News Detail
A Letter from Barb Fishel PhD, Dean of Studies
Dear Parents,
Course selection for the 2017-18 year has finished in Upper School and as you and your daughter met with her advisor to pick just the right combination of courses for her interests and needs, I hope you took the time to check out the amazing variety of courses listed in the Course Catalogue. This letter highlights excerpts from the collection of new courses available next year in English, Math and Science - the full course descriptions are always a click away in the Course Catalogue. Read More
Three new Senior Seminars in English were added to the list of “oldies but goodies” and offer something for everyone. The Math department has added a non-AP level course in Statistics offering students the opportunity to learn how statistics plays a role in our daily lives. Lastly, the Science department has added a semester of Forensic Science, which offers students the opportunity to apply some the physics, chemistry, and biology they have studied as they assume the roles of a crime scene investigation team.
English
Gothic Literature and Culture (semester, 3 days, 1.5 credits, Form IV)
“Gothic literature has enjoyed great popularity as a literary genre since its origins in the mid-eighteenth century, thrilling readers with the unexpected and uncanny. The ghosts, vampires and grotesque figures that often populate Gothic writings are fear-inducing not only because they destabilize established boundaries between what is “human” and “monster” but also because they resurrect those issues that dominant social and cultural narratives attempt to repress… In this course … we will question how the Gothic has evolved as a genre and in what ways it reflects contemporary social concerns…”
Law and Crime in Literature (semester, 3 days, 1.5 credits, Form IV)
“The names Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are legendary in Dallas, TX. The History Channel filmed a series about them, stating that “Bonnie & Clyde recounts the fascinating tale of the couple whose crime spree enraptured the American public.” The key terms in this description are “fascinating tale” and “enraptured.” What is it about criminality that fascinates? … this course will explore depictions of crime, law, and punishment in texts across time periods and cultural circumstances… To engage in the interdisciplinary nature of the course, literary selections will be paired with case law and historical legal commentary. Assignments will be analytical, argumentative, and narrative. Students will write from the perspectives of juror, lawyer, and storyteller. A mock trial will conclude the course.”
Shakespeare: Poetry and Performance (semester, 3 days, 1.5 credits, Form IV)
Using William Shakespeare’s First Folio text from 1623 (modern type face), an US English teacher and US drama teacher will lead this course about one of the most versatile and inventive writers in the English language and surely the most renowned… seniors will study one Shakespearean comedy, one tragedy, and one history… Over the course of the semester, students will participate in 5-6 assessments, some of which will be essays, some performances, and some a composite of literary and theatre based work… Offering opportunities to gain other perspectives on Shakespeare’s plays will be possible field trips to the Dallas Public Library’s downtown branch to see a 1623 copy of the First Folio and to a theater to attend a live performance. Theater professionals may also visit class to share their knowledge.
Math
Statistics (one year, 3 days, 3 credits, Integrated Math III)
This course introduces students to the same fundamental concepts and methods taught in AP Statistics with an emphasis on statistical principles through real-life applications. Students taking this course will learn basic statistical terminology and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data while obtaining a firm base for further statistical study.
Science
Forensic Science (semester, 3 days, 1.5 credits, Physics, Chemistry, & One Semester of Biology)
“… In this course, students become a part of a crime scene investigation team and attempt to solve a series of crimes ranging from theft to fraud to homicide. The teacher acts as the district attorney and medical examiner, determining whether students have provided adequate evidence to convict each suspect before moving on to the next case…
Each year when I review the Course Catalogue, I find the depth and breadth of courses offered in every discipline so stimulating, I almost wish I could do high school over again, at Hockaday, don’t you?
Dean of Studies
The Hockaday School
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.