PLATO Curriculum Showcase

Reading Books on American History

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:07:33 GMT

Article by Rod McKenzie

Reading books on American history, through the PLATO courses such as those led by Michael Stevens, is an experience that has moved my perspective about the nation’s founding, and its evolution from a series of coastal settlements along the Atlantic shores, to a growing, transcontinental union. The book selection is always significant, going into depth about the times, the personalities whose imprint has been made, not just in that time, but in the subsequent generations. Reflecting on the reading, with other members of the group is always interesting, and informative. We each with our own perspective, take from the reading different impressions, and that feeds into an often-spirited discussion of the text. It has helped me see where present-day events are clearly linked to the past, whereas others are genuine departures.

Members of this particular course are frequently alumni, so we have seen each other before, and get to know one another a little bit. We come to recognize our biases, and what we will find important, or problematic in the material we read together. Michael often starts the first session with the opening line from L.P. Hartley’s The Go-Between, that states, “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” As we read these books we get to learn about those differences, and how it has shaped who we are as a country, who we are, and who we are becoming as members of this society.

There is also the option of going deeper. As a result of these classes, I have been inclined to look to the bookshelves of our Madison Libraries, local bookstores, (and Amazon if necessary), to see if the titles referenced in the bibliographies are available. Another book for the night stand, of course.

PLATO courses like these have been a turning point in my own thinking about who we have been as a country, and why we find ourselves in a time of such large social changes in how we relate to each other, and how we interact as a country on the stage of international affairs. It has also informed me about the relationship that we have with our own Indigenous Nations, and what we can do to heal and restore what has been lost.

I regard PLATO's history courses as some of the best reasons to belong to PLATO, and thank the Curriculum Committee and course coordinators for organizing so many fine offerings to choose from each year.

PLATO Course "Why Free Speech is not a Free Pass"

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:45:15 GMT

“Why Free Speech is not a Free Pass” was an in- person course where coordinator, Allen May, a lawyer and experienced clinical professor of broadcast journalism, combined historical legal decisions with contemporary issues. The class explored topics such as: Is it really true that in a “free” country one is allowed to say whatever they feel like saying? Does the First Amendment protect too much or not enough speech?

Participants had varied experiences, were eager to express opinions, and under Allen’s leadership, were able to listen respectfully to diverse views. Serious points were made with a generous sprinkling of wit.

Drawing Podcast

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:02:43 GMT

PLATO Members,

Enjoy this podcast interview with Heather Williams; a longtime PLATO Drawing Coordinator. Here's what Heather has to say about the podcast:

Dear friends, drawing students & people who love drawing,

I deeply appreciate your personal interest in drawing and am very grateful to Sally Fox for taking the time and energy to create this 39-minute podcast interview with me about my book, Drawing as a Sacred Activity. Yes, it's a long one but at some point, do fine a good time to sit down and listen to it. Let me know your thoughts! You know that Sally has been coming to the drawing class now for several years.

On this audio podcast, Sally and I talk about the challenges people have with drawing and we talk about the greatly incredible gifts that the activity of drawing gives us when we take the time to relax, sit down with pencil and paper and draw lines expressing what we observe in the world before us - or - expressing feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations, memories that we experience in the world within us!

ENJOY!

https://sallyfox.substack.com/p/heather-williams-drawing-as-a-sacred

LOVE is KEY!

Heather

Cluster Hybrid Courses

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 17:26:03 GMT

What is Cluster Hybrid?

Many PLATO members love attending our courses. However, members who are limited to attending classes virtually can’t participate in in-person courses, while the opposite is also true; members who prefer in-person courses would like to participate in courses that are only available virtually. Maybe your course can have it both ways. Try cluster hybrid. It’s simple and members can participate in-person OR virtually.

Requirements

The in-person participants bring their own devices (laptops or tablets) to the class. The course coordinator also brings a speakerphone (which can be provided by PLATO) which connects to the coordinator’s laptop or tablet with USB or Bluetooth.

Managing the Class

The course coordinator sends the Google Meet or Zoom link for the class to all class participants. In-person participants bring their own laptops or tablets to the class and join the ‘meeting.’ If some in-person participants don’t bring a device, they will need to share one with a classmate. The online participants will join the meeting from their remote locations.

All microphones in the in-person location must be muted except for the coordinator’s speakerphone. Speakers on all other devices in the room must also be silenced.

With the combination of in-person and remote participants, electronic hand-raising is often useful. With Google Meet, and perhaps Zoom, the host can observe the group in the order in which they raised hands and thus follow a disciplined approach for managing comments.

For any further questions, feel free to reach out to Bill Colwell at wscacct@live.com or Paul Thompson t pthompson1@outlook.com. Paul may also be able to lend you a speakerphone.

Coordinators Needed

Fri, 02 May 2025 13:24:20 GMT

Classic Films II

Our popular virtual Classic Films course continues to have a long waiting list, so the PLATO Curriculum Committee would like to start a second course on this popular topic. Course participants discuss the history and social relevance of the films, and learn about film techniques, cinematography, and the resumes of the directors and actors. If you have an interest in classic films and filmmaking, please consider leading a class. You would determine the structure and content, and PLATO has resources for assisting new coordinators. Classes could be in-person, on-line or hybrid. If you are interested in coordinating or co-coordinating a class like this, please email Kathy Brown at kathytft@charter.net.

Criminal Justice

Have an interest in criminal justice/mass incarceration? The PLATO Diversity Awareness Committee believes that a class that examines the workings and consequences of crime and punishment in the U.S. and Wisconsin would be a welcome addition to our curriculum. We are, therefore, looking for a coordinator (leader) for such a class. The structure and content would be determined by the coordinator and PLATO has resources for assisting new coordinators. Class could be in-person, on-line or hybrid. If you are interested in coordinating or co-coordinating a class like this, please email MaryJo MacSwain at mjmacwi@earthlink.net.

New York Times Best-selling Author to Appear at PLATO's Writing Workshop on May 21, 2025

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:09:28 GMT

This article was written by Andy Millman, Course Coordinator for PLATO's Writing Workshop.

I'm so excited to announce that Robert Kurson will be our guest author this spring – he will be appearing at our online discussion during PLATO's Writing Workshop on May 21 at 1:00pm.

Robert Kurson is the author of four New York Times bestsellers: Shadow Divers, Crashing Through, Pirate Hunters and Rocket Men. His article "My Favorite Teacher" was published in Esquire and was named a finalist for a National Magazine Award. His article Into the Light won the 2006 National Magazine Award.

Kurson primarily writes narrative nonfiction, or creative nonfiction. As someone who's read his work for many years, I can promise you that he combines thorough research with first-class storytelling. He has a reporter's eye and a novelist's sensibility.

If you have a chance, go out and buy and read some of his work. You won't be disappointed. Learn more about Robert Kurson and where his books can be found at robertkurson.com.

PLATO members are welcome to attend this special session of the Writing Workshop – to receive the Zoom link, register here by Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Our Thanks

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 16:02:38 GMT

Gratitude for Retired Coordinators

Courses led by volunteer facilitators are a predominant part of the work of PLATO. As this new semester begins, we want to honor the following retired facilitators who have coordinated courses over recent years:

Carol Spiegel, Novels Old and New

Marsha Urbaniak, Novels Old and New

Bonnie Dill, Novels Old and New

Toni Jakovic, Jazz

Mary Becker, Biographies

Jim O'Brien, Film History

Booth Fowler (deceased), Five Great Thinkers

Phil Paulson, Experiencing Great Literature

Tom Zinnen, Frontiers in Science

Daryl Sherman, Refighting the Civil War

Dennis Dresang, Terry Shelton, Whither the State

Richard Steeves, Pathways to a Sustainable Planet

Alan Zuckerman (deceased), The Great Society 1964 - 2024

The contributions of these PLATO volunteers have enhanced the overall quality of the experience for members for many years. We are grateful for their efforts to provide outstanding education to all members of PLATO. Their courses will be greatly missed! Thank you… thank you… thank you!!!

Spring 2025 Sneak Peek

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 19:48:21 GMT

Hey Life-Long Learners – here’s a Sneak Peek at just some of the new courses coming this Spring!

It's TV series time! Join us every Thursday night for eight weeks to critique the critically acclaimed Netflix series Ripley.
Our Declining Social Fabric
On Being Mortal: Retaining Quality of Life as We Age
A Photographer’s Journey to Three Medieval Cathedrals in Southeast England

Thank you to our new and continuing coordinators for offering such a variety of interesting courses. Can’t wait for the spring session to begin!

~ Paula McKenzie

Celebrating Richard Steeves' Course Leadership

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:55:23 GMT

Richard Steeves has made the PLATO course sessions of Pathways to a Sustainable Planet a benchmark for the broad range of critical topics related to "saving spaceship earth". While Richard is an avid supporter and believer in the future of nuclear electric power, the course topics covered a wide range – from ocean inhabitants to manufacturing processes. Richard attracted highly knowledgeable presenters from around the country who spoke on many planet-sustaining topics. Outside interest for these presentations prompted them to be available on YouTube each week and these recordings continue to be available on PLATO's Past Recordings webpage for on-demand viewing.

With his own broad range of knowledge, Richard guided the presentations with insightful questions and discussions. His professional demeanor and communication style attracted a diverse group of long-standing participants for 14 years!

Richard was very helpful guiding me with the preparation and presentation of my two sessions, one on artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence, and one on methane gas.

The Pathways to a Sustainable Planet sessions and Richard's unquestionable enthusiasm will be greatly missed.

Written by By Mert Corwin, participant of Pathways to a Sustainable Planet

Volunteer to Be a Course Coordinator

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:06:08 GMT

PLATO depends on volunteer Course Coordinators to offer courses for our members.

If you are interested in coordinating a PLATO course, please submit a Course Proposal Form to Kathy Brown (kathytft@charter.net) or Curriculum Chair, Kathie Burman (kburman@burmancoffee.com) . Feel free to contact them if you would like help in developing your idea.

You may also get started with learning more about the process by exploring PLATO's Curriculum Coordinator Toolkit.

Any member can propose a course. Some coordinators are retired educators who are willing to continue sharing their knowledge, but most coordinators are members with a strong interests and enthusiasms that they wish to share with others.

Course format is flexible ranging from lectures with discussions, book discussions, presentations by course members, memoir and writing workshops, and hands-on activities like making artwork or crafting.

PLATO Everywhere

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:46:20 GMT

I have been an active member of PLATO for over 10 years and have lived in St Louis for nearly half that time. About 8 years ago, our daughter’s company transferred her to a better position in St Louis. Although my wife and I had at that time only lived in the Madison area for a few years, we were most reluctant to leave because of our large circle of friends and my deep involvement with PLATO. At the same time, we knew that we wanted to remain close to our grandchildren. Ironically, the pandemic laid the groundwork for my continued work with PLATO and living near our daughter and growing family.

Using Google Meet and Zoom I have been able to participate in all my PLATO meetings. In addition, I remain an active member of the Agora Board and as a judge I submitted literary and artistic materials along with other Board members. Likewise, as a long-standing member of the Curriculum Committee, I continue to evaluate new course proposals and mentor new course coordinators. On most Wednesdays, I enjoy lively discussions in the Continuing Philosophy class.

Good internet connections and other modern technologies make these internet meetings and classes run smoothly. For example, technologically oriented PLATO members like Paul Thompson and Bill Colwell can set up hybrid courses like Continuing Philosophy so that students can meet in Madison or participate via the internet. This hybrid course works remarkably well, and students can fully participate in lively discussions independent of their location. After the first few hybrid meetings, we adopted a few simple rules. First, students must use the electronic raised hand sign if they want to speak. Second, another student volunteers to watch for ‘raised hands’ and to ensure that all students are recognized.

So, no matter where you live, you can enjoy PLATO.

~ Written by Bill Eisinger

Get to Know Our 2024 Fall Classes With Our Weekly Quiz 4

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 20:59:45 GMT

PLATO FALL 2024 COURSE CATALOG QUIZ #4

If you are a HODOPHILE, in which class will you find likeminded PLATO members?
In which course should you enroll if you want to read and discuss one of the greatest works of literature to date?
What class will offer a lecture and discussion on Habitable Exoplanets—Worlds beyond our own?

ANSWERS

1. PLATO Travel
2. Reading the Classics: Reading Anna Karenina
3. A History of Matter in the Universe

Get to Know Our 2024 Fall Classes With Our Weekly Quiz 3

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 16:48:23 GMT

PLATO FALL 2024 COURSE CATALOG QUIZ #3
1. In what class will you read about the link between Midwestern Dairy Farmers and Mexican Workers?
2. In what course might you explore time, sleep, critical thinking, and negativity?
3. Want to know more about Viola and Sebastian, Shylock, Rosalind and Orlando, the Shrew, and Prospero? Which course will answer your questions?
ANSWERS
1. Social Justice Book Discussion Group
2. Who’s Driving the Bus?
3. Shakespear's Comedies: Method and Meaning

Get to Know Our 2024 Fall Classes With Our Weekly Quiz 2

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 16:46:53 GMT

PLATO FALL 2024 COURSE CATALOG QUIZ #2
1. What class should you enroll in if you want to read a book by the author of The Three Musketeers & The Count of Monte Christo?
2. In what course are you encouraged to ‘Do your own thing and make a commitment to yourself’?
3. In what course might you hear the terms migration, carbon-free, food choices, and biodiversity?
ANSWERS

1. Novels Old and New
2. Exploring Creativity
3. Pathways to a Sustainable Planet

Get to Know Our 2024 Fall Classes With Our Weekly Quiz Week 1

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 15:15:48 GMT

PLATO FALL 2024 COURSE CATALOG QUIZ #1
1. In what class will you discuss Required Minimum Distributions?
2. By what other name(s) is the Lunyu known?
3. Are you a music afficionado? Do you see the influences of your favorite music genre in modern American popular music? In what class can you have a lively discussion on the topic?

ANSWERS
1. Money Skills for Retirees
2. Confucius’ Analects or sometimes Confucian Analects
3. The Roots of Modern American Popular Music

We Love a Mystery

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 19:13:34 GMT

We Love a Mystery, which meets online (every other week in regular semesters and continues with a less formal schedule during winter and summer), concentrates on the presentation and analysis of mystery novels. Barb Evans, the highly-organized and welcoming coordinator, assures course members that every opinion is welcome. Each person feels free to love, hate, or be neutral about a book. Recently, a very special afternoon featured an in-person get together with first-time novelist, Amy Pease, who wrote a riveting mystery set in Wisconsin called "Northwoods". Amy, who, lucky for us, is the daughter-in-law of one of our long time members, discussed the novel as well as the steps it took to find a publisher. If interested in learning more about “Northwoods” you can find interviews featuring Amy on YouTube.com or Google the title and read 30 pages for free.

Celebrating PLATO Writers

Tue, 21 May 2024 13:31:32 GMT

Andy Millman facilitates the PLATO Writing Workshop, which inspires members to write fiction, non-fiction and poetry in a supportive community. On Wednesday afternoon, May 8, 2024, ten writers met at the Pinney Library to share some of what they are writing. These writers wrote for a variety of reasons: to remember significant family experiences, for historical purposes, to vent, to explore their personal stories, to create a novel and to share poetry. Three members of the group shared books they recently published. It was an uplifting afternoon of learning and sharing. As Kathi Vos noted, “Ordinary people truly live extraordinary lives.”

Whether you want to write for yourself, your grandchildren or for the community in general, the PLATO Writing Workshop is a great place to find common interests, good humor, support and encouragement to write! As a visitor to this afternoon of readings, I came away amazed by the variety and fun this group has with writing!

~ By John Serunian

Coordinator Videos

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 20:16:06 GMT

Spotlight on Coordinator Videos

Did you know that course coordinators can record a short video about themselves and their courses? This is a great way for potential participants to see and hear the instructor discuss the course.

The videos should be from one to three minutes long, and the instructor should provide a brief background on why they are teaching the course and what the course will cover. The video will be posted on the course listing and also on the course webpage. Click into the link to see an introduction to the course instructor and a description of the course in the coordinator’s own words. Here is an example of a course coordinator video from Craig Wille's Spring 2024 meditation course.

Videos can easily be recorded using a mobile phone and uploaded either to Dropbox, Google Docs or Youtube. Jayne Fischer (jdfischer2@gmail.com) sends an email to instructors before each semester inviting them to create a recording for their courses. When they respond indicating an interest, she sends them instructions.

The PLATO Curriculum Committee began offering this option to course coordinators when Covid hit and we were not able to hold the course sign-up session at the Madison Senior Center. That session was a wonderful opportunity for prospective students to meet the instructors – but even then, not everyone could make the session. Covid prompted us to make changes – not only in the instructor meet-and-greets, but also to the courses themselves. As an example, in the current Spring 2024 semester, there are 29 courses, and over half are held either virtually (11 courses) or hybrid (both online and in person, 5 courses).

We are hoping that coordinators will see the value in recording a short video, and students reviewing the courses will have another way to help them decide which courses to take. There are so many good courses to choose from that sometimes it’s hard to decide! As we know, at PLATO “the love of learning never grows old!”

Curriculum Committee Retirement

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:18:13 GMT

The Curriculum Committee (CC) had a Retirement party for Therese Stevens. We were thanking her for all that she has done to make sure that our courses run smoothly.

Therese joined the CC ten years ago. She soon became the committee secretary. Then she took on the role of co-chair of the committee. Each CC member is given a list of coordinators to work with as a liaison. Liaisons are asked to gather all of the information that is needed for the presentation of the classes. This includes Coordinator information, location, dates, and description of the course. Ten years ago all of this information was gathered on paper and given to Therese for advertising the courses. As the PLATO website matured, the job became more complicated and Therese became the website presence for the CC committee. She gathered all of the needed data and made sure that it was correctly put on the courses page. Therese was Co-Chair of the CC Committee for years while doing these other jobs. That meant meeting with the Board of Directors to report on the work of the CC and report back to the CC what was needed. Therese set up the agenda for the meeting and supervised the minutes.

More recently, Therese became the Course Planner. She wrote the articles spotlighting many different coordinators. At first we were changing the articles every two weeks, then three weeks, then once a month. During the pandemic Therese was very involved with Paul Thompson (then Committee Chairman) in preparing coordinators and PLATO members on using Google Meet, including meeting in groups online with coordinators and meeting individually with coordinators to practice having a course online or hybrid.

As PLATO has about 50 courses a year, that often meant working many hours to get the work complete. In addition, Therese worked to get the CC members to do their part of the plan. Lots of calls and emails were completed. Some of us depended on Therese to have answers to all of our questions. Of course, she always knew what we were to do.

At the retirement party, as we were discussing all that Therese has done, I was thinking about a talk that I had just heard in one of my classes. I am thinking of all the time and energy it takes to present an hour’s lecture with pictures and various items that go with it. That was just one hour in one class. Then, I began to think of all the lectures given in a week, in a month and in a year. It is amazing. PLATO is run by volunteers and they are willing to give of their time and energy just for the fun of it.

A big thank you to Therese and all who give so much to PLATO, where the love of learning never grows old!

Winter/Spring 2024 COVID-19 Protocols

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:01:04 GMT

WINTER/SPRING 2024 COVID PROTOCOLS FOR COURSES AT HOST LOCATIONS

Please note that these protocols are specific to each host site and subject to change.

Capital Lakes – Masks are not required at this time.

Christ Presbyterian church – Face masks are optional. Individuals are encouraged to assess their own risk factors and follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health Madison Dane County if community levels increase.

Covenant Presbyterian Church – Masks are recommended but not required. It is up to each group meeting to determine their own protocols in their assigned space.

Madison Senior Center – Individuals are encouraged to do what makes them most comfortable – wear a mask or not. In most of the rooms, depending on how the tables are configured, there is about a 15 person limit.

Oakwood Village West – Masks are not required. Individuals who feel ill should not visit to protect Oakwood residents. Should there be an increase in cases at Oakwood, signage will be posted to encourage mask wearing as a precautionary measure.

UW Space Place – No COVID Protocols.

Vista West – Masks are not required of visitors.

WI Bank and Trust – No COVID Protocols.

Congratulations Fay!

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:11:00 GMT

PLATO member, Fay Ferington has been a participant in Andy Millman’s Writers Workshop. This summer Andy Millman wrote “I'm thrilled to report that Fay's journal of her time as a nurse in the Viet Nam War has just been published and is now available on Amazon. Those of you who were in any of our Writing Workshops with Fay know how gripping her narrative is. For those of you who haven't read or heard any of Fay's stories, you are in for an emotional and fulfilling experience.”

Fay’s book is entitled Off the Record. It is available on Amazon or can probably be ordered through one of our local bookshops.

Congratulation, Fay!

Writers Workshop

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:07:04 GMT

PLATO Writers Workshop Presents... Steven Wright

We are so excited to welcome the award-winning author and man with many hats, Steven Wright, as our PLATO Writers Workshop guest speaker on Thursday, September 7, at 1 PM.

Steven's book, The Coyotes of Carthage, was called a "crackerjack debut political novel" by USA Today, "riveting" by The Washington Post, and John Grisham said, "With this splendid debut, Steven Wright announces his arrival as a major new voice in the world of political thrillers." He was named by USA Today as one of "100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read."

Steven currently teaches in the UW Madison Law School AND the UW Creative Writing program. He has degrees from Duke (BA and MEM), Johns Hopkins (MA), UW (MFA), and Washington University in St. Louis (JD). He is the former co-director of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

I encourage you to buy and read his book, which is available here:

https://www.amazon.com/Coyotes-Carthage-Novel-Steven-Wright/dp/0062951688/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TU8J5HRD1QIW&keywords=coyotes+of+carthage&qid=1693337408&s=books&sprefix=coyotes+of+carth%2Cstripbooks%2C312&sr=1-1

This presentation will be online. Feel free to share the info with friends and colleagues.

Author Appearance - Steve Wright

https://meet.google.com/bkq-gojz-emr?authuser=0

Hybrid Course Support

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:07:17 GMT

The PLATO Curriculum Committee is available to support course coordinators interested in learning more about combined in-person and online ( “hybrid”) access for their courses. Here are some of the ways we are doing that:

1. The Curriculum Committee will host an information sharing workshop for coordinators interested in learning more about how to run a hybrid course or to share lessons learned from their experience on July 7, 2 pm at Bethany United Methodist Church.

2. PLATO can use a dedicated videoconference device (“Meeting OWL”) for a few hybrid courses at Bethany United Methodist Church (3910 Mineral Point Rd) or at Oakwood West.

3. Hybrid access is also quite feasible at many other venues, using simple equipment such as webcams, speaker/microphones, and in-room TVs or projectors.

4. PLATO Course Coordinators’ Guide for Hybrid Classes is available by clicking here https://platomadison.org/resources/Documents/Guidelines%20for%20PLATO%20Hybrid%20Courses%2006-23.pdf

5. The PLATO Courses webpage has a block devoted to additional information about hybrid courses, hybrid devices and course management.

6. If you have questions about any of the above, please contact Bill Colwell at wscacct@live.com.

Two Decades of Experiencing Great Literature

Mon, 01 May 2023 23:41:55 GMT

by Tom and Gerry Vale

The class which we know as "Experiencing Great Literature" was initiated by Plato-notable Fred Ross in 2002. At first it was dedicated exclusively to poetry (was it titled "Experiencing Great Poetry" at its beginning?), but within a couple of years broadened to include, each semester, a novel and a play, along with poems. This three-part structure continued for the remainder of the class's existence. For almost a decade, Fred coordinated the group, and he himself led all presentations. In 2010, a few other individuals began to present some of the material. Subsequently, within a few years, coordination passed to Phil Paulson (along with, before she moved out of state, Patricia Becker); Phil was also a frequent presenter. Covid interrupted the class in 2020, but resumed in fall of 2021; perhaps that interruption contributed to the declining enrollment that led to the class cancellation this spring of 2023.

It was a class of rich "experiences." We read 34 novels (from Danel Defoe to Toni Morrison), a comparable number of plays ( from Beowolf to Athol Fugard, with at least 9 by William Shakespeare), and innumerable poems (both as individual pieces and as collections by authors and time periods, from John Milton to Robert Frost).

Thanks to Fred for the initiation and to Phil for carrying on, heroically, to the end. Maybe someone will think to restart the group in the future. If not, we will greatly miss it.

Participate! Volunteer, Donate

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 22:48:28 GMT

If you spend some time talking with long-time PLATO members as I recently did, you may hear the word “participation” a lot. Steve Hirsch, member since 2006 and Fred Ross, member since 1996, both mentioned that discussion, questioning, challenging, and to “… encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.” are key to why they have been, and remain, avid participants in PLATO courses. (Do you recognize the quote above? Thanks, Fred, for making me aware of this - https://news.wisc.edu/sifting-and-winnowing-turns-125/ ).

Both gentlemen mentioned their deep affection for Norman Risjord ’s “A Leisurely Walk Through American History,” – Michael Stevens wrote about this in 2019 – read about it here. Other favorites from these two include: Global Affairs, PLATO Travel, Whither the State, and Continuing Philosophy.

Why do they keep coming back to PLATO? Social interaction and the opportunity to participate in active and lively discussion are key. In addition, they both have been, or currently are, course coordinators. After all, PLATO is all about Participatory Teaching as well as Learning. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the fact that PLATO allows you to be curious about a topic and decide to offer a course to like-minded members on that topic. What better way to learn than to teach! Please consider volunteering to coordinate a course.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes …. Well, of course, there have been changes over the years. Fred mentioned that the founders may have thought of PLATO courses in terms of small group discussion. Now, we also offer expert-led, lecture-style formats. Perhaps a bit more passive, but what an opportunity to deepen our understanding of a specific topic. We also discussed the changing format of our courses, virtual, hybrid, and in-person. The convenience of virtual classes is much appreciated but both Fred and Steve mentioned that they miss the camaraderie of in-person classes.

Going forward our long-time members encourage the Curriculum Committee to provide interesting classes and speakers and to stress the opportunity for members to volunteer to TEACH classes.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that Fred stressed that the UW has been extraordinarily generous and supportive of PLATO and that we wouldn ’t be as successful without that support. In appreciation let ’s not forget to donate to the PLATO education fund And, support the AGORA!

Thank you retired coordinators

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:31:30 GMT

PLATO Coordinator Retirements 2022-2023

Every semester we have many options for intriguing and creative courses. As PLATO members we benefit from the generosity of our colleagues, who volunteer, as they share their interests, knowledge and expertise. We are fortunate to have numerous coordinators who return semester after semester to challenge and enrich us.

As we begin this new semester, we would like to highlight individuals who have faithfully led courses for many years and have now retired. A special thank you to:

Bob Fry (Classic Films)

Grethe Leer (Women’s Journeys)

Norm Leer ( Life Maps - Norm died in Spring 2022)

Paul Brandl (Frontiers in Science)

Judy Havens (Reminiscence Writing)

Helen Brewster (Biographies eastside)

PLATO depends on the generosity of people like those listed above to make our programming rich and diverse. If you have an interest in sharing an area of knowledge with others, please contact a member of the Curriculum Committee for assistance in arranging for a new course.

Thank you to all of those who have enriched us with their leadership in the past and to those

Spring/Summer Covid Protocols

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:30:00 GMT

PLATO COURSES WINTER/SPRING COVID PROTOCOLS

Covenant Presbyterian Church – masks are recommended but not required. It is up to each group meeting to determine their own protocols in their assigned space.

Christ Presbyterian church - face masks are optional at all CPC worship services, activities, and events.

Individuals are encouraged to assess their own risk factors and follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health Madison Dane County if Community Levels increase.

Capital Lakes - on the floor with the class rooms you will not need to wear a mask – everywhere else you will need to wear a mask in the building.

Madison Senior Center -Individuals are encouraged to do what makes them most comfortable – wear a mask or not. In most of the rooms, depending on how the tables are configured, 15 people is about the maximum for the room. Each course can only have one room

Oakwood – There are no longer kiosks at the entrances. Masks are not required in our Independent Living areas of our campus, which includes the Art Center, though we do ask those that are feeling ill to avoid visiting our campus to protect our campus residents.

Vista West – no masks are required of visitors

WI Bank and Trust – no Covid Protocols

UW Space Place – no Covid Protocols

Coordinators: Make a video of you!

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 21:35:04 GMT

New feature: Coordinator Videos!

Coordinators, here ’s a new opportunity to publicize your course – and yourself – to prospective PLATO course participants. Starting in the Spring Session, the PLATO Curriculum Committee will be offering the opportunity for you to record a brief, 1- to 2-minute video about yourself and a description of your course. A link to the video will be posted on your course webpage. This is a completely voluntary option but might be a fun way for you to introduce yourself and your course to potential students.

As an example, Course Coordinator Michael Stevens has recorded the following video about his course on the Boston Massacre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrLhn2_4uCI

It is very easy to record a video using your iPhone. Please send a note to Jayne Fischer at jdfischer2@gmail.com if you are interested. She will send you the instructions, including tips on recording the video and where to save it.

The deadline for submission of course videos for the Spring 2023 Session is January 10^th.

Hybrid Courses Reflections

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 19:08:30 GMT

Dear Fellow PLATO Lifelong Learning Enthusiasts,

Have you tried a hybrid PLATO course? Many of us remember the bumps along the way as we adjusted to online courses during the shutdown. Now PLATO is figuring out how to make hybrid classes work well for both online and in-person attendees.

As the new chair of the Curriculum Committee, I thought maybe this summer would be a good time to experience a hybrid class from both the online and in-person perspective. I signed up for Craig Wille’s hybrid summer course book discussion on Aging as a Spiritual Practice. I’ve attended many of Craig’s classes in the past and he was kind enough to agree to let me attend some sessions online and some in person so that I could get a feel for the overall experience from everyone’s perspective.

Admittedly there have been some bumps with the hybrid format. However, with a class full of people dedicated to lifelong learning and practicing the flexibility that is a cornerstone of Aging as a Spiritual Practice we have been able to make several adjustments to better the experience.

So far, these adjustments have included:

· Asked the in-person attendees to sit closer together and then pointed the camera at them so the online folks could see the in-person folks
· The instructor and online students turned on captions so that they could read what was being said if they weren’t able to hear it perfectly
· Instructor summarizes what the in-person folks are saying as it is still hard for the online folks to hear them
· Using breakout rooms so that discussions can be more intimate, and everyone has a chance to contribute.

Personally, I enjoyed attending both online and in-person. In-person was nice because I had a more intimate connection with the other attendees. I didn’t find the online group distracting but some of the other in-person attendees did so. Online was familiar, comfortable, and worked well for discussion in the breakout room format.

What does the future hold for hybrid classes? Because of the many benefits of the hybrid format: (socialization and intimacy of in-person attendance, flexibility of online attendance), PLATO will continue to explore this technology. Also, as our instructors continue to learn and adjust, we’ll start to know what type of classes lend themselves to the hybrid format and what type do not.

I encourage you to try a hybrid class this fall – and if possible – attend both online and in-person. You can send any feedback to the anyone on the curriculum committee or to kburman@burmancoffee.com.

About the Curriculum Committee

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 19:51:18 GMT

The Work of the Curriculum Committee

Who guides PLATO in offering so many fascinating courses each quarter? The Curriculum Committee! Typically, 9 or 10 PLATO CC volunteers act as liaisons to over 80 course coordinators to prepare for those courses. Each Curriculum Committee member has volunteered to stay in touch with their assigned coordinators to make the magic happen.

About 3 months before the start of a new semester, the Curriculum Committee contacts coordinators asking for their plans for the next term. This is where the specifics are gathered: when, where, class size limit, type of participation level etc. It ’s all the information you see online when course schedules are announced. A new format was introduced during the pandemic, which is offering a few hybrid courses. This has been a learning experience for all involved as to how to make that occur. Much patience and trial-and-error has occurred over the past two years and will continue. The PLATO Technology Committee has also played a vital role in rolling out the course information on the website each semester.

The two leaders of the CC are Kathie Burman, who is Chair of the Committee, and Therese Stevens, who is the PLATO Course Planner. Other Committee members include Bill Eisinger, Paula McKenzie, John Serunian, Jayne Fisher, Barb Friberg, Paul Thompson, and Kathy Brown.

The Curriculum Committee is always looking for additional volunteers to join the team. If you are interested in learning more about the possibility of joining this Committee, please contact Kathie Burman at kburman@burmancoffee.com

A Coordinator's Perspective

Tue, 03 May 2022 17:59:20 GMT

A Coordinator’s Perspective

For several years now, I have been coordinating a second section of Women’s Journeys: A Writing Workshop developed by Grethe Brix-Leer. Grethe’s class is very popular. Class members often continue from semester to semester, leaving little room for new participants and a growing wait list. I had the privilege of participating in Grethe’s class for several years.

As a curriculum committee member, I was well aware of the challenge being faced by the minimal participant turnover in the class. With assistance from Grethe, I planned and have been coordinating a second section of this course in the Spring semester. Prior to each class meeting, I put out a prompt for the day which participants can use to start their writing to share with the class. If the prompt does not suit a class member, they are always free to choose their own subject.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the enthusiasm and creativity of women who have joined my section of this course. As we share our writing about the topic for the day, we each learn about the other members of the class and grow in appreciation. I am regularly surprised by the variety of responses to a given topic. I am grateful to the women who have joined me on this exploration of various dimensions of our lives.

If you have a particular interest you would like to share with others, please contact the Curriculum Committee to learn how you can become a course coordinator. Being a course coordinator is well worth the effort!

REFLECTIONS ON COURSES

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:20:38 GMT

REFLECTIONS ON COURSES:

I began participating in ----- class a semester or two before the pandemic hit. I enjoyed meeting in person around a large table, but our class is one of the few events I actually prefer online to in person. We can see each other so much more clearly and, unless there are technical problems, can hear well too. People can attend in all weather and even if they are feeling under the weather. Class has helped provide needed structure during the pandemic, doing so while we engage in reading and discussion of mysteries. What could be better? We don't get to socialize much, so when (if!) the pandemic ends it would be great to get together outside class to get to know each other better.

Thinking over the previous couple of years, I know that Plato on-line classes have been an antidote to the scourge of old age made worse by the pandemic and winter weather: loneliness.
It provided a great reason and process for staying connected with other Madison people.
Without Plato classes during the pandemic, I would have had far fewer affiliation opportunities.
The use of Zoom meetings has been critical and enjoyable for continuing all of my Plato classes. One class will continue to meet on-line whenever needed (Covid, weather, etc.). Zoom lecture based classes allow for speakers from other cities to participate without having to travel to Madison.
For me, Plato has been a critical part of the many people connections I am involved with during the past two years.

I have been a member of PLATO for about 6 years, so pre-pandemic and pandemic. Meeting in person for learning and discussion seemed like it was part of the point of PLATO but now the necessity of ZOOM has informed me that remote connection (when one gets used to it) is also valuable with the plus of being able to attend if out of town or the weather is bad. Meeting in person is still preferred… but perhaps the advantages of ZOOM might make hybrid classes even better for the long term, but perhaps impractical. I hope to attend classes in 2022, probably still remote or hybrid. A class or 2 each “term” is about the right amount for me.

Some PLATO classes are intellectually stimulating which is part of what I’m after. PLATO members who decide to coordinate a class are all admirable for their efforts. In my experience and according to my preferences there have been a few classes that stood out mostly because of the erudition and dedication of the coordinators. Their graciousness in sharing time and knowledge along with timely subject matter and a well-organized and developed class plan is appreciated by the many educated and experienced participants in these classes who are eager to be involved and contribute their thoughts. I am looking forward to more of this in whatever form it takes.

We've been Plato members for something like at least ten years. I have only good things to say. Very stimulating and something to be looked forward to for each class. Some of the courses we took have been amongst the best courses we ever took, even in formal education. So, we're only positive about the course material and our fellow students

I have been a member of PLATO for more than ten years. The courses ground my week. Participants are thoughtful, and the facilitators are hardworking and well organized. “Students” from a variety of backgrounds, willingly share their thoughts and stimulate new and interesting perspectives. Although I’d be happy to have the in-person option, the virtual classes have allowed many people to see and hear more clearly, stay at home in fierce weather, and attend from a distance. All in all, a great program.

(I have been a member) Since either 2018 or 2019. What I enjoyed were the theater trips and outings more than the classes that were offered.

(I) Like the ease of not going someplace to meet especially if it means going downtown and paying for parking etc.

I started with …. in the spring of 2020 right before in-person shut down. I have very little in-person experience with this group. I don't feel any personal connection by only Zoom where other things I do in-person there is more of a personal/social connection that does not exist for me with this class. It probably does have some personal connection for people that met when the group was in person. Another organization where I have many Zoom meetings and had in person experience with almost all of them pre Covid and that feels a lot different. Much more socialization goes on because we personally know each other.

I joined PLATO to meet other people with different backgrounds than the people I already know.

PLATO became much more important to me after the pandemic began, since I was so much more limited in being able to see friends, socialize, and generally interact with people. It was really a kind of lifeline, especially before the vaccines were available and we were so isolated.

The PLATO classes have helped me maintain connection socially and intellectually, especially before the vaccines were available.

I like the intellectual stimulation of the …. classes, as well as the social interaction with people from different backgrounds. I will participate in classes in 2022. Before the Omicron surge I preferred in-person classes, but I'm having second thoughts about that due to the transmissibility of the variant.

PLATO has offered me the opportunity to get to know people from different backgrounds - people I would not have met except for the program. I enjoy reading books I wouldn't have read on my own, and I especially enjoy hearing others' opinions and discussions of the books we've read.

...the program has meant a lot to me and I'm very grateful to all who donate their time and effort to making it so great.

Coordinators have to become technical experts. Loss of social interaction and smaller discussions with online classes. PLATO needs to figure out a way to make in-person safe. Does PLATO have the right to insist on vaccination and masks?

It’s very important to stay creative, involved, volunteer, learn – PLATO provides that opportunity.

SPRING 2022: HOST LOCATIONS' COVID REQUIREMENTS

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:54:34 GMT

With Dane County’s mask mandate expiring, PLATO will be updating its COVID protocols to be specific to each host site.

Here are the details for specific host locations:

Oakwood – masks must be worn all times and check in required

Vista West –masks are required of all visitors and they will continue temperature checks when visitors enter the building.

Christ Presbyterian church - masks are required throughout the building, along with social distance and no food or beverages in rooms

Capital Lakes - on the floor with the class rooms you will not need to wear a mask – everywhere else you will need to wear a mask in the building. If you are new to their building bring a copy of your vaccination card.

UW Space Place – March 12 mask mandate expires

Madison Senior Center -Individuals are encouraged to do what makes them most comfortable – wear a mask or not. The limit of participants at tables in a room is 15 people

KATHIE BURMAN: WHAT DOES PLATO MEAN TO ME?

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:53:06 GMT

As we contemplate starting spring 2022 PLATO classes, I have been thinking about what PLATO has meant to me since joining in February 2020. Yes, that’s right, I joined just as the world and PLATO shut down! I remember that I attended two weeks of classes in person and then all went dark. But, oh, those two weeks were memorable – the warm welcomes, the stimulating discussions, the incredibly bright and educated participants and coordinators! For a brief moment in time, I had found my retirement Disneyland and then it was gone.

But wait! Those crazy, innovative, PLATO volunteers on the Curriculum, Technology, and Executive committees as well as persistent, dedicated, class coordinators found a way to bring the PLATO Curriculum back online (Don’t you just love a play on words? Of course, you do, you are a PLATO member!) A lifeline was thrown, and I grabbed on as fast and as tight as possible.

I’m still holding on to that lifeline as I spend the winter in Arizona. While it’s not possible to be grateful for COVID, I am continually grateful that PLATO courses are online and that our dedicated class coordinators that have been willing to become technical online meeting experts. And that some of these selfless coordinators have continued to offer their courses year-round as the pandemic drags on and on and on……….

But, speaking of dragging on and on – enough about me. Okay wait, one more thing. Since I am a member of the curriculum committee, I should probably say something about the curriculum. More in the form of a question – don’t you just love when the new semester course schedule gets posted? Wait, what? You mean I can enroll in any of these? OMG – there are so many – and they all sound so good – and I love this instructor – but this class is at the same time and really, really intrigues me. What SHALL I do (hand to forehead)!

I apologize, I do tend to get animated. Just ask anyone in the Wednesday AM current events class when we discuss any space related topics. Some people call me the Space Cowboy but so far no one has called me the Gangster of Love.

LETS MAKE PLATO PLEASANT FOR EVERYBODY

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:52:23 GMT

PLATO is “where love of learning never gets old”. Our courses, coordinators, and participants contribute to this idea in a significant way. Members bring to the courses many different experiences and opinions.

But in our present day polarized society sometimes it is hard to listen to opinions that are opposite to our own deeply held views. We strive to make PLATO courses a space where members can discuss diverse viewpoints. Through these discussions we continue to learn from each other and expand or clarify our views. So, we ask everyone one to:

Welcome the outside perspectives even if they are different than yours.
Be serious listeners and be courteous to all members and their opinions.

If you are in Virtual course, remember that if your microphone and video are on, participants in the class can see and hear you. So please turn off your microphone and your video when you are not participating in the class.

Thank you for helping PLATO courses be a pleasant experience for all.

Curriculum Committee

A TIME TO SAY THANK YOU

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:51:31 GMT

PLATO is a volunteer organization. We always need volunteers to coordinate courses. Without those coordinators, we would lose one of our main reasons to be. In the past, we have been able to thank coordinators at a luncheon prior to the Fall semester. The pandemic has made it impossible to have those gatherings for the past two years. Nevertheless, we are very grateful to each of you who have chosen to coordinate a course through these challenging days. Many of you have had to learn new online skills in order to continue your courses. We thank you for all you have done and are doing to keep the learning alive and well! You are the lights of our organization!

We would especially like to thank coordinators who have served us all and have chosen to retire in 2020 or 2021. We are grateful for your service to the work of PLATO! You made a difference and we appreciate that.

In 2020, Greg Bell and Gerry Campbell retired. Greg coordinated a course entitled, Current Events PM. Gerry led a course about the Wisconsin Idea. Thanks to each of you for the time and energy you have given to these important courses.

This year, 2021, we have even more retirements to announce. The latest retirees are: Peter Beatty who led French Conversation, Bruce Gregg who coordinated What in the World Happened, Brent Larson and Leslie Larson who co-led PLATO Travel, Arden Trine who coordinated Managing your Money and Vicki Ford who facilitated Biographies East. To each of these coordinators we give a hearty round of applause in gratitude for their many hours of service to PLATO.

If you are inspired by the volunteer work of these retirees and would like to help make PLATO a success into the future, please take time to fill out a course proposal with an interest or expertise you would like to share. The form can be found on this curriculum website.

Thank you again to all of our course coordinators and a special acknowledgment of gratitude to those who have recently retired!

Paula McKenzie for the Curriculum Committee

35 YEARS OF COURSES

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:50:14 GMT

This fall starts the 35th year in which PLATO has offered courses to its members. Much has changed but the essence remains the same. In 1987, PLATO offered its first three courses: “Media and Society,” “Current Affairs,” and “Topic of the Week.” Called study-discussion groups, they followed a format that would be familiar to many members today. Led by a coordinator, they relied on member participation, ran two hours in either the morning or afternoon, and lasted 6 weeks. Each of the three groups was limited to about 15 members, which was sufficient to accommodate PLATO’s 39 members.

Topics of suggested future sessions sound similar to those offered now, such as “Energy Today and Tomorrow” and “The New Technology and Human Values.” PLATO almost doubled its membership to 72 by 1990 and increased the number of fall courses by 67%--from 3 to 5. Two years later, in 1992, membership and fall courses had doubled yet again. The 148 members had a choice of 12 courses and many of the subjects are still relevant today. Contemporary issues were covered in courses on Current Events and on Science and Public Policy. Members could choose a course where they could read and discuss writings by American Indian authors. The arts were heavily represented with courses on jazz, opera, biographies of classical composers, and motion pictures. A writing course allowed members to try their hand at writing reminiscences. There were also courses on philosophy and discussions on the works of Franz Kafka and Virginia Woolf.

By 1997, membership had doubled again to 329 and PLATO had begun experimenting with new formats. The group discussion remained the mainstay, but the curriculum committee reported that it received more ideas for courses than volunteers to lead them. They reported “the challenge is to convince members with good ideas that they are capable of being discussion coordinators.” In this era, new formats were being introduced. Retired UW history professor Norm Risjord offered a popular lecture format course, which became the model for additional offerings. Throughout it all, PLATO retained its distinctiveness from other learning in retirement groups. It did not pay course coordinators but “depended entirely upon volunteers largely from within the organization.” George Calden, one of the charter members, put it well when he said PLATO is “a do-it-yourself, grass roots university for retired people.”

PLATO’s membership doubled again to 685 in 2007 and grew to almost 1,300 in 2017. Courses numbers continued to rise. Between 2012 and 2019 annual course offerings rose from 76 to 105, with the fall session typically being the busiest, with between 40 and 50 offerings.

And then there was the pandemic. In spring of 2020, 46 in-person courses were suspended, but remarkably 7 continued meeting virtually. Even after the courses’ completion, some of the groups continued to hold informal meetings online without a break. Due to hard work and fast planning by PLATO members, technological solutions were found, training sessions were held for coordinators and members, and a group of determined members found ways to offer 36 online courses in the fall with a total of 81 for the 2020-21 year. The hundreds who took the courses had their own learning curve and mastered learning in an online environment.

Much has changed over the past 35 years, but the volunteer spirit has remained at PLATO’s core. The resilience, generosity and ingenuity of PLATO members continues to make it a vibrant place where the “Love of Learning Never Gets Old.”

FEATURED COURSES 2020 - 21

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:42:21 GMT

Whither the State. Course Coordinator, Dennis Dresang

“Careful, logical, and evidence-based inquiry.” That’s how Dennis Dresang has described methods of getting good information and that approach is obvious to anyone taking Whither the State.

Dennis, a UW-Madison emeritus professor and founding director of the La Follette School of Public Affairs, has offered his popular Whither the State for PLATO every autumn for many years and it remains one of the best attended of PLATO’s offerings. Focusing on topics of current interest in the public sphere that impact the state and the nation, the course includes not only Dennis’s own astute commentary, but also regular guest presenters who can speak authoritatively on public affairs—ranging from political scientists such as David Canon to officer holders such as Congressman Mark Pocan or former state Senate president Brian Rude.

Due to the pandemic, PLATO’s Whither the State no longer happens only in the fall semester. Last fall’s sessions, which focused heavily on the 2020 elections, drew online attendance that typically topped one hundred. Because everyone meets online, guest speakers no longer have to be drawn only from the Madison area.

The course usually goes on a hiatus in the winter and spring since Dennis is a snowbird who heads out to the American southwest during Wisconsin’s cold season. This year Dennis’s travel plans are no different, but with the course now being all digital, we are getting twice as much of Whither the State. Dennis is continuing the course on a twice monthly basis from December 2020 through May 2021. Dennis leads the session from his southwestern residence (and sometimes outdoors on his front porch) with Madison assistance from Terry Shelton and Kurt Sippel.