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About KenEd.us
To impart knowledge of the fundamental elements of our unique American nation including the core social sciences of history, government, politics, economics and others. Such basics produce a more enlightened and, consequently, more effective citizenry critical to the success of the laboratory of freedom and democracy known as the United States.
About the Name
The KenEd.me website name includes a pertinent suffix, "me" for Maine. Preceded by "Ed" for education, and "Ken" for my first name but it is also a noun defined by Dictionary.com as: to know, to have knowledge of, to understand or perceive an idea. Seems to fit.
Ken with Chloe
About Ken
Ken Gagnon is a Certified Maine Teacher with a breadth of experience. He retired after 37 years at Colby College. He also served on the Waterville City Council and in the Maine Legislature for ten years, first in the House of Representatives then the Maine Senate where he served as the Majority Whip. Ken has taught classes in customer service and a variety of high school level social studies classes. He continues his objective of imparting knowledge through this site.
About Classes
This survey-style course will look at U.S. History broken into eras rather than a rigid chronology. This approach allows for the understanding of themes such as religion, civil rights, technology and patriotism rather than the memorization of specific dates and events. The eras include: Discovery & Colonization, A New Nation, Expansionism, The Civil War, Industrialization, The Progressive Era, The World Wars, and Modern Times. Spirited discussions of the themes in relation to the times is expected.
This course will provide individuals with a better understanding of our system of government and how it affects their daily lives. With a core focus on civics, students will understand how the Constitution was formed, how it works today, and their rights within it. The class will also explore the differences and similarities between the federal government and Maine's government. There will also be a comparison of our democratic republic form of government and other types of government common in the world including parliamentary and communist systems.
