Thinking Series: Terms 1-2 Super Pack (Full Year)
Purchase a discounted year (32 weeks) of classes! This includes:
The Art of Public Speaking (4 weeks)
Communication is the backbone of any society. It allows us to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change. While some children take to it naturally, others tend to be more fearful of standing and talking in front of a crowd.
Your child will be coached on their enunciation, facial expression, hand movements, and overall delivery. In addition to developing improved communication skills, your child’s self-esteem will be strengthened, their planning skills will be enhanced, and their power of persuasion will be enhanced, all of which will aid them on their path to becoming a great leader.
Ethics 1: Making Good Decisions from the Head and Heart (5 weeks)
"Good decision or bad decision?" Our daughter-in-law asks this question of our little grandson when he gets in trouble for something that he has done or said. Ethics is a more mature way of discussing right or wrong and making difficult decisions. Dr. Greg introduces ethics in this class and encourages everyone to join in the discussion. Ethics is critically important to all ages and in every part of life, from family to education to work. Join in the dialog!
Social Media Mastery (3 weeks)Knowing how to manage social media use is essential; we must teach our children to protect themselves in the virtual world. During this class, we will help our students work out the following:
- How they want to behave and be treated by other people online;
- An understanding of the risks involved in using social media – for example, risks like being tagged in an embarrassing photo taken at a party;
- An understanding of the dangers involved in sharing content and personal information – this includes not only content that your child shares but also images of your child that other people share, or posts and images that others tag your child to;
- How to navigate the risks – for example, if your child posts an identifiable image of herself, she can reduce risk by not including any other personal information;
- Knowing what to do if people ask for personal details, are mean or abusive online, post embarrassing photos of them, or share information that links back to them;
- How to manage their own digital footprint – for example, we will discuss what your child would like their digital footprint to say about them now and in the future.
What Color Is Your Parachute? Choosing Careers (4 weeks)
In this class, students will begin the long journey of answering the age-old question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Using What Color Is Your Parachute? as a guide, students will explore their personal interests and strengths, as well as their disinterests and weaknesses. Students will explore a variety of career paths together to decide what career they would like to pursue. Marine biologist? Graphic designer? Dentist? Astronaut? The sky's the limit!
Ethics 2: Using My Core Values and Conscience (5 weeks)
Creating personal ethics and crafting personal core values can be an academic process.
Putting them into practice, living them out, is a life-long challenge. Standing for the hard right against the easy wrong--words from a prayer that I memorized as a young man--requires courage and inner strength. The heroes of history, of our personal histories, and of the history of civilization, exemplify such courage and strength. They also find their happiness and success bound to living out their commitments and core values. This class focuses on developing character, understanding our personal ethical DNA, creating positive friendships, confronting the culture in which we live with a critical eye, and writing the first draft (in a life-long process) of our personal mission statement.
Personal reflection, discussion, and debate will mark a successful experience in this class. Please join us and make your contribution to your own character development and that of your classmates.
Note: Ethics 1 is not a required prerequisite for Ethics 2.
Night at the Museum: Global Edition (3 weeks)
From the Louvre in France to the Uffizi Galleries in Italy, we will visit great museums around the world and learn about the greatest art and artifacts from the past! Join us as we visit Machu Picchu (not quite a museum, but close enough), the Tanzmeisterhaus (or dancing master's house) in Salzburg (where the Mozarts lived), and the Leonardo da Vinci Museum, where we will walk side-by-side with some of the greatest artists, inventors, and architects that ever lived.
Triple-A Geography (4 weeks)
Studying geography helps us to have an awareness of a place. All places and spaces have a unique history behind them, shaped by humans, earth, and climate. Studying geography gives meaning and awareness to places and spaces. It also helps students visualize history and increase their understanding of international affairs.
Join us on a brief trip to the Triple-As: Asia, Africa, and Australia (Oceania). Students will learn to identify all of the countries in Asia and Africa, as well as the major islands in Oceania. Is Egypt in Africa or Southern Europe? Are China and Russia next to each other or far away? Which countries border the Indian Ocean? Is Tanzania named after Tarzan? Ask no more!
Are You A Fallacy Detective? (4 weeks)
What is a fallacy? A fallacy is a mistaken belief, especially one based on an unsound argument. Fallacies are statements that might sound reasonable or superficially true but are actually flawed or dishonest. When readers detect them, these logical fallacies backfire by making the audience think the writer is (a) unintelligent or (b) deceptive. It is important to avoid them in our own arguments, and it is also important to be able to spot them in others' arguments so a false line of reasoning won't fool you. Think of this as intellectual kung-fu: the vital art of self-defense in a debate. As we learn about the many types of fallacies, we will use case studies to detect fallacies. Are you a fallacy detective?
- Day and Time: Mondays, 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM ET
- Bundle Duration: 32 Weeks
- Dates: September 16, 2024 - May 26, 2025
- No class November 25, December 16, 23, 30, April 14
- Recommended for: Ages 11+ / Grades 6-7
- Teacher: TTK Faculty
See more thinking series classes: thethinkingkid.org/the-thinking-series
See more classes for ages 11+ / grades 6-7: thethinkingkid.org/grades-6-7