing much of the research and presentations. What the moderators do is to plan and organize the course.
So, how about YOU? Can you help us out? Can you challenge yourself? Are you ready for a great experience? Read through our suggestions, and see what catches your fancy.
Our first suggestion is:
- Anything that appeals to you – a topic YOU are already interested in
And from us, here are the top twelve in our current wish list:
- 50 Years Ago: what was life like then? how have things changed / stayed the same?
- Murders that Changed History: from Julius Caesar to Benazir Bhutto.
- The Brontes and their World
- The War of 1812: Bicentennial next year
- Famous Queens: Women in a Man’s World
- Ghost Stories through the Ages
- The World of Charles Dickens: Bicentennial coming up
- Battles that Changed History
- Famous Victorians
- Great Maritime Disasters
- Revolutions
- Financial villains
But if none of these catches your fancy, here are some more:
• From Marconi to Zuckerberg: The Communications Revolution
• Realists vs. Idealists: International Law and Foreign Policy
• Great Rivers of the World
• The Future of Nuclear Power
• Euthanasia: A Legal/Medical Viewpoint
• Extinctions: Crises in the History of Life
• The Life and Times of Cleopatra: new movie version coming soon
• Ethics for the 21st Century
• Key Events of the 20th Century
• Dictators and Tyrants
• Great Trial Lawyers: e.g. Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey, Eddie Greenspan, Earl Rogers
• Exploring the Amazon Basin
• The Enigma Machine and its Role in World War II
• War in the 21st Century
• A History of Fashion
• What to do about Debts and Deficits
• The Norman Conquest
• Inuit Art
• Great Canadians
• Volcanoes
• Family History: How to Begin
• Medieval History
• The History of Money: could use Niall Ferguson's book
• Recent Genetic Discoveries
• Famous British Trials
• Challenges of the 21st Century
• Egypt
And finally:
- Anything else that appeals to you! If you have any other idea(s) of your own which you'd like to pursue, or which you’d like to discuss, that's fine.
In addition, if you’re interested in co-moderating but haven’t yet come up with a topic, let me know and I’ll try to match you up. Also let me know if you would like to be an “intern”, helping out an existing moderator in order to learn the ropes.
So, if you're interested and/or have any questions, contact me as soon as possible as we have a deadline for the actual calendar entries, and certainly no later than October21st. I'll be glad to give or get you all the help you need. Remember that there will be lots of time between now and late January to do the actual work on the course. And you'll learn so much in the process.
Thanks.
Simon Pearson
for the Winter Calendar Committee
Please reply a.s.a.p by email or phone to
Simon Pearson
smnprsn@yahoo.com or 416-489-1727
