From ancient times, humans have used stories to better understand themselves and their place in the universe. Stories explain our past and how we can create a better time and world for ourselves and those who will come after us. This is the heart of humanities education. Humanities education within an ecosocial justice framework asks students to consider the stories they read, write, hear, and tell and how these stories impact all humans, the earth itself, and the creatures with whom they share the planet. We will consider stories of the past and of this moment, literature, poetry, theater, folklore, speeches, primary sources, and more.

Everyone we meet has something to teach us, and we have something to teach everyone we meet. Learning and teaching are as necessary to human life as breathing air, drinking water, and eating food. I teach English Language Arts, social studies, literature, and history classes at the third grade through high school levels. My role as an English Language Arts teacher is to help every student find their individual voice and learn to express it in written and spoken language. As a social studies and history teacher, my role is to help every student better understand the world that came before them, the moment in which they live, and a vision for a better future. 

A couple of notes about semester courses that apply for both live and flex sections.

✔️ INTERACTIVITY: Live semester classes are highly interactive and center around discussion and group activities. For students who prefer less interactivity, flex classes are suggested. 

✔️ STUDY HALL: Students enrolled in any of my semester courses, live and flex, are invited to attend study hall, which is held on most Monday and Wednesday evenings during the fall and spring semesters, at no additional cost. This is when students can get extra help with assignments, ask questions, work with classmates on group projects, or log in and work on homework with other learners. 

✔️ WORKBOOK:  Students enrolled in elementary and middle school courses, live and flex, will receive a virtual interactive workbook before the course begins. The workbook is created using Google Slides. Students will complete homework in the workbook, and the teacher will provide feedback on homework in the workbook. Students enrolled in high school courses will receive a link to a Google Drive where they will complete homework, and the teacher will provide feedback. 

✔️ LETTERS OF COMPLETION: At the end of courses, I provide a letter of completion and final grade for all students who have earned a C or better in the course. My goal is for every student to successfully complete the course. Learning is not about doing every assignment perfectly every time. We will work together to improve throughout the course. Students who engage and complete homework will earn an A.  

✔️ FINANCIAL BARRIERS: If the class fee is a barrier to your student’s enrollment, please message me for more information about payment plan options and scholarship opportunities. I will most likely respond by asking you what fee would make the course accessible for your student. We will work together from that point to find a way to make the course financially accessible. 

 
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In addition to the classes I teach, I organize two online clubs. ACT: Animal Club for Tweens & Teens focuses on animal welfare and rights. The EcoSocial Justice Club: A Current Events Discussion Club for Young Historians is for middle and high school social studies and history students to continue conversations that began in class. While all learners are invited to join ACT, the EcoSocial Justice Club’s prerequisite is that students are enrolled in or have completed one of the Foster Woods Folk School’s middle or high school social studies or history courses.  


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I invite learners to call me by my first name, Beth. My pronouns are she or they. I am lead teacher at the Foster Woods Folk School, an Appalachian school dedicated to teaching the humanities within an ecosocial justice framework. I was a newspaper reporter and editor for many years before directing a nonprofit center focused on social justice. I have a master of arts degree in American history, and bachelor of arts degrees in political science, English, and communications with a journalism emphasis. I am also a Gaelic language learner.  When I am not teaching or learning, I care for the 30 dogs and cats living at The Foster Woods Folk School animal sanctuary. I enjoy visits from the many birds, opossums, deer, and other wild creatures who stop to say hello, as well as learning gardening, canning, and preserving from my parents.


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🛑 Plagiarism and AI Policy

Homework is assigned to encourage learners to think more deeply and critically about what we are learning and reading. The point of homework is not to just fill the page. The point of homework is for learners to practice expressing their thoughts, ideas, opinions, analysis, and research in their own language. Because of that the Foster Woods Folk School has instituted a strict policy regarding students submitting plagiarized content and AI-generated content as their own work. 

All homework submitted for assignments is checked using software designed to detect plagiarized and AI-generated content. If a submitted assignment returns a score of being plagiarized or AI-generated, the teacher assessing the assignment will further investigate by submitting the assignment to additional plagiarism and AI detection software, and further investigating the results. If  the teacher determines that the assignment was plagiarized or AI-generated, the following policy will apply. 

1. On the first instance, the teacher will provide their determination to the student and their adult in writing. The teacher will invite the student and their adult to attend an office hours meeting to discuss the incident. The student will receive an F on the assignment with no opportunity to re-submit the assignment. 

2. On the second instance, the teacher will provide their determination to the student and their adult in writing. The teacher will invite the student and their adult to attend an office hours meeting to discuss the incident. The student will automatically fail the course with no opportunity to re-submit the assignment. The student may continue to attend class meetings, but no letter of completion or certificate of completion will be issued to students who have committed two acts of submitting plagiarized or AI-generated content. 

Refunds will not be issued for class fees for students who fail a course because of submitting plagiarized or AI-generated assignments.

Appeals Process: If a student believes that the teacher’s assessment of their work being plagiarized or AI-generated is wrong, the student may appeal by requesting a meeting with the Foster Woods Folk School board president, Will York. In the case of an appeal, York will meet through Outschool Zoom with the student, the student’s adult, and the teacher. York’s decision is final.