Online Learning   

This class includes short presentations (talks, slides, videos) followed by discussions on all sorts of current US and world topics involving history, government, policy, science, technology, literature, education, culture, and many more. Participants are welcome to make presentations, suggest topics, discuss, or just listen. Special guests are also welcome to present.

This class is for people who have studied some French in the past. We study basic French grammar, usage, pronunciation, and vocabulary. The focus is communicating with others in written and spoken French.

This class is centered around a French book. The class reads aloud, followed by translation into English, with some discussion of vocabulary, grammar, and the plot. We will review grammar when questions about usage or form come up, perhaps dedicating a class to a particularly irksome topic.

On parle français dans cette classe, sans traduction (si nous avons de la chance). On doit avoir l'envie d'entendre et de parler mieux le français, et peut-être un jour le parler couramment. Il n’y a pas de textes.

This introductory class will provide an overview of Hinduism, the religion of India that originated about 3000 years ago. It will include a brief history about the origin of Hinduism and the contributions to it from different sources, the religion of Hinduism and its many components, the different philosophies that underpin the religious practices, including the non-dualism of Vedanta; and the interactions between Hinduism and Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Also covered in the class are the rituals, practices, customs, and festivals related to Hinduism.

Knitting with others is a wonderful learning environment. This class is designed to give knitters who have mastered the basic stitches of knit and purl a chance to work on a project of their choosing while we chat and share ideas online with other knitters. All levels of ability are welcome! Gale contributes to the class by offering tips and suggestions for patterns, yarn, and tools based on her years of knitting experience.

Ireland is well known for its great writers, from Jonathan Swift to W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Samuel Becket, Seamus Heaney, J.M. Synge, and George Bernard Shaw, among many others. Today that tradition is carried on by a growing list of excellent modern Irish writers. We will read and discuss one book by each of four authors. We will also examine the social, political, and economic environment that shaped their writing. Reading these authors will provide a useful introduction to Irish literature today and hopefully spark your interest to explore more Irish writers and their works.

W.B. Yeats, in his essay "The Celtic Element In Literature," spoke of visions of a world expressed by people who "believed that trees were divine, and could take a human or grotesque shape and dance among the shadows." Once a powerful people who dominated much of Europe, the Celts were reduced to a few small groups after the Roman invasions. However, their mythology survived, thanks largely to the efforts of medieval Irish and Welsh monks who wrote down the stories.

Each week the class will read poems by an individual poet, a collection of poems on a specific subject, or a collection of poems in a specific style. A wide range of poets and poetry will be presented, from classic to contemporary. We will discuss poetry from the perspective that the poet creates the work but the reader activates it.

Unlock the secrets to a healthier mind and enhance your cognitive well-being. This interactive class will explore the six essential pillars of brain health. You will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to support and enhance your brain health, empowering you to lead a more vibrant and fulfilling life. Join us and take the first step toward fostering a healthier mind.

Join us for this class using tai chi martial arts for health and wellness. Emphasis will be on balance, flexibility, and relaxation skills. Each session includes stretching and balancing exercises. In the first session, students will learn tai chi moves that exercise both the body and mind. In the last session, students will expand their tai chi balancing skills and learn breathing techniques for relaxation related to the tai chi movements. Ample time to practice will be provided. Comfortable clothes and shoes recommended.

The Cousins' War, as it was called contemporaneously, that ripped apart the ruling Plantagenet family in England affords some insights into competitions for leadership, control, and alliances, even in the present day. Join us as we dissect the complicated relationships that played out in 15th-century England and ended with the throne occupied by the first Tudor king, Henry VII.

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

If you can't draw, know that it's not your fault. You weren't taught properly. First published in 1979, Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain applied brain science to drawing instruction. Using her teaching techniques to bypass our internal barriers and connect us to our innate ability to draw, we learn we can do more than we believed. If you want to start exploring art classes but still draw like a child, start here. Stick-figure level drawing skill is perfect and welcome.