The Good Citizen In The Good Society course, a senior elective which has been running since 2001, has been cut due to a lack of student interest.

This year, 35 students were enrolled in the unique, unleveled class taught by history teacher Mark Wheeler and English teacher Amy Morrissey, both of whom have been teaching it for two years.

It was Wheeler’s first time teaching such a big mainstream senior class, and he has enjoyed the experience.

“The best thing about it was that it is unleveled,” said Wheeler. “The way the class is, it’s really discussion-based so the most challenging thing was getting everybody engaged in conversation because there are so many people.”

Previous Good Citizen teachers include history teachers Brian Poon, Stephanie McAllister, Marcie Simon and Jennifer Hanaghan, along with English teachers Mary Burchenal and Eric Colburn.

Senior Keith Chernin summed up the goals of the class.

“I was really interested in the concept of the class that it’s revolved around membership and identity, being part of a larger community, being a good citizen. It is very discussion-based which I really liked. We had a lot of very deep conversations and arguments and debates.” According to Wheeler, the decision to terminate the class was made by the respective curriculum coordinators of the social studies department and the English department, Gary Shiffman and Mary Burchenal.

Next year, Wheeler will be teaching Advanced Placement U.S. History instead, but there is a chance of Good Citizen coming back in the future.

“Ms. Morrissey has spoken of that hope, that in a year or two maybe it can be revisited, revamped, repackaged in some way,” said Wheeler. “A  humanities multi-disciplined class is usually a good thing.”

One factor that Wheeler mentioned that lead to the cancellation of Good Citizen was the addition of history electives. In particular, the Psychology course introduced in 2009 drew students away.

“It’s incredibly popular, just a huge draw,” said Wheeler. “And we knew it would be. We looked at the numbers from other schools that have offered psychology. It’s always hugely enrolled. So now we have five full classes of that.”

Wheeler has enjoyed co-teaching with Morrissey, and his prior education has helped him develop a connection with the class.

“It’s been good,” said Wheeler. “We’ve developed a routine and a rhythm. We work well together. I was an English major as an undergrad and it was kind of nice to get back to reading-based discussion of literature.”

Senior Fiona Mai struggled with English classes in the past, but she got a lot out of Good Citizen because, in her opinion, there was the history component she could relate to. She also liked being able to write her senior paper about a social issue.

Chernin liked Good Citizen because it was a chance to hear “a lot of different voices that you normally would not hear in just a standard class or just an honors class.”
Wheeler and Morrissey agreed that the class being un-leveled provided a unique culture.

“The thing about the class that I’ll most miss is the way that it brings very different students from across the school together,” said Morrissey.

Wheeler said, “That was for our students, as we reflected last year, one of the biggest benefits of that class. Students say that this is one class they’ve taken where they’ve been with kids who they haven’t had classes with in four years. Personally I think there’s real value to that.”

Ayush Kumar can be contacted at [email protected]