Introduction

Hi, my name is Tim Jerome and I am a graduating senior at Westborough High School. I was in the Period 3 Facing History and Ourselves class in the Spring 2012 semester. Facing History and Ourselves is a course that gives students an understanding of historical events and how it impacts the world today. People say that it’s a “Jewish course” because it is primarily about the holocaust. That is not true because the course shows more than just the holocaust. It is out to create civic agency I chose to enroll in the course because I heard it was life changing. I had Mr. Gallagher, the course instructor, as a teacher for U.S. History I my sophomore year. As a sophomore I could see the impact that it had on him as a teacher, and the students that were in the class. I knew that it was life changing but I didn’t know what it would specifically cover. I wanted to take the class because I thought it would be interesting and it would make me a better person. While taking the class, it did change my life. The course is primarily focused on movies and documentaries, and as students we share our opinions about what we see on a blog. Some people take it only because it is an “easy class.” Yes the course is not challenging but that is not the point. The point of the class is to show historical events and how they make us who we are today. After taking this class I feel like a changed person who understands how past events impact the world today.