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FreeSkoolThe opirg freeskool is a project that is designed to challenge the hierarchical and institutional way learning is primarily conducted in our community. We reject the notion that only some kinds of knowledges are valuable, or that only certain people are 'accredited' enough to share information. We embrace radical accessibility, critical consciousness, and student-centred learning. As an organization committed to the relationships between research, education and action we urge all participants - teachers and students - to think about how learning and skill/knowledge-sharing without borders will help us foster a more just community. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please contact Milica at opirgbu@gmail.com. In order to participate enrollment IS NOT required, but it will help each teachers to prepare for their course. All the courses are running out of our community infoshop, located at 10 summer street, unless otherwise noted.
Mondays 4-6pm This class will offer basic french understanding through the uses literature, films and conversation. Students will be exposed to grammar, common french expressions, numbers and basic noun conjugation, and will be encouraged to compose poetry, speeches and other written assignments. French group discussion will be encouraged as the main educational technique! In terms of subject matter, those who attend will be integral in the ongoing structure and themes explored
tuesday at 1pm, (meet on campus, opirg alternative resource centre, room 204 student alumni building) friday at 6pm, (meet at infoshop) sunday at 3pm (meet at the infoshop) start date: June 8th A running course is simply about *enjoying* running / jogging / walking outside. Those who have never run and want to try it, those who have an interest in running a specific distance or speed, and those want other people to run or exercise with are all encouraged to come out. Some people may discover that they f'n hate running - and I'd be happy to help them find exercise that works for them (it's important!). My only rule is that no one is ever left alone at the back. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a reusable water bottle.
4pm, tuesdays This will entail a series of workshop where we explore different mediums of art and craft. Workshops will include some more traditional crafts - knitting, sewing, embroidery, quilting, macrame, collage but will also explore activist art too – button making, banner making, silk screening, etc.
6-8pm wednesday Love your bike, but don't know much about it other than that it gets you from A to B? Join us for a weekly gathering of bike love! We will learn everything there is to know about your bike - what the different parts are called, fixing a flat tire, fixing your breaks, working with gears, truing a tire, etc!
6pm thursday The speed at which the internet became intertwined with our lives, our infrastructure, and our planet hasn't allowed for public knowledge and legislation to keep up. We're at a point now where mass surveillance and censorship isn't Orwellian fiction but reality. The entertainment industry is moving towards implementing Digital Rights Management schemes that reduce your purchases to rentals. We're losing the ability to take the things we buy and change them, manipulate them, and learn from them without being criminals. We're on the brink of a virtual pollution problem as we pump more and more personal information into the hands of companies that have no legal requirement to manage it safely or allow us to take it back. The goal of this course is to inform at a higher level, and recommend solutions or techniques that are accessible to the average person. Ultimately awareness is the primary objective. The word hacker has been sullied by popular culture to the point where the original meaning is lost. An unfortunate evolution of language that can't be undone at this point. Hacktivism is a prime example of where fear can be replaced with support. Groups like the Cult of the Dead Cow's Hacktivismo arm work to develop tools that can be used by people in countries like China to talk freely without fear of Government intervention. During the student protests in Iran, hacktivists were able to set up secure anonymous relays to let repressed citizens reach out to the world via Twitter and other websites blocked by the Government. Ideally I'd like to cover a smattering of topics: • Censorship, Privacy and Anonymity
8pm thursday The course will go over the basics of playing the guitar. The goal is to get people started on a path that encourages them to teach themselves. I will provide information and lesson plans on strumming, how to tune, read chord charts/tablature, play scales, as well as the time to practice and jam with others. I will also have students write down some songs they would like to try to learn and go over them individually during the designated practice time. I will also create a list of easy songs for students to choose from that we can go over as a class or individually. After the first few weeks, when people are more comfortable with some of the basics, we will start with some slightly more advanced lessons like relative minor chords, picking patterns, barre chords, palm muting, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, vibrato and bends. CPR - Gregg Gleason
First aid training enables you to deal with injuries and medical emergencies at home, work or play. Basic First Aid covers the basics including how to contact emergency medical services, rescue breathing, and how to treat minor injuries. CPR: teaches how to do CPR and choking procedures for adults and introduces the purpose of an AED and when to use it. CPR (level A) Basic First Aid
saturday at noon learn to listen, collaborate, and share skills. I'm sure we can all shine on solo, and rip it up by ourselves, but can you make beautiful music with other folks too?
first sunday of every month, 2-3pm Are you interested in current events? Philosophical issues? Controversial scientific findings? While magazines, news outlets and the internet are great sources of such information, they often provide no chance for dialogue. The Current Events freeskool allows you the opportunity to discuss your thoughts and opinions in an open-minded forum. Once a month, we discuss a pertinent philosophical or social issue, such the roots of evil, the encroaching boundaries of technology, or the ethics of the Iraq war. Everyone is welcome to attend and alternative perspectives are welcome. Current events will be hosted on the first Sunday of every month, between 2 and 4 pm. Drop on by and bring your opinion along!"
7-9 sundays This course will focus on the relationships between humans and non-human animals with a particular focus on our use of animals as food, clothing and in entertainment. It will draw on discourses of critical animal studies, which seeks to build coalitions between animal rights and feminist, environmentalist and anti-capitalist traditions. To this end, the course will examine the current state of affairs for non-human animals and posit several different rights-based frameworks for understanding why animal rights activists campaign on their behalf. Finally, this course will offer a variety of alternatives for the current status quo, including a discussion regarding the distinction between welfarism and abolitionism. |