I wrote this back in July and was quite pleased with how it came out. There's something formulaic about the language of a curriculum that just screams to have it applied to other aspects of our daily lives.
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Nonprofit Lake Association Watershed Internship
Perfect for the individual who hates being stuck behind a desk all day; students accepted for this position will engage in a variety of different tasks. In addition to competently managing the Lake Host and Weed Watchers programs, students will assist with monthly water quality testing and snorkeling for invasive milfoil as they learn how to manage environmental issues on a small scale. Additional duties include invasive and native plant identification, driving the pontoon boat around Lake Sunapee, writing articles on current lake issues, running errands, pulling up the dreaded purple loosestrife, repairing the boat wash, scuba diving, traipsing through underbrush, and redesigning the fish poster that last year’s intern shamelessly plagiarized from enature.com.
Prerequisites: Basic handyman skills required; scuba certification recommended for maximum enjoyment.
Credits: 12
A Rogue Bookseller: Entrepreneurship I
Ever looked at all those books that Bennington students throw into dirty free piles at the end of a hectic term? Ever considered that those books might be worth big money? The first week of this course will consist of a thorough search of the Bennington campus, as students snatch up any books that could be worth a dime before their classmates beat them to the punch. They will then list their findings online, where demand for textbooks is always high, and establish an inventory of books for their own storefront. Advanced students may wish to search for Free Piles left after local yard sales around the Kearsarge area, or bargain for cheap flea market books to increase business. Be warned that demand for Brian Jacques novels isn’t as high as one might be lead to believe.
Prerequisites: None. Students will need to provide their own packing materials, preferably at a minimal cost.
Credits: 2
Fix My Ride: A Crash Course in Intermediate Auto Repair
Students selecting this course will slowly delve into the multitude of tasks required for the upkeep and maintenance of an older car that, while it may still have plenty of miles left in it, requires a vigilant eye to keep it from slipping into disrepair and desolation. We will begin with elementary fluid and tire pressure checks, move on to bulb and air filter replacement, then on to Bondo repair and the elimination of unsightly rust spots, as well as exhaust checks and instrument panel repair. Advanced topics may include fixing a steering fluid leak, and solving the mystery of why the car’s tapedeck makes an annoying clicking noise when first turned on.
Prerequisites: Some familiarity with autos, including the ability to change one’s own oil.
Credits: 2
Advanced Independent Study in Literature
How does one stay involved in the wide world of literature without college teachers to design a syllabus for us? This course tackles the dilemma faced by many an avid reader determined to keep up with the literary world after college. Students will individually delve into the backlog of books they’ve accumulated over the past year, attempting to catch up as best they can, and develop their thought processes on these novels without the strain of paper-writing or class discussion. Selections may include works by Vonnegut, Faulkner, Davis-Goff, Haddon, Baroness Orczy, Millhauser, Kafka, Lee, Roth, Christie, Gogol, Sinclair, Mandella, Hiassen and John F. Kennedy. Students should come fully prepared not to have anyone to talk with about anything they read throughout the semester.
Prerequisites: The ability to select a varied and interesting reading list; self-discipline.
Credits: 2
Staying in Touch With Friends II: The Post-College Abyss
College is over, and with it ends the relative ease of keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances on a small rural campus, just as the ease of seeing people every day throughout high school also disappeared so long ago. Suddenly, the very real possibility of losing dozens of fulfilling relationships with a wide range of people looms over us, as the uncertain future threatens to destroy everything we’ve always taken for granted. To make matters worse, social networks at home have altered in such a way as to render them almost unrecognizable from the way they were four years ago, causing confusion to the unprepared. This course is about facing these challenges head-on amidst an onslaught of other post-graduation activities; we’ll cover such topics as Facebook communication and what it can and can’t do; writing e-mails that friends will actually respond to; what to do when you simply seem to know too many people; how to plan events when so many of your closest friends have already gone; and how to survive in this brave new world without a cell phone.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of “Staying in Touch With Friends I: The Long Goodbye” or permission of the instructor.
Credits: 4, though students have found considerably more success taking this course in its 8 credit incarnation.
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