If If you’re a senior at SLA, good news –there are many new classes next year being introduced by the teachers for seniors core classes and electives. .
Engineering Teacher John Kamal, has background in space science, had worked at GE’s space division and had worked on a couple of NASA programs, like Galileo and Ulysses interplanetary spacecraft and the design of the International Space Station, will be sharing his expertise in a new senior science class, called Aerospace Engineering.
“I want students to learn about the science of how the universe works. especially the physics and chemistry. I want them to be able to use observations to have the experience of seeing those physical principles in real life and to also look at how humans have explored space and engineering that went into the exploration.”
Mr.Kamal has also planned some cool projects for next year. For example, he might have his students design spacecraft with a given set of objectives and constraints to perform a particular mission.
“I’m really looking forward to teaching it for the for first time, and also looking forward to energetic students to learn about how the world works.”
English Teacher Amal Giknis,will be teaching the new class called Being Human next year to explore the deeper values that we all share.
“I wanted to leave the title open ended as a way to explore different values of our society. To explore more and discover answers to unanswered questions such as, are these value absolute? If our society crumble do these what values continue to exist. etc?”
This year, Ms. Giknis took over the English courses that had previously be designed by Ms. Dunn — Reel Reading and Gender and Sexuality in Literature. For the new course next year Ms. Giknis made her class based on things she questioned and loved.
“I made the class based on things I have loved to read and questions that had remained with me for so much of my life, and things I enjoy thinking about. At first, I started thinking about books I liked and a lot of the different themes that are interesting to explore with young people, especially the seniors. I didn’t teach most of the books I explored, so it’ll be great to explore as a class”.
Ms. Giknis wants the class to read mostly modern literature.
“ I really want to explore into themes that make us who we are as individual and as a society. What divides us from the world?, Where did values come from? Why aren’t we animals? Why aren’t we zombies?
Ms.Giknis’ possible activities for class can be something like a project on apocalyptic, she does not have the details, but will be interested to see how students explore into things like the world coming to an end, and the chances of survival.
“I am really excited, it’s really a cool privilege to have, to be able to teach anything you want, and to choose what it will be and what students will like.”
A third new class, Gender Studies, will be offered as a two-day elective by Ms. Menasion, and will be open to everybody but Freshmen. The course will be a continuation of some of the themes explored in the Social Justice elective she is teaching this year.
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