Global Current Events Club
Global Current Events Club for middle school and high school students. Each class is packed with current events, trivia, games, debates, speeches, contests, readings and lots of jokes!
Erik, Professor, J.D, MS, BS
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(1,127)
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What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hours per weekAssessment
We do not have any formal assessments in the class. But students can track their own progress and see their growth through the games, presentations and debates we do in the class. Informal Assessments include: 1. Student Presentations on Current Events 2. Current Events Games and Trivia 3. Student Debates on Global Current EventsClass Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
CLASS DESCRIPTION This class is very similar to my “Current Events Club” but the focus is just on International Current Events. This is a great class for students interested in geography, global history, and of course global current events! We will also be using “This Week Junior” for several activities, but a subscription is not required. Current events is singly the most important subject. Students learn every academic skill - reading, writing, critical thinking, advocacy and more! Students read every subject - because current events is every subject! And most importantly, it is the most critical subject. If we do not understand, learn and read about the world - we can never change the world for the better. So join me in a weekly ongoing class where will have fun and lots of comedy but challenge ourselves in every topic and every skill imaginable. Welcome to the world of current events! Students will receive a free weekly current events magazine subscription from September-May and during summer months we have several online websites that are recommended. Each week we will come together to (a) review, (b) discuss, (c) present, (d) and learn about current events in a very fun, humorous and dynamic "Club" environment of games, trivia, prizes and more! My presentations are fast, fun, funny, interactive and all games! I also highly recommend this class for all my Debate and Speech Camp and Club students! Current Events provides you with excellent background knowledge for debates, public speaking, and writing. PREREQUISITES AND RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Sense of Humor! We use a lot of comedy and my corny jokes! 2. Most students have taken the Introduction to Debate and Speech. This class introduces students to all our class activities, Apps, Games, current events, and public speaking. So if you find Current Events Club a bit fast and overwhelming - I would recommend Debate Camp first. Link: https://outschool.com/classes/middle-school-speech-and-debate-camp-edkFYUzZ?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link CLASS STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITIES (Please note that schedule may vary) 1. 5 Minutes - Student Presentations of Current Events 2. 5 Minutes - Weekly Magazine #1 Review and Game #1 3. 5 Minutes - Weekly Magazine #2 Review and Game #2 4. 5 Minutes - Weekly Global Debate Topic (This Week Junior or other Topic) 5. 35 minutes - Teacher Interactive Lecture on Current Event Topics (Teacher Lecture: Slides, Video Clips, Games, Trivia, Contests, and more! )... and lots and lots of Comedy! OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSES OFFERED: Beginners Speech and Debate Camp Level I (Beginners) https://outschool.com/classes/middle-school-speech-and-debate-camp-edkFYUzZ?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Beginners Speech and Debate Camp Level II (Beginners): Debate Skills & Events This is the next step for Debate Camp Level #1 students. In this class we learn advanced debate skills and different debate formats. https://outschool.com/classes/middle-school-speech-and-debate-camp-level-ii-TeSFoFwy?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Beginners Speech and Debate Camp Level II (Beginners): The Speech Events! This is the next step for Debate Camp Level #1 students. In this camp we will focus on the speech events and advanced public speaking skills. Highly recommended for debaters as well, since public speaking and audience adaptation is the #1 debate skill. https://outschool.com/classes/middle-school-speech-and-debate-camp-level-ii-the-speech-events-8AJXuexH?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Current Events Club https://outschool.com/classes/current-events-club-debate-speech-advocate-change-the-world-2QgX0MtZ?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Model United Nations Club & International Current Events https://outschool.com/classes/model-united-nations-club-and-conference-6J6E8cjx?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Law School Club https://outschool.com/classes/law-school-club-yUxEwpCT?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link History Club In this ongoing class, students will learn major historical events that took place during that week in US & Global History. Students will practice public speaking, research, reading, & writing skills with games, trivia, & fun! https://outschool.com/classes/the-history-club-lH2VzJzC?usid=j2iJky1O&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Follow my Outschool Profile for any new classes & updates! https://outschool.com/teachers/eriktheteacher
Learning Goals
1. Independent Reading
Our Weekly Current Events Reading makes reading, writing and learning the news fun and a daily habit for children. Students will read short articles every day. They will always find an interesting topic to read! Students will improve their non-fiction literacy and learn more about the outside world. We also have a second recommended reading but you will have to subscribe to this periodical - "This Week Junior." But subscription is optional. Please, note during the summer months, the weekly publications are on break.
2. Vocabulary, Geography, Critical Thinking and More!
Our current events reading have vocabulary lists, activities and assessments. Students can create their own dictionary of unfamiliar words; they can add to their log each day with each edition.
3. Games, Trivia, Contests, Prizes and More!
Each week in class we will have games, trivia and contests on our daily current events readings. And what is a game without Prizes!
4. Classroom Debates!
We will have a short debate on a global debate topic each week.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We will be discussing current events ranging from environmental issues to human rights to politics. Some of these issues will be controversial in areas of politics, wars, discrimination and prejudice (sexism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia). So students and families should be aware and prepared for mature content and mature issues.
Comedy! If not comfortable with Comedy Shows this is not the class for you! We will be using lots of mature comedy content from such shows as Saturday Night Live and other late night and daytime comedy shows! My goal is to engage students in current events and build a lifetime commitment to current events by making it fun, humorous and to share good laugh. Smiling and laughing while learning is my goal!
I understand that current events can be controversial. I have been teaching debate for about twenty years, I was a debater for another ten years, and I have founded and directed the largest debate league in the nation! So I have substantial experience in speaking and debating on issues of controversy. My rule of thumb and one of the first things I say in class and our number one rule: RESPECT - we respect all viewpoints, politics and perspectives. As a teacher I am not focused on what the politics of students are but focused on HOW students express their opinions - public speaking skills, writing skills, reading skills, presentation skills, debate skills and social skills of respect towards all others. Additionally, for any issues of controversy we always discuss other viewpoints and arguments so that students learn and respect different perspectives.
External Resources Statement: We will be using a variety of classroom tools, readings, links and other external resources. Please review the Materials section before signing up for this class. These resources are optional. No accounts have to be created. All these resources are free. All these resources have been vetted and used widely by students, schools and teacher. But I do recommend that students read, listen or watch some sort of news and current events for the class.
Supply List
During the school year (it is not available during the summer) I will be sending out a weekly news publication for kids. This is used in thousands of schools nationwide. Students are also recommended to read their own news sources ie CNN10, The Week Junior, or other publications. And please let me know if you would like further recommendations. During class I will also be using news clips from news channels, talk shows, late night comedy news shows such as Saturday Night Live, and other news sources. So we will be using a wide variety of domestic, international, serious, and silly sources for an hour jam packed with current events!
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined September, 2020
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in History from University of California, Berkeley
I have been teaching current events classes for ten years as a New York City School Teacher and another ten years as a full time debate teacher and director. With degrees in Political Science, Law, Social Studies, and United States History - current events has been my lifelong passion!
I received my B.A. from U.C Berkeley, Jurist Doctorate from Hastings College of Law, and Masters Degree in Education at Pace University. In 2002 I was accepted to Teach for America and I have been teaching since. I have been a public school teacher for ten years with the New York City Department of Education and taught speech and debate classes for about ten years with thousands of NYC students. My debaters have gone on to win city, state and national champion titles. I currently serve as Professor at Baruch College in the Communications Studies Department. I teach Debate and Argumentation classes as well as Political Rhetoric.
As a teacher I helped to co-found the Big Apple Debate League which is now the NY Debate League. In 2011, I founded our city's Debate League with the mission that every middle school and high school should have a debate team. I served as Founder and Executive Director from 2011-2019 building the league into the largest citywide debate league in the nation, serving thousands of students every year. In 2020, I left the nonprofit world, and I returned to my passion as a full time teacher!
I have received numerous awards in education including the United States Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers Fellowship, Fund for Teachers Fellowship, Plank Foundation Fellowship, and Teach for America Innovation Award Finalist.
I love teaching. My grandparents, parents and my brother are all educators. There is nothing more fun than sharing your passion with others.
My philosophy of teaching is learning should be fun and challenging. I always begin my classes with current events trivia. My lectures are interactive with movie clips, songs, puzzles and other engaging tools. We always practice our public speaking and debate skills. All my classes end with a fun and competitive speech and debate practice or tournament. My mission is all students should have access to speech and debate.
Press. Below are some news articles about me and my debaters! I owe everything to my own debate teacher and coach and so everyday my mission is to support future debaters!
1. First Lady Michelle Obama Honors Erik and the Great Debaters
https://tinyurl.com/29u2cfpw
2. Bronx debate team one of 12 school groups nationally to get visit with Michelle Obama
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/skilled-young-orators-heading-white-house-article-1.1203407
3. New York City Teacher Creates After School Debate League Lauded by the White House
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/11/prweb10156172.htmReviews
Live Group Class
$15
weekly1x per week
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-15
10-18 learners per class
