Next week, March 4th to 8th, Morgan students will be selecting their classes for the 2024-25 school year. The creation of the eight-period schedule allows students to take more classes, specifically electives. Four new electives are coming to Morgan next year: Discrete Mathematics; Speak, Engage, Influence: Public Speaking and Public Relations; and Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers. A fourth class, Diverse Literature: A Personalized Exploration, is offered again this year, after its initial introduction for the 2023-24 school year.
Juniors and seniors who may not want to follow the calculus pathway now have the option to take a new data science course. Discrete Mathematics is a full year course, worth one credit, and requires completion of Algebra II. This class focuses on decision-making and applying mathematical logic and skills into real world scenarios. Students will work to connect traditional mathematical concepts with contemporary situations. Throughout the year, students will learn about topics such as deductive reasoning, counting and probability, graph theory, scheduling, voting theory, weighted voting, apportionment methods, fair division, and the mathematics of finance. Math department chair John Madura describes this class as an introduction to new applied problems that students may not have seen in regular math. This class also differentiates itself from other, more traditional, math classes because each topic is independent of the others, which provides students a higher chance of success. In standard math classes, each topic builds on the last, whereas Discrete Math targets many interests, such as business, politics, and computer science.
Public speaking is a useful skill needed in many future careers. The teachers at Morgan have realized that, and will be offering Speak, Engage, Influence: Public Speaking and Public Relations to all students as a semester class, worth half of a credit. On top of public speaking, students will learn about social media promotion, graphic design, and video creation. Not only will these skills be taught, but they will be applied through projects such as promoting Dodge for a Difference, Spirit Weeks, working with the PawPrint, and the Multicultural Fair. Students will have the freedom to express themselves and their creativity in a plethora of ways. The ultimate goal of this class is to boost students’ confidence and understanding of public relations and advertising as they apply it to the real world. English teacher, Leslie Chausse, recommends this class to all students because most career paths require human interaction, so being able to communicate effectively is crucial, and colleges and future employers value the skills students will develop in this class.
Lastly, students who grew up speaking Spanish, have the chance to improve their skills as well as grow fonder of Latin American culture. Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers will be offered to students in ninth and tenth grade as a full year course, worth one credit, with a recommendation from their World Language teacher. Students will study the differences between informal and formal or academic Spanish. They will also work to enhance reading comprehension, grammar structures, and writing. A student’s advanced understanding of their native language will also help them improve their English skills. Spanish teacher Señora Rivadeneira will be teaching this class next year and feels very passionate and excited about it. She wants to highlight the differences between a native and a heritage speaker. A native speaker is someone who learned Spanish at home and spoke Spanish in all aspects of their life. A heritage speaker is someone who has exposure to Spanish at home, but it is not the dominant language. She invites all students who grew up in a Spanish-speaking household or students who previously lived in a Spanish-speaking country to take her class to refine their skills.
Diverse Literature: A Personalized Exploration is a class that was offered this year, but unfortunately it did not gain enough popularity and did not end up running. Despite those challenges, the English department is bringing it back as a semester long class, worth half of a credit, for students in eleventh and twelfth grade. It is geared to students who enjoy reading, in a relaxed atmosphere. What sets this class apart from other English classes, is that students get to form their own learning experiences by selecting the literature that speaks to them, as well as creating their own projects. For example, students may create video trailers or establish a Morgan Goodreads account to promote books that they enjoy. They can also make recommendations to Library Media Specialist Shannon Robinson, on books The Morgan School Library should carry. Students will have the opportunity to explore various perspectives such as those of Asian, Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent individuals.
