​Course Description

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Current events are an extremely effective vehicle for cross-disciplinary learning. Through the monitoring and study of current events, students will be exposed to political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic concepts that create real-life learning experiences and great dinner time conversations.

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The method used by TDA to teach current events, developed over a decade of practice, takes learning about current events several steps further. 

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Firstly, the interest of each student will drive their selection of their weekly area of study, with guidance provided on media literacy, research, presentation, and analysis. In addition, TDA selects the most important current events and trends driving change in our time, and conducts special briefings and discussion items.

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Secondly, with each current event, we extract the moral decisions at hand, and challenge students to place themselves in a position of leadership and as members of a democratic society.

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Thirdly, this class functions on a participative and discussion-based model, in which students will spend asynchronous learning time researching, collaborating with other students, and engaging with instructors. Class time is reserved for discussion, analysis, and debate. Feedback and individual guidance are provided asynchronously, in order to reserve class time for discussion and displays of learning.

 

This 6-week session culminates with a live online event to which parents and guests are invited. Students will prepare for and participate in a formal, recorded 60-minute Current Events Round Table (similar to a Sunday talk show panel) in which they will display the knowledge they have gained. 

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This course incorporates some of the best practices of online and offline learning, and is a great compliment to regular schools with pandemic era online curriculum, or homeschooled students. 

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Learning Intentions

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• To develop current events monitoring skills, media literacy skills, and the use of research methods for self- directed learning;

• To develop rhetorical and argumentative skills, social tact, and listening skills necessary for academic, ethical and political debate;

• To explore societal values, moral issues, and ethical dilemmas;

• To prepare and participate in a debate before an authentic audience.

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Dates & Duration

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• Middle School Level (6th-8th)

  • Live Class time: One class per week on Friday from 10- 12 noon

  • Asynchronous time estimate: 2 hours per week, mostly reading and researching news items.

• High School Level: (9th-12th)

  • Live Class Time: One class per week, on Friday from 1 pm-3 pm

    Asynchronous time estimate: 3 hours per week, mostly reading and researching news items.

• Duration: 6 Weeks

• Session Dates

  • Session 1: September 18- October 23, 2020

  • Session 2: October 30- December 11, 2020

  • Session 3: January 8- February 12, 2021

  • Session 4: February 26- April 9, 2021

  • Session 5: April 23- May 28, 2021

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cost

We are in a pandemic, and we want as many people to have access to high-quality education as possible. We are adopting a sliding scale model, in which parents can choose their tuition amount, from $100 - $300.

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Financial assistance policy

Our intention is to provide high-quality education for all motivated students. With that in mind, we will not reject any motivated student solely for financial reasons. We offer full and partial scholarships, and are committed to working with parents to work out solutions. If you wish you to request financial assistance, please check the appropriate box in our booking form.