ABOUT
What is this CLASS?
Humanities is the study of what it means to BE HUMAN. We will answer this question by exploring our need for storytelling, our philosophies and beliefs, our capacity to love, as well as hate, our sense of identity and other qualities unique to the HUMAN EXPERIENCE. In this class, students will study how society expresses and defines itself through art. Various art forms will be analyzed, including: visual arts; theater; dance; music; and literature. The continuing theme throughout the year will be “The Purpose of Life: how people/societies explore the meaning of life and how their various answers are expressed through art.” In other words, what can we learn about people throughout time just by exploring their art and what can we convey about ourselves through our own artistic endeavors? This class will prepare students for advanced and/or college level Humanities courses not only in academic content but also by teaching students what to expect and how to take on responsibility for their own success.
What is this site?
Google Classroom is like the old fashioned in/out boxes - where you turned in your work in one box and the teacher graded it and returned it back to you. Some teachers us GC to share resources and material. That gets really confusing really fast, so I made this website. This is where you will find all the information you will need for class. This should be the first site you open everyday when you come into class.
Who is your teacher?
Ms. Girardin began her journey as an educator in 1998. Her first teaching position was in California at her alma mater, Santa Margarita High School. (Go, Eagles!) Since that time, she has taught a variety of subjects (including but not limited to) English (I-IV), Acting & Directing, Psychology, and Law & Justice. However, Ms. G's true and sustained passion is teaching the Humanities through Art Appreciation. She is thrilled to be teaching her favorite subject again after taking a break from the classroom for six years to serve as Oldham County High School's Digital Learning Coach.
Ms. Girardin's philosophy of education is grounded in the belief that those who are DOING are the ones who are THINKING, and those who are thinking are the ones who are LEARNING. IOW, for students to learn, they must be INVOLVED in the process; sometimes that means physical involvement, sometimes mental, hence this site's title, Involved Learner!
When she isn't visiting museums, Ms. Girardin can be found at the park with her two fur babies (Henry - 15yo, Emma - 13yo), working on her latest fiber arts WIP (that's work-in-progress for you non-knitting/crocheting folk), or on her yoga mat (shout out to 502 Power Yoga).
Whether you are a student in Ms. G's class or are just looking to brush up your appreciation of the Arts, you are welcome to grab a cup of coffee and lose yourself in these pages.
If you are an educator, I invite you to visit my instructional coaching site, the Involved Learner. Here, you will find a collection of FREE resources to INVOLVE your own students in your classroom. These resources are applicable to ANY subject and include pedagogical and digital learning suggestions to INVOLVE your students with academic discourse, thinking strategies, creating sensory models, inquisitive learning, and much more!