HONORS COURSES Spring 2007
Honors English 221: Advanced Composition & Critical Thinking
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How do advertisements get you to buy their products?
Should you ever consider your emotions when deciding how to vote?
Where does your “self-identity” really come from?
English 221 is one of the most important classes you will take in college because it teaches
you how to analyze and construct arguments and recognize the many ways people try to
manipulate you into agreeing with them. You may not even realize it, but the dominant popular culture is
constantly surrounding you with messages that may in fact, be quite misleading. By carefully examining the
symbols and subtexts in advertisements, voting guides and yes, even college textbooks, you will empower
yourself to become a better student and thinker. Better yet, this course also teaches you to write powerful and
effective arguments yourself, a crucial skill no matter what your major is. Want to get better grades in all of your
college courses? You NEED to take this course!
MWF 11AM-12
Transfer Requirements: IGETC Area 1B, CSU Area A3, Honors: Humanities/Arts
Professor Judy Bank has a M.A. from Suffolk University as a Reading Specialist, inspired by her experiences
as a university student studying in Spanish and Hebrew – both “foreign” languages to her. She spent three years
in Israel as a student and teacher as part of a life-long interest in this region. In 1993 she was awarded a
fellowship by the National Council on US-Arab Relations for a professional trip to Syria and Jordan. Her
interest in multi-cultural studies led her to UC Berkeley where she studied with Ron Takaki and Terry Wilson.
Professor Bank is celebrating her 30th year teaching at Los Medanos College.
Honors History 37: US History Civil War to Present
Lincoln’s Second Republic
“…the present is simply the developing past, the past the undeveloped present.”
Frederick Jackson Turner
Who has a “right” to the American flag? What does it mean to be an “American”? The
devastating American Civil War supposedly decided the answer to these questions, paving
the way for a truly free society where everyone, regardless of race, gender or class was
“American”. But, has “Lincoln’s Second Republic” really turned out the way he would have wanted? Join
Professor Kaiper on an intriguing discovering of the unfinished story of the struggle for meaningful national
commonality in the United States. America has been in turmoil since the late 19th and 20th centuries as it has
struggled with civil rights, religious conflicts, and economic crises. Through analysis, debates, and current
research presentations, honors students will grapple with the elusive, if persistent, quest to build a national polity
of truly republican form and democratic spirit.
MWF 9-10 AM
Transfer requirements: CSU area D6; IGETC area 4F, Honors Social Science
Professor Don Kaiper received his PhD in the History of Social & Political Thought from UC Santa Cruz. His
20+ years teaching at LMC follows a career interspersed by stints as a juvenile probation officer, a seminarianin-training, a street activist, a book store manager, and a night janitor. He is not only a history teacher, but a
history maker, having worked directly with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Civil Rights
Movement. Other brushes with history include meeting Fidel Castro in Cuba and helping to organize the first
Vietnam War protest in Washington, D.C. Dr. Kaiper likes to joke that he owns more books than the LMC
Library. He lives in Antioch in a 3-bedroom condominium—one for him, and two for the books!
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Physical Science 5LS: HONORS GENERAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE
 Why do emergency rooms get so many more people when the moon is full?
 Will you have a nuclear car some day?
 What is Scientific Method, and is it still useful for the 21st Century?
Award winning teacher Dave Nakaji has designed this fascinating course to expose honors
students to important scientific questions like these in physics, chemistry, astronomy and
geology. As you explore the creative process of scientific inquiry, argue about whether science can be
"beautiful", and grapple with the limits of scientific knowledge, you'll develop a feeling and appreciation for the
physical sciences and their connections to daily life. This is a great way to fulfill your transfer science
requirement with a fascinating class supplemented with fun lab experiments, field trips, planetarium
explorations, slide presentations, videos and engaging discussions!
Saturdays 9AM-12PM
Transfer Requirements: Honors: Math/Science; IGETCC Area 5A; CSU B1
Professor Dave Nakaji has taught twenty different courses at Los Medanos College spanning the areas of
physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, education and philosophy. In 1998, Dave won the prestigious
statewide G. Hayward award for excellence in teaching. His passion for education has even led him to offer
teaching workshops to Los Medanos and community educators as well as a wide variety of staff development
activities such as the California Great Teacher Seminars. His first love, however, is in the classroom, working
with students to uncover their unique abilities, talents, and aspirations and setting up environments in which
students may flourish and be successful. In his spare time, Dave plays competitive pool and writes noncompetitive poetry.
DON’T MISS THE HONORS SEMINAR
PHILOSOPHY 2: Contemporary Ethical Issues:
Reducing Public Health Disparities
Americans with good health insurance enjoy access to the most advanced medical care
in the world. On the other hand, funding these sophisticated technologies has caused
medical costs to explode resulting in an increasing number of low-income Americans
who have no access to quality, affordable healthcare. What obligation does our society have to remedy these
disparities? Should the government intervene and create a national health-care system? Or is the free-market the
best way to encourage medical advances? Do you really have a “right” to expensive medical care? And what
does race, language and class have to do with all this? This provocative, fascinating class led by one of the
county’s experts in health services will challenge you to articulate a coherent ethical position on public health
controversies. Required for all Honors Scholars, those of you majoring in Nursing, Public Health, Psychology,
Political Science, Economics, Business and Philosophy will find this course particularly fascinating!
Tuesdays 7-10PM
Transfer Requirements: IGETC Area 3B, CSU Area C2, Honors Seminar
Professor José Martin is at the forefront of Contra Costa County’s efforts to improve its citizens’ public health.
He holds an MA in Integral Psychotherapy from the California Institute for Integral Studies and has been a
licensed, practicing Marriage and Family Therapist for 25 years. His current position is Leader for the Reducing
Health Disparities Initiative for the Contra Costa County Health Services Department. Among many other
positions, he is also a member of the Advisory Boards for the Department of Social Work at Cal State East Bay
and the Center for Cultural Health at UC San Francisco. He has been teaching Ethics, Philosophy and
Comparative Religion at LMC for 13 years.