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Announcements for Fall Courses 2026

Most Fall Courses will begin the week of September 14, 2026 and run from 8-12 weeks

Reminder – PLATO members may register for more than one course each term. Non-members are invited to sample a course by attending the first two classes, however they are required to contact the course coordinator in advance via email or phone to make sure there is space, as some courses fill up. And if non-members want to continue to attend for the rest of the term, they are required to become a member. Visit the Join PLATO webpage to learn more about member benefits and how to join.

NEW! The Fall Course 2026 Schedule has a new format and some courses have a new registration process. Some courses will require you to register by contacting the course coordinator via email or phone, as you have done in the past, and others will require online registration, which will be new for members who didn't participate in any courses over the summer. To get started,
 watch this brief video tutorial to learn how to register online with this new system and then explore this video to learn how to register for a coordinator reserved seat. If you have further questions, check out this Online Registration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Should you have further questions, please contact Kathie Burman at kathie.burman@platomadison.org or Kathy Brown at kathytft@outlook.com.

Finally, experiment with these different views to see how you prefer to browse the Fall Courses Schedule:

Day/Week at a Glance View  - Use the Next Week/Previous Week tabs to move through the calendar.

Month at a Glance View

List View – Note that the courses in the List View are in ascending date order.



Fall 2026 Course DESCRIPTIONS - Sorted by Start Date

    • September 02, 2026
    • December 02, 2026
    • 4 sessions
    • Bethany United Methodist Church
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Coordinators: Nancy Miller

    Email: nancym2079@gmail.com
    Phone: 608-320-0896 

    Registration: Required, Register Online


    This book discussion group meets on the first Wednesday of the month to discuss a novel. The book selections are determined in the spring of each year and assigned to a specific month. Group members volunteer to lead the discussion one month out of the year, and also select a month to bring treats to share with the group one month out of the year. Download the Syllabus.


    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: First Wednesday of the Month

    Meeting Location: Bethany United Methodist Church

    Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 14


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 08, 2026
    • December 08, 2026
    • 4 sessions
    • Stark Building - 702 N. High Point Road

    Coordinator: Sally Porter

    Email:  ssporter22@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

    Join us on the second Tuesday of each month for good reading and good discussion. There is a random selection of books, one to be read each month for group discussion. The expectation that each person will be a discussion leader of a book of their choice from the list during the year. Participants will receive the book list upon registration.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday

    Meeting Location: Stark Building – 702 N. High Point Road

    Participation: Reading and discussion
    Class Size: 15


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 14, 2026
    • November 30, 2026
    • 12 sessions
    • Virtual Google Meet
    • 5
    Register

    Coordinators:

    Martha Henderson and Baxter Richardson  

    Email: madtowntarheels@mac.com and baxter.2614@charter.net

    Registration: Required, Register Online


    This discussion class aims at discovering and exploring what makes a film classic or significant. Is it narrative, acting, plot, character development, direction, cinematography, innovation, universal themes or some combination? To do this, the class will view one film per week, chosen by the coordinators, available on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel with an on-line discussion the following Monday. Prior knowledge of film history is not necessary, only the willingness to view and discuss the film we have just seen. The Google Meet app is needed for this. Films are also available as discs from the Madison Library and on the many streaming services.



    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Watching films & discussion expected

    Class Size: 30


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 14, 2026
    • November 16, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Virtual – Zoom
    Register

    Coordinator: Heather C. Williams

    Email: heather@drawingtogether.com

    Phone: 760-213-6060

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    Come draw with Heather! You will expand your visual thinking skills, and develop greater hand-eye coordination. Plus, you will experience seeing old things in new ways and you will connect your inner and outer world in a meaningful way. The big skill you will develop in Heather's drawing class is learning to observe yourself and the world around you – without naming, labeling, or judging what you see.

    Drawing is a Spiritual Practice of Being Present and Paying Attention!

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

    Participation: High Participation with assignments/possible projects

    Class Size: No Limit

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 14, 2026
    • November 16, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Christ Presbyterian Church

    Coordinator: Karen Wulff

    Email wulff.karen@gmail.com

    Phone: 608-770-8408

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    This class is an ongoing workshop where individuals work on their personal art goals in a sharing environment. Participants can exchange knowledge and offer “gentle” feedback to each other if they want to. Bring the supplies you will need for your own project. We are fortunate to use this space. Come and make a commitment to yourself to do art at least two hours per week. Join a group of people who enjoy working on their art together in a peaceful and supportive environment.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday
    No Class Dates: N/A
    Meeting Location: Christ Presbyterian Church

    Participation: High participation on personal art projects

    Class Size: 10


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 14, 2026
    • November 23, 2026
    • 11 sessions
    • Virtual – Zoom
    Register

    Coordinator: Tom Eggert 

    Email: tleggert@wisc.edu

    Phone: 608-279-8608 

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    Retirees have different financial challenges than younger people.  In general, we are no longer saving for retirement, but we are continuing to grow and use the money that we saved. We’ll cover topics such as the importance of diversification, passive vs active investing, taxes and investment decisions, the challenge of beating the market, creating a personal investment plan and using tools (like the Morningstar rankings) in making investment decisions.  The class is designed so that we’ll learn just as much from the experiences of our classmates as we will from guest speakers or videos.    

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

    Participation: High participation with assignments and/or

    possible presentations by participants

    Class Size: No Limit


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 14, 2026
    • November 16, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Fitchburg Senior Center
    • 6
    Register

    Coordinators: Cindy Collins & Jane Stimac

    Email: cindaa0812@gmail.com & jstimac242@gmail.com

    Phone: 608-220-3812 & 608-347-7819

    Registration: Required, Register Online


    This fall our book club will read the six novels listed in the syllabus. Download the Syllabus.


    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Fitchburg Senior Center

    Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 25

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 15, 2026
    • November 24, 2026
    • 11 sessions
    • Covenant Presbyterian Church

    Coordinator: Irv Klibaner

    Email: ihklibaner2@yahoo.com (New email address!)

    Phone: 608-628-6154

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

    For those who love reading and discussion, this is the perfect entertainment. One hour each is devoted to a short story and an essay. There is always a lively, opinionated, and friendly atmosphere with a welcome for all participants. Come join us as we delve into the ever-fascinating world of short stories and essays created by some of the best writers who have put pen to paper.

    Texts to be used: 

    • The Penguin Book of the International Short Story - edited by Rabbi Alameddine and John Freeman (copyright 2026). Available in Hardcover, Audio Book and Kindle
    • The Best American Essays 2025 edited by Jia Tolentio. Available in paperback, audio book and Kindle. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday

    Meeting Location: Covenant Presbyterian Church
    Participation: Reading & discussion
    Class Size: 15

    • September 15, 2026
    • November 17, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Vista West

    Coordinator: Chuck Pils

    Email: cmpils3304@gmail.com
    Phone: Chuck Pils 608-772-8575
    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

    We are biography readers who enjoy sharing their experiences. Presentations are participants’ responsibility. It is optional for participants to do a presentation. We look at biographies of widely different people in various contexts – historical, political, show business, environmentalists, etc. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday
    No Class Dates: N/A
    Meeting Location: Vista West
    Participation: Reading & discussion
    Class Size: No Limit


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 15, 2026
    • December 15, 2026
    • 14 sessions
    • Capitol Lakes
    Register

    Coordinator: Michael Troudt

    Email: mgmfanatic@aol.com

    Phone: 920-279-1846

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    This is a chronological history of the film musical beginning with Sailor Beware and ending with Young at Heart. Each week, we will watch a musical and discuss it. The films have been chosen due to their historical significance as well as their popularity at the box office. Download the Syllabus.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day & New Time: Tuesday, 12:00 – 2:30pm

    Meeting Location: Capitol Lakes

    Participation: Watching films and discussion

    Class Size: No Limit


    • September 15, 2026
    • November 24, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • UMB Bank
    • 16
    Register

    Coordinator: David Shaw

    Email: dshaw.hpr@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    We are a congenial group of jazz enthusiasts ranging from eager newcomers to seasoned aficionados. All jazz genres are thoughtfully presented through class participation; documentaries and visiting jazz musicians and scholars. We welcome all levels of jazz knowledge and no musical skills are required.

    NOTE FOR PARTICIPATION: We encourage class participation. There are no assignments, however, your enthusiasm is deeply appreciated and presentations are welcome.  

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday

    No Class Date: October 6

    Meeting Location: UMB Bank

    Participation: See note above

    Class Size: 30

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 15, 2026
    • October 20, 2026
    • 6 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Coordinator: Jack Mitchell

    Email: jwmitch1@wisc.edu

    Phone: 608-274-6903 

    Registration: Required, Register Online 


    A January 6 demonstrator carried a sign proclaiming: Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President.

    I wondered why the same person would proclaim those two sentiments, intertwining religion and politics in a way that did not make sense to me.  This course invites you to join me in trying to understand if and how they go together. Download the Syllabus 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: High participation – reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 16

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 15, 2026
    • November 10, 2026
    • 8 sessions
    • Oakwood Village University Woods Campus
    Register
    Coordinator: Douglas Alexander

    Email: douglasWI1957@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    The course objective is to start with the basic documents: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States, and get familiar with them. Then we’ll move on to the dynamics of our current government. The emphasis will be on the federal government, but we will invariably get into state and municipal government as well. Class topics will easily spawn conversions about current politics.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday – Note no class on November 3

    Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus - Nakoma/Westmorland Rooms

    Participation: Reading and active participation expected

    Class Size: No Limit


    • September 16, 2026
    • December 16, 2026
    • 14 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet

    Coordinator: Mert Corwin

    Email: mdcorwinjr@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

    This class will discuss local, national, and international events, both hot and current. Some topics will be very current and others will be ongoing issues. Topics will be determined each week, at the start of the session. All viewpoints are encouraged. The format will be very casual and interactive. Participants are encouraged to forward relevant links during the week for discussion.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday

    No Class Dates: N/A
    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet
    Participation: Active discussion group – video conference capability and email are required
    Class Size: 20


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 16, 2026
    • November 25, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Hybrid – Capitol Lakes & Google Meet

    Coordinators: Leon Lindberg and Kirk Elliott

    Email: lnlindberg204@gmail.com and kirk_elliott@hotmail.com 

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator


    We focus on international events and concerns, addressing American issues only as they relate to the rest of the world. An invited speaker or a member of the group will make a presentation of about 40 minutes followed by your questions and comments for perhaps 20 minutes. We'll take a break and then pull some chairs into a circle, and discuss items of interest that members have brought to the meeting (members are invited to bring a news clipping or news item summary). We hope to increase our exposure to high-quality sources of news and information.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday
    No Class Dates:
    N/A

    Meeting Location: Hybrid: Capitol Lakes and Google Meet

    Participation: Active discussion group

    Class Size: No Limit


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 16, 2026
    • December 02, 2026
    • 12 sessions
    • Hybrid: Bethany United Methodist Church & Google Meet

    Coordinator: Ed Cothroll & Bill Colwell

    Email: cothroll@tds.net or wscacct@live.com

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    We will be reading and discussing Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life by Agnes Callard, available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook formats, W. W. Norton & Co. The author recovers Socrates’ radical approach to questioning how we should live, revealing how his method helps us confront love, death, and politics. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Hybrid – Bethany United Methodist ChurchGoogle Meet

    Participation: Regular reading & discussion expected

    Class Size: 25

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 16, 2026
    • November 18, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Oakwood Village University Woods Campus
    Register
    Coordinator: Mary Klink

    Email: jgmk10@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Online Registration

    Back by popular demand! I hope you will join me again or for the first time to watch and discuss movies. I look forward to lively discussions of the films which we will watch in class. There are no reading assignments or homework for this class. Come, enjoy and learn about the history and evolution of cinema along with enthusiastic fellow cinephiles! Download the Syllabus.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday

    Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus – Arts & Education Center

    Participation: Watching movies and discussion

    Class Size: No Limit


    • September 16, 2026
    • December 02, 2026
    • 12 sessions
    • Virtual – Zoom
    • 18
    Register

    Coordinators: Meg Taylor & Jerry Burns 

    Email: taylome@charter.net & geburns@facstaff.wisc.edu

    Phone: 608-369-3578 & 608-556-2924

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    This is an in-depth discussion course on current events in Wisconsin, the United States and the world. Course members choose the topics, lead and moderate a discussion or two. We email readings and website links prior to each discussion. Each presenter may invite a guest with some first-hand knowledge or experience on the topic for the discussion.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

    Participation: High participation – Zoom and email required

    Class Size: 25

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 16, 2026
    • December 02, 2026
    • 11 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Coordinator: Andy Millman

    Email: mill60062@yahoo.com 

    Phone: 847-275-6251 

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ~ Louis L’Amour

    Whether you’ve yet to write the first word or are deliberating over the last, our writers group will provide you with the feedback and support to bring out your best. All writers are welcome, regardless of experience or the type of writing pursued. 

    The workshop is facilitated by Andy Millman, a writing coach and editor whose own stories and essays have appeared in over two dozen publications, including Whistling Shade, Points in Case, Midwest Review, The Big Jewel, Zest Literary Journal, Black Heart Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Helix, and Pif Magazine.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Wednesday

    No Class Date: November 25

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: High participation with assignments

    Class Size: 15

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 17, 2026
    • November 12, 2026
    • 9 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet
    Register

    Coordinator: Craig Wille

    Email: craigwille6@gmail.com (New email address!)

    Phone: 608-692-3163

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    Health challenges touch nearly every family. We may be living with illness ourselves, supporting someone we love, or adapting to the uncertainty that accompanies changes in health and aging. This nine-session course explores how mindfulness can help us meet these experiences with greater steadiness clarity and compassion. Through guided meditation, reflective discussion, and practical everyday practices, participants will learn skills for working with stress, uncertainty, difficult emotions, caregiving, and change while discovering greater resilience and well-being. No previous experience with meditation or mindfulness as needed – only a willingness to begin where you are.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Active participation expected

    Class Size: No Limit

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 17, 2026
    • November 19, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Vista West

    Coordinator: Chuck Pils

    Email: cmpils3304@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    This course is made up of presentations on eclectic historical topics of interest. Examples of topics come from natural disasters, historical battles, assassinations, political events etc. Presentations last 45 minutes to an hour (or more, depending upon presenter and topic), with time remaining for questions and answers. Enthusiastic Q & A’s are the norm. Topics this semester are determined by the group. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Vista West

    Participation: High participation & discussion

    Class Size: No Limit

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 17, 2026
    • November 19, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Covenant Presbyterian Church
    • 1
    Register

    Coordinator: Tim Otis  

    Email: tierneyotis@gmail.com

    Phone: 608-279-2853

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    The course will provide an overview of the long, varied, and complex evolution and struggles of civil rights efforts for the last 60 years.  We will explore the breadth of issues that have been addressed during this period, as well as the challenges and backlash that is an ongoing part of this process. Links to recommended reading will be emailed to participants each week. Classes will include video presentations, guided discussions, and active participation by the members. Download the Syllabus.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Covenant Presbyterian Church

    Participation: Reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 15

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 17, 2026
    • December 03, 2026
    • 7 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet

    Coordinator: Barbara Evans

    Email: evansbj@charter.net

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator


    The focus of this course is to read and critique contemporary mystery novels. Members take turns leading the discussion focusing on the author, the settings, the characters, plot development and story conclusion. Stories are chosen at the end of each semester for the following semester. The group reads five novels each semester and meets every other week to discuss the novel. The last two meetings are held consecutively to nominate and select novels for the next semester. There is an expectation of high participation and possible presentations by participants. Download the Syllabus.



    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    Location Directions: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 18


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 18, 2026
    • November 20, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Capital Lakes
    Register

    Coordinator: Annette Bollig, Kevin Bollig, Lois Baseler, Linn Roth

    Email: acbollig@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    PLATO Travel is your opportunity to experience world-wide travel from the comfort of a chair and in the presence of others who possess extensive knowledge of where, when and how to travel. Participants in this group are past, current and future travelers who love to learn about cultures near and far. PLATO Travel members and guest presenters provide photographic, historical, geographic and cultural information about specific destinations where they have traveled. Knowledge exchange and discussion by all members is welcome and encouraged. Download the Syllabus.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday
    Meeting Location: Capitol Lakes
    Participation: Participation level depends on the participant
    Class Size: No Limit


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 18, 2026
    • December 18, 2026
    • 13 sessions
    • Oakwood Village University Woods
    Register

    Coordinator: Michael Troudt

    Email: mgmfanatic@aol.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online 

    This course will cover the history of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) movie studio from its inception in 1924 through the 1960s, utilizing a three-part documentary titled MGM: When the Lion Roars, as well as films it discusses, such as The Big Parade, Dinner at Eight, etc.    

    Download the syllabus here

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday
    Meeting Location: Oakwood Village University Woods Campus – Arts & Education Center
    Participation: Watching films and discussion

    Class Size: No Limit

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 18, 2026
    • November 13, 2026
    • 8 sessions
    • Virtual - Google Meet
    Register

    Coordinator: Branda Ward

    Email: Brenda.ward@platomadison.org

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    With the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, it’s time to visit the rich history of Chicago’s South Side. We can’t cover it all – the South Side encompasses 100 square miles and 30 neighborhoods with a history that transformed America’s industries and enriched our nation’s arts and culture. We’ll start at Prairie Avenue, home of gilded age titans including Phillip Armour and George Pullman. We’ll discuss the wave of immigrants who made Chicago hog butcher to the world and how the residents of Pullman advanced worker and civil rights. We’ll visit Bronzeville, once the Harlem of the Midwest, and home to gospel greats, the blues, and Chess Studio. We’ll talk about how massive public housing projects transformed the South Side and the heroes who bring South Siders hope and pride.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday

    No Class Date: October 2

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: No Limit

    • September 21, 2026
    • November 16, 2026
    • 9 sessions
    • Virtual – Google meet

    Coordinator: Michael Stevens

    Email: michaelstevens50@gmail.com 

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator

    Read and discuss two books examining the American Revolution, one focusing on the years before the war and the other on the post-war outcomes. We begin with Alfred Young’s The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution. Follow a poor shoemaker who was in the crowd at the Boston massacre and threw tea in the harbor in 1773. Joseph J. Ellis’s The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding centers on missed opportunities at the end of the Revolution regarding slavery and Indian relations. Both authors reflect on how Americans have and possibly should remember the Revolution. Download the Syllabus.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Monday
    No Class Dates: N/A
    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected 

    Class Size: 20


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 22, 2026
    • December 22, 2026
    • 4 sessions
    • Christ Presbyterian Church
    • 3
    Register

    Coordinator: Barbara Drake

    Email: barbaradrake21@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online


    This book discussion group will meet monthly throughout the year on the fourth Tuesday. Book titles for each month have been selected through February, 2027. Members of the group are included in the book selection process, and both fiction and nonfiction titles will be considered. Participants will be expected to read the book selection for each month and will be asked to lead one discussion group per year. Download the Syllabus.


    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Fourth Tuesday of Each Month

    Meeting Location: Christ Presbyterian Church
    Participation: Regular reading and discussion expected

    Class Size: 12


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 24, 2026
    • November 12, 2026
    • 8 sessions
    • Madison Senior Center
    • 12
    Register

    Coordinator: Tess Mulrooney

    Email: tlmmdsn@aol.com

    Phone: 608-257-5595

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    Each semester we do cold readings (aloud) from a large collection of plays that the group owns. During classes, we will discuss three or four plays using an integrated approach which allows everyone to participate. Participant volunteers will each present a brief background of each play and playwright before reading begins and a recap for plays extending over multiple weeks. This semester we’ll read Golden Boy by Clifford Odets. Other plays we will choose from include The Apple Cart and Anna Christie. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center
    Participation: High participation
    Class Size: 16


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • September 25, 2026
    • November 20, 2026
    • 9 sessions
    • Madison Senior Center

    Coordinator: Thomas Schlicht

    Phone: 608-831-6593 

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    Want to better understand both serious and humorous poetry? In this class we rely on several experts, professors who clearly explain the techniques needed to improve our reading and interpreting skills with many poems explained. Those who want to use these skills creatively may volunteer to write their own poems. This writing project is purely voluntary and so is reading your work aloud to the group. Poetry terms/definitions to aid discussion are provided. Those not writing may read aloud to the class short poems and/or brief bios of their favorite authors. Learning and laughter guaranteed.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday

    No Class Date: N/A

    Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center

    Participation: Participation level is optional

    Class Size: 7

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • October 01, 2026
    • December 17, 2026
    • 11 sessions
    • Virtual – Google Meet

    Coordinator: Tobey & Wes Marsceill

    Email: platoclassicfilms@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    Join us every Thursday night for eleven weeks to critique the critically acclaimed Netflix series 
    Adolescence followed by Baby Reindeer. With thirteen Emmy nominations and eight Emmy wins, Adolescence is a cinematic masterpiece worthy of a group discussion and analysis. Baby Reindeer garnered eleven Emmy nominations with six wins all in major categories. A Netflix subscription is necessary to watch one episode a week in the convenience of your own home. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    No Class Date: November 26

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Google Meet

    Participation: Watch Netflix shows & discussion

    Class Size: 15

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • October 02, 2026
    • November 20, 2026
    • 7 sessions
    • Virtual - Zoom
    Register

    Coordinator: Stephanie Steigerwaldt

    Email: steph.steigerwaldt@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    Gentle Chair Yoga for Stress Reduction is accessible to people at all stages of life, offering the many benefits of yoga to promote mental, physical, and emotional health.

    This 45-minute class requires an armless, sturdy chair to provide support during seated and standing shapes and movements. Over time, this practice can improve strength, flexibility, and balance; enhance proprioception; and promote a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.

    No previous experience with yoga is necessary to attend this class. Even people with limited mobility can participate. 

    Members are welcome to treat this class like a drop in class – it's just fine to miss a class when need be. 

    Stephanie is a certified yoga teacher (RYT-200) through Perennial’s Wisdom Yoga Teacher Training in Madison, WI. 

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday

    No Class Date: November 6

    Meeting Location: Virtual – Zoom

    Participation: Physical movement while seated in a chair

    Class Size: No Limit

    • October 06, 2026
    • November 10, 2026
    • 6 sessions
    • Bethany United Methodist Church
    • 1
    Register
    Coordinator: Mary Klink

    Email: jgmk10@gmail.com

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    What happens to a society when its boys grow up without a script for becoming men? Within the past 60 years we tore up the script of masculinity (for good reasons) but failed to replace it with a compelling vision of what it means to be a man in society today. In that vacuum, some young men retreat to screens, pornography and gaming. Others gravitate toward louder, angrier answers. How serious is the issue? Is it really a problem? Are some boys more at risk than others? If so, why? What can we do about it? What really are the biological differences between boys and girls? 


    In this class we will discuss the status of boys in education, employment, the family and society in general. Possible solutions to the issues raised will be discussed. We will use the book “Of Boys and Men” by Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men as the “textbook” for the course.  

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Tuesday

    Meeting Location: Bethany United Methodist Church

    Participation: Reading and active participation expected

    Class Size: 15


    • October 06, 2026
    • November 17, 2026
    • 4 sessions
    • Attic Angel

    Coordinator: Terry Mouchayieh

    Email: terrymouchayleh@gmail.com 

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator


    During this course participants will read assigned texts and engage in discussions about history and social change, as well as reflect and reminisce about personal experiences. They will also discuss the quality of writing, the topic’s relevance today, setting, character development and point of view.
     Books include: The Coincidence of the Coconut Cake, by Amy E. Reichert, and South of Luck, by Jim Guhl. Download Terry's Bio here.

    Note that this course meets every other Tuesday as follows:

    October 6: Overview of Midwestern History and Literature

    October 20: Discussion of Literary Devices

    November 3: Discussion of 1st book

    November 17: Discussion of 2nd Book

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Every other Tuesday

    Meeting Location: Attic Angel Place – Small Dining Room
    Participation:
    Reading and discussion

    Class Size: 8

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • October 09, 2026
    • December 18, 2026
    • 10 sessions
    • Fitchburg Senior Center & Hybrid via Zoom

    Coordinator: John & Jan Kinar

    Email: jrkinar@gmail.com

    Phone: 608-238-2826

    Registration: Required, Contact Coordinator 


    This semester we will be reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. We will use the Penguin Classics edition with an ISBN of 9780141441146. For the first class please read the first four chapters, up to page 48.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Friday

    No Class Date: November 27

    Meeting Location: Fitchburg Senior Center & Hybrid via Zoom

    Participation: Reading & discussion

    Class Size: 14

    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG


    • October 15, 2026
    • November 19, 2026
    • 6 sessions
    • Madison Senior Center
    • 14
    Register

    Coordinator: Douglas Maynard  

    Email: dwmaynar@wisc.edu

    Phone: 608-213-0126 

    Registration: Required, Register Online

    The purpose of this course is to explore the language and logics of autism, which are often very different from “commonsense” ways of communicating. The main issue is how to get into the “world” of an autistic person. The more general problem: how to relate to another person (autistic or not) whose world of experience seems foreign or alien.

    I draw on my own experience as a father of an autistic son, my sociological research in autism clinics, and stories about autistic involvements from biographies, autobiographies, and the blogosphere. We will hear audio or view videos from these sources, and read non-technical autism papers or articles (one per week or so) that help us address the language-logic-other world issues. I aim for lots of questions and discussion. Class members who have family members “on the spectrum” are encouraged to share their experiences, as are others who may have work, neighborhood, or other relevant involvements and activities.

    I view the “language and logic” problem as connected not just to autism but to a wide variety of everyday encounters in which there is a challenging communication issue because of someone’s differences.

    Additional Information

    Meeting Day: Thursday

    Meeting Location: Madison Senior Center
    Participation: Some reading and discussion expected
    Class Size: 18


    RETURN TO COURSE CATALOG




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Madison, WI 53705








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