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The Triple Threat: PPE at Brentwood
While the rest of the student body is cozied up in their houses during the late hours of Thursday night, a small group of senior students is hard at work in a Politics, Philosophy and Economics class, otherwise known as PPE. 23 students sacrifice their Thursday night and happily dive into a world of politics, philosophy, and economics.
PPE is a unique and interdisciplinary course and “definitely not for the faint of heart,” Miranda NP, Alex ‘23 attests.
The course consists of students in Grades 11 and 12 who possess a keen interest in gaining more knowledge about our society; they participate in stimulating discussions such as Socratic seminars, write a lot of papers, and learn about topical subject matter throughout the year. Although the ultimate objective of this additional course is to earn credit for Philosophy 12, a credit not widely available in BC schools, it also aims to equip students with critical-thinking skills to thoughtfully evaluate the way we lead our lives.
While this course is relatively new, it has already had some great predecessors in the form of the pioneering teachers, Ms ??Steele-MacInnis and Mr Bryant. They set a high bar for any subsequent teacher to follow, but Ms Legassicke fearlessly took on the challenge and exceeded expectations with great success.
“In the future of PPE at Brentwood, I envision even more enriching experiences by exploring topics beyond the classroom. For example, rather than simply watching lecture videos, I would love to take our class to Victoria and attend a live philosophy lecture. This immersive experience would offer a deeper understanding of the subject matter and enhance our overall learning” Ms Lagassicke stated at the end of class.
Sophie H, Mack ‘23 has a perfect testament to Ms Lagassicke’s dedication: “Having participated in competitive sports the past two terms, I often had to miss PPE classes. However, Ms Legassicke meticulously posted everything covered in class and for that, I am very appreciative.”
From starting the year off by studying logical fallacies, and more recently creating an entire regime from scratch and analyzing its weaknesses, we’ve covered a lot of ground. We still have weeks to go and it's not slowing down! PPE students have spent the greater half of the school year reading a philosophical book of choice, and are now starting a project on it.
Students have also had the opportunity to demonstrate their tri-subject learning through competitions out of the “Brentwood Bubble” such as the Create Your Canada Contest where students developed and proposed a potential federal law of their choosing. As well, earlier in the year, students were able to put their knowledge and writing skills to the test against hundreds of other young scholars in the International Public Policy Forum Debating competition.
Despite the considerable commitment required of students, the rewards are immeasurable. Through this captivating course, students gain novel concepts, perspectives, and the confidence to express themselves eloquently not only in their writing but also in their speaking. This is a highly recommended course to be considered for those students returning or coming to Brentwood next year.
Lucy M, Mackenzie ‘23
PPE is a unique and interdisciplinary course and “definitely not for the faint of heart,” Miranda NP, Alex ‘23 attests.
The course consists of students in Grades 11 and 12 who possess a keen interest in gaining more knowledge about our society; they participate in stimulating discussions such as Socratic seminars, write a lot of papers, and learn about topical subject matter throughout the year. Although the ultimate objective of this additional course is to earn credit for Philosophy 12, a credit not widely available in BC schools, it also aims to equip students with critical-thinking skills to thoughtfully evaluate the way we lead our lives.
While this course is relatively new, it has already had some great predecessors in the form of the pioneering teachers, Ms ??Steele-MacInnis and Mr Bryant. They set a high bar for any subsequent teacher to follow, but Ms Legassicke fearlessly took on the challenge and exceeded expectations with great success.
“In the future of PPE at Brentwood, I envision even more enriching experiences by exploring topics beyond the classroom. For example, rather than simply watching lecture videos, I would love to take our class to Victoria and attend a live philosophy lecture. This immersive experience would offer a deeper understanding of the subject matter and enhance our overall learning” Ms Lagassicke stated at the end of class.
Sophie H, Mack ‘23 has a perfect testament to Ms Lagassicke’s dedication: “Having participated in competitive sports the past two terms, I often had to miss PPE classes. However, Ms Legassicke meticulously posted everything covered in class and for that, I am very appreciative.”
From starting the year off by studying logical fallacies, and more recently creating an entire regime from scratch and analyzing its weaknesses, we’ve covered a lot of ground. We still have weeks to go and it's not slowing down! PPE students have spent the greater half of the school year reading a philosophical book of choice, and are now starting a project on it.
Students have also had the opportunity to demonstrate their tri-subject learning through competitions out of the “Brentwood Bubble” such as the Create Your Canada Contest where students developed and proposed a potential federal law of their choosing. As well, earlier in the year, students were able to put their knowledge and writing skills to the test against hundreds of other young scholars in the International Public Policy Forum Debating competition.
Despite the considerable commitment required of students, the rewards are immeasurable. Through this captivating course, students gain novel concepts, perspectives, and the confidence to express themselves eloquently not only in their writing but also in their speaking. This is a highly recommended course to be considered for those students returning or coming to Brentwood next year.
Lucy M, Mackenzie ‘23