Friday Courses   

This course is designed for students who have taken the Absolute Beginners Pickleball class or who have a rudimentary knowledge of the game. It will be taught by seasoned instructors who are experienced players and have taught before. Expect to build on the basic game to include advanced strategy in play. We will meet for 1½ hours at Lithia Park courts for five consecutive days. There will be an emphasis on sportsmanship and safety. This skills-building course will focus on different types of serves, lobs, third-shot drops or drop shots, drives, partner communication, stacking, and different types of scoring. We will introduce Nasty Nelson, Bert, and Erne. The last day will be a FUN Round-Robin whereby players will rotate play with all players. The instructors will be from Ashland Oregon Pickleball Club.

NOTE: If you have mobility issues, this course may not be for you. A waiver must be signed prior to the first class. Students are expected to have their own paddle, know the basic game, have court shoes, and a hat or visor. Safety glasses are recommended. Bring a hydrating drink and snack. If inclement weather occurs, class will be canceled.

Take your stock studies to the next level! Evaluate high-quality growth stocks selling at a fair price using the BetterInvesting online SSG Plus tools. Find companies to study that meet these criteria, learn company research collection shortcuts, find essential information in 10Ks and 10Qs, and skip the boilerplate. Students will present a stock to class “partners” using trend analysis, company life-cycle analysis, revenue analysis, and business modeling. We recommend acquiring BI membership at the SSG Plus level: https://bit.ly/BImember. This class is part lecture, part activity workshop, with outside reading and tools practice. A free PDF copy of “Stock Selection Guide (SSG) and Portfolio Management Magic,” by Mike Torbenson, is provided. We strongly recommend you complete the Intro to the SSG video series on the BI website OR the 24 Fall “DIY class for Beginners” before Session 3. This class is essential for the next class in the series: "DIY Stock Portfolio Management."

NOTE: Maximum benefits will be achieved by attending all eight sessions. Equities are for educational purposes only; no recommendations will be made. We do not present alternate investment strategies. No penny stocks, ADRs, ETFs, index funds, bonds, mutual funds, financial advisors, cryptocurrencies, or foreign stocks will be discussed. Newer Windows or Mac OS is necessary. No iPads.

This course will explore healthy preparation for end-of-life planning. Each of the sessions will be led by an expert on the different aspects of end-of-life preparation and palliative and hospice care. This course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) importance of end-of-life planning and communicating with those important in your life; 2) importance of caregiver health, support, and use of resources during this difficult time. There will be a tour of Celia’s House in Medford during this 90-minute session; and 3) discussing hospice, palliative, and home care and the use of these services during this period of life. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. The students should be prepared to share their experiences. This is the first of two courses on the subject of end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students should be open to sharing their experiences, concerns, and worries about the subject.  

This course will explore healthy preparation for end-of-life planning. Each of the sessions will be led by an expert on the different aspects of end-of-life preparation and palliative and hospice care. This course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) importance of end-of-life planning and communicating with those important in your life; 2) importance of caregiver health, support, and use of resources during this difficult time. There will be a tour of Celia’s House in Medford during this 90-minute session; and 3) discussing hospice, palliative, and home care and the use of these services during this period of life. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. The students should be prepared to share their experiences. This is the first of two courses on the subject of end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students should be open to sharing their experiences, concerns, and worries about the subject.  

This three-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care. Each of the three hourly sessions will be led by an expert on the different services and support options that are available during this difficult period. The course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) stages of dying and the process individuals and families go through, 2) the role of spiritual and self-care, and 3) bereavement support and the value of recognizing grief. During these sessions, we will also focus on caregiver guilt and identifying ways to enhance caregiver self-care. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. This is the second of two courses on end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students may take Part 1 or Part 2 or both courses.

This three-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care. Each of the three hourly sessions will be led by an expert on the different services and support options that are available during this difficult period. The course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) stages of dying and the process individuals and families go through, 2) the role of spiritual and self-care, and 3) bereavement support and the value of recognizing grief. During these sessions, we will also focus on caregiver guilt and identifying ways to enhance caregiver self-care. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. This is the second of two courses on end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students may take Part 1 or Part 2 or both courses.

This course will be taught in-person and offer a general knowledge of the basics of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, the probate process, and trust administration. In addition, it will touch on guardianships and conservatorships as well as some elder law. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the law, particularly as it might pertain to their individual legal needs, thus greatly increasing their capacity to make wiser decisions for themselves and their families. Participants come with their own unique situation, and they should think honestly about what their goals are and what they would like to accomplish by the end. Understanding the estate planning process is the most effective way to navigate the direction of their legal needs comfortably, completely, and with a deeper understanding of how their goals align with the law. Students do not need to have any prior knowledge of the topic.

NOTE: There are two in-person sections of this course offered, both on Fridays. The first starts the first week of the term; the second starts the third week of February.

This course will be taught in-person and offer a general knowledge of the basics of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, the probate process, and trust administration. In addition, it will touch on guardianships and conservatorships as well as some elder law. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the law, particularly as it might pertain to their individual legal needs, thus greatly increasing their capacity to make wiser decisions for themselves and their families. Participants come with their own unique situation, and they should think honestly about what their goals are and what they would like to accomplish by the end. Understanding the estate planning process is the most effective way to navigate the direction of their legal needs comfortably, completely, and with a deeper understanding of how their goals align with the law. Students do not need to have any prior knowledge of the topic.

NOTE: There are two in-person sections of this course offered, both on Fridays. The first starts the first week of the term; the second starts the third week of February.

In his 1950 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, William Faulkner spoke about the writer’s duty and privilege to remind us of “courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice.” From the iconic “A Rose for Emily” to the lesser known “Two Soldiers” to the challenging “The Bear,” we will read a dozen of Faulkner’s stories and discuss how they make these abstractions concrete. Some of the stories may make us laugh, some may make us cry, some may make us uncomfortable with how they capture the racism that was endemic in Faulkner’s South. This class will challenge us to understand Faulkner’s attitudes about race in the context of his fiction that exposes racism and its complicated legacy.

NOTE: Required: “Faulkner: Stories” (Library of America, ed. Theresa M. Towner, 2023). This edition is available only in hardcover. It is also the only one that contains all the pieces we’ll discuss. You can order a copy at Bloomsbury Books or a new or used copy from online sources.

This class is for right- or left-handed absolute beginners, those who have tried knitting before but struggled with technique and tension, or for crocheters ready to try knitting. Starting from the basics, this class will teach a method for continental style knitting, also called German, European, or left-hand knitting. Students will learn to cast on, knit, purl, tink, frog, and bind off while knitting a series of beginner-level coasters or dishcloths.

NOTE: Materials: Knitting needles and other tools will be available to use for the duration of the class, and yarn used for the beginner projects will be provided.

This course is designed to help participants take, organize, store, edit, and share digital photos and videos. Emphasis will be on using Apple Photos on the iPhone, Mac, and iCloud. Participants will learn to manage iCloud settings; store and share photos and videos; perform basic edits; play and modify memories; set up albums and slideshows; search and organize photos by person, location, and activities; trim live photos, bursts, and videos; and remove duplicate photos. Privacy and security issues will also be discussed. Participants should be able to use Zoom for video conferencing and have a basic comfort taking digital photos, accessing the web, and using online applications.

NOTE: Two separate sections of this course are offered: one is held at the Campbell Center of Fridays; one is held online on Thursdays. 

This course will view and discuss Raoul Peck’s video series, “Exterminate All the Brutes.” This series has been called a “revisionist” history of Western Civilization. Peck was interviewed on “Democracy Now” when the series was first released. He is also the director of “I Am Not Your Negro,” a documentary on James Baldwin. Participants will be expected to watch each episode in class, followed by guided, civil discussion. No prior knowledge or outside reading is required. The content to be discussed is primarily the question of the origin, history, and continuity of genocidal practices in the West, and the suppression of those practices in official historical narratives. At the present time “revisionist” histories have come under attack. It is hoped that in this class students will come to see why such “revisionist” histories are an essential part of our education. As James Baldwin said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

NOTE: This course covers controversial material that some may find disturbing.

The 47th president will be inaugurated on January 20, and two weeks earlier the 119th Congress will have been sworn in. The country could have a president and Congress of one political party, a president and a Congress of different parties, or a Congress with divided party majorities in the House and Senate. We will have lots to talk about, beginning with the results of the November election, the new president’s formation of a government leadership team, and the makeup and leaders of the House and Senate. Articles I and II of the Constitution will be reviewed, along with how those provisions have evolved over the past two centuries. Current issues will also be discussed. Students should have opinions to be shared and a respect for the views of others.

NOTE: There are two sections of this course offered: one is at the Campbell Center in Ashland; the other is at the Higher Education Center in Medford.