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New "Z" Courses

Dean’s Update, May 2023

New “Z” Courses — How We’re Bolstering Calm Amidst EA’s Complexity

 
Catie Cadge
A cheerful, chatty welcome to everyone this Gemini season! I’ve got some good news to share about a new course offering at the FCEA. But first, just a reminder. We are starting our official process of choosing scholarship recipients this summer. We have a limited number of awards. Competition will be steep, but we encourage all interested to apply. Jupiter is in Taurus now and maybe the planet is calling out to you to take a chance and submit an application. Trust your instincts! We will do our best to be fair and supportive. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please check our website under the Learn tab at the top of the main page and see the posted descriptions and instructions. The window for application submissions is June 15th through July 15th every year.
 
Moving on to the main topic I wish to focus upon, let’s think about Jupiter now in Taurus as a chance to calm down and find peace with the complexities of learning the many-faceted tool box of evolutionary astrology. I have a new class to introduce to hopefully help with this Taurean process!

 

 

First, a little history to explain how the class came about.

 

 
Last year, we started offering a basic level course in the fundamentals – the A, B, Cs – of our sacred craft. 101-Z was developed as a simple, live discussion class, entirely on Zoom, where students could ask questions and review any trouble spots in learning the very basic vocabulary of the birthchart. The beauty of 101-Z is class size is small, making the discussion about the material less intimidating and more personal. No exams, writing assignments nor forums. Just a chance to relax (think Jupiter in Taurus again!) and simply “be” with the primary parts of reading a chart. So far, the class has been a success! 101-Z is up and running several times a year and is available to any student currently enrolled at the 100-level. Now we hope to expand upon this curricular model with a brand new 201-Z.
 
One of the difficulties we face at the FCEA is making curriculum accessible to all types of learners. We realize some students come in already familiar with complex subjects, such as transits, progressions and solar arcs, while others are completely new. The newbies can feel overwhelmed and, at times, they may need a little more hand-holding and support for them to grasp the ins and outs of the methods we use in our advanced 200-level coursework. Once again, we turn to the Zoom classroom to provide a small-group environment where the very basics of calculating and working with the “current sky” can be simplified and made more “user friendly” for all. 
 
The tutors, Steven and I know that forum participation can be scary, especially if a student is less familiar with evolutionary astrology and the many ways we look at the evolving soul’s journey. We require participation in our online forums because the content is so rich and we need to see students are actively engaging in the material. We want to see you all are working hard to apply what you are learning. But we know forum discussions and writing assignments are not easy. We are a college and expect hard work and effort. It will pay off! However, we also understand that at times a class may seem challenging to the point of overwhelm or intimidation. Please let us help! Consider 201-Z. Open to any student in the 200-level courses, 201-Z is designed to fill in the gaps and lend a supportive “Zoom hand” and heart in the learning process. If this sounds like a good Jupiter fit for you, please join us!
 
Catie Cadge, PhD
May 2023
 
HOW TO REGISTER: The 101-Z and 201-Z courses ($199 for 6 to 8 weekly, 1-hour small-group tutoring sessions) will be added to our Course Catalog in June 2023. To join the “Z” Interest List, receive notice as soon as registration opens, and reserve your space in the next section, please email our Registrar: registrar@forrestastrology.center.