This class is hosted on Outschool, with availability on:

• Wednesdays at 11am Eastern
• Thursdays at 3pm Eastern, starting August 8

Is this the right class for you? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you need to join in!

• Are you interested in understanding the "why" behind today's news headlines?
• Do you wish you knew more about how American history relates to current events?
• Are you interested in the current election season?
• Do you want to know more about the structure of the American government?

I scour news sites daily to find interesting and relevant news stories that have connections to history, government, politics, elections, and more. The stories are presented, explained, and discussed. After class, students are provided with a list of the articles we looked at, plus additional information if they want to dig further. There is no homework, and there are no grades offered for the class.

While no news site is 100% unbiased, I work hard to make sure that the media I use is as neutral as possible. When a news story we discuss is obviously biased, we talk about it: how to recognize bias, how to find opposing views. My goal is for students to reach informed decisions. When choosing news sources, I frequently consult the Ad Fontes Media Group and their Media Bias Chart.

 I do not expect students to come to the class with any prior knowledge - just an interest in learning. Students can contribute to the conversation, or sit back and listen (or both). This class is a great companion to a traditional civics or US government class, and some students have used the class in place of those more traditional options as well. You won't just learn how the government is supposed to work.... you'll learn how it is actually working in real time!

Once a student is subscribed to the class, parents are charged weekly on Sundays for the upcoming class. Classes may be paused or a student may be withdrawn and not charged by making that change before Sunday each week.

I completed 70 class hours of training, under the direction of The Orton-Gillingham Academy of Practitioners and Educators in order to provide specialized instruction to my own children.

Additionally, I completed professional education units through the Georgia Educational Training Agency including the following:

• Early Literacy: Phonological / Phonemic Awareness
• Focus on Phonics: Decoding and Encoding
• Learning Disabilities that Interfere with Reading and Written Expression
• Understanding Dyslexia

I am the primary homeschooling parent to two twice-exceptional students (one who is now in college) and have experience modifying curriculum. Additionally, I have worked in-person with students with ADHD, Auditory Processing Disorder, and Autism.