Yes, You Can Teach at OLLI!
By Camille Hodges, Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events Program Planning Group Co-chair
OLLI invites you to share your expertise on topics that reflect your knowledge in any area. Currently, OLLI members have expressed the desire to have classes on the following topics:
Cultural linguistics
Comparing education in America with other countries
Faith Ringgold and her visualization of African American history
Historical pros and cons of vaccinations
If you have an interest in teaching any of these requested classes via Zoom or hybrid, have questions, or ideas of your own, please contact either of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events (HSS/CE) program planning group chairpersons:
Camille Hodges mimihodges4@gmail.com or Peg O’Brien mazob@live.com. Or you may fill out the course proposal form found at https://ollidev2.earthcare.com/olli-course-proposal-form/
If you are interested in teaching at OLLI, there are resources available to assist you. The OLLI website has an instructor resources page at this link. At this resources page, you can find helpful information including:
an instructor information brochure
a teacher’s manual with in-depth teaching tips for new and experienced instructors
an instructor’s video tutorial on how to use Zoom
classroom discussion tips
OLLI PowerPoint advice and a PowerPoint graphics tutorial
Mason library teaching resources available to instructors
As you look toward fall registration (August 16-24), don't neglect to sign up for two OLLI Players performances.
The Haunted Carousel premiers on October 15. In the 1890s a child disappeared from the carousel. Do you know who he is?
Starlight Flight 1-17 premiers on November 17. A passenger killed 20 years ago resurfaces. Who is he?
Both are ghost stories that have music, costumes, and sound effects. The actors are all dedicated members of OLLI Players and have mastered Zoom performances. Spoilers will appear in the September and October issues of E-News. Keep an eye open for them.
The Tallwood Book Club’s next two monthly Zoom meetings will be held on the second Friday of each month from 2:30 to 4:00. The book to be discussed on Friday, August 13, is Isabel Allende’s The Long Petal of the Sea. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez will be discussed on Friday, September 10.
Virtual Performances
Although Mason’s Fairfax campus is shut down, online entertainment and events at the Hylton Center continue for us to access and enjoy(https://hylton.calendar.gmu.edu/). Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just send an email to Brianna Schoen atbschoen@gmu.edu. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website,Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances.
All Mason Arts & Music events are postponed until September.
Please note: Physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled until further notice in accordance with Mason’s guidelines. OLLI is conducting its classes and activities online. Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates and check the OLLI calendar for revised information.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week but for the most up-to-date information, please view the latest forecast of coming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kick-off coffees, etc. (bolded below). The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
Sat Jul 31
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Aug 2
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue Aug 3
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Wed Aug 4
10:00 am
Mah Jongg Club
Thu Aug 5
11:50 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Aug 6
9:30 am
Craft and Conversation
Sat Aug 7
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Aug 9
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue Aug 10
11:00 am
4:30 pm
Spanish Club
Tai Chi Club
Wed Aug 11
2:00 pm
Memoir and More Writing Group
Thu Aug 12
11:50 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Aug 13
9:30 am
11:30 am
2:30 pm
Craft and Conversation
Cooking Club
Tallwood Book Club
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Tom Appich, Roz Stark, Jane Hassell
Submissions: Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Deadline: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Search E-News: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News at ENews Archives. To search the content within issues, use Search or enter your search term(s) in Google followed by “site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/” without the quotes.
