Welcome!

"No printed word, nor spoken plea

can teach young minds what they should be.

Not all the books on all the shelves -

but what the teachers are themselves."

- John Wooden

NCAA UCLA Men's Basketbal Coach (1910-2010)

To my dear student,

I am so happy to invite you into our class. If you are reading this, you are likely enrolled in one of our courses. If not, you are still welcome! Every semester, I am delighted to welcome new students and hopefully give them the tools they'll need to succeed here and beyond the class. This website is designed for students to explore the ins-and-outs of their specific course. Here you will find Community Rules, tips on Student Success Habits, Extra Credit Assignments, Exam Prompts from years past, and a variety of other resources/recommendations.

These classes, with some luck, will provide you with the knowledge and skills recommended to understanding broader ideas about science, history, and the United States. Usually taught separately by niche specialists, science, history, and the United States are often not placed in conversation. These fracture leave large gaps in our collective discourse about crafting sophisticated governmental policy, suggesting improvements to the lives of our loved ones, and meditating on the deleterious effects of lithium mining (a key component of batteries for electric vehicles) on indigenous populations. The need to bridge these fractures is a core reason why these courses exist. That said, here are our broad, course-level aims:

Develop a growing base knowledge of global connections, not only of US history. Yes, this means some basic geography!
Expand your base historical vocabulary (e.g. historiography, muckraking, imperialism).
Embrace the tensions of studying US history from a variety of sometimes disagreeing vantage points.
Hone the discipline recommended to increase the chance of success in college and life.
Explore the world through and find deep meaning from in-class and out-of-class learning. If you open yourself to true growth, it is a thrill.
Begin connecting knowledge together as part of the overarching, greater human experience.

Bear in mind that this website is always changing shape. Throughout the semester, I add new resources and make changes in response to student need. While I do my best to refrain from making larges changes mid-semester, please note that it is possible.

It is a great honor that our paths crossed. Perhaps you can tell that I take my job as your teacher very seriously, and I am eager to discover more of the world with you!

Warmly,

Alexander Dinh

2023-08-11