Rigorous Courses Archives - Excelsior Classes

The Power of Poetry to Improve Writing

Mar 17, 2021 | Amy Wallace, Rigorous Courses

“Poetry is a window, a way to see inside” (H. Wallace 1). When we study poetry, we discern our inner world and speak into the outer world words that shape history. We follow in the footsteps of master poets who teach us how to play with words to evoke deep emotion,...

The Book vs. the Movie: More Than Meets the Eye

Mar 17, 2021 | Dawn Burnette, Rigorous Courses

Which is better: Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling or Haydn’s oratorio The Creation? While you might prefer one over the other, it’s unfair to declare one as “better” because they are completely different art forms. How many times have...

Anti-Climactic Abeka: Why Reading Acclaimed Literature is Superior to Curriculum-Based Readers

Feb 11, 2021 | Jenny Cutler, Rigorous Courses

It was my first year teaching at a private Christian school in the DC suburbs. I was excited, optimistic, naïve, and had no idea what I was doing. Like many teachers, I had no choice in the materials I used, and I was quickly disappointed as I looked over the...

Why Do My Students Need to Take Advanced Composition Classes?

Nov 30, 2020 | Hannah Dietrich, Rigorous Courses

Students must be taught to become critical consumers of media in order to avoid being manipulated by a variety of deceptive ideologies. In our modern world, there are few limitations on publications. People can post their thoughts or beliefs freely via the internet...

What is an Executive Order and What Does it Do?

Jan 29, 2020 | Ann LeBlanc, Rigorous Courses

What is an Executive Order and What Does it Do? For those of you who follow politics, it seems the term “executive order” has been heard often over the last several years. Whether executive orders are authorized by the Constitution and how many executive orders have...

Design Thinking: A New Way of Thinking or a Public Resurgence of an Ancient Idea?

Oct 22, 2019 | Carissa Sheehan, Rigorous Courses

Design Thinking: A New Way of Thinking or a Public Resurgence of an Ancient Idea? You may have heard the idea of Design Thinking batted about on the internet. This is the “new” way businesses are working on being more innovative. The great thing is that graphic...