East’s social studies electives give students the opportunity to go more in depth about some of the topics they learn about in their required history classes and to explore new subjects like psychology, sociology, and economics. These courses help students learn more about themselves, others, and the world they live in.

All information on rigor and amount of homework given are based on responses from students.

Sociology

“I’ve been lucky enough to teach the Sociology elective for the last five years. I absolutely love teaching this course in addition to the 9th grade African-Asian class. The course is structured in a way where it is very discussion based so I always appreciate when students open up and share their unique perspective on things. We look at society as a whole but I really try to focus on how your life experiences impact who you are and how you view the world. We study things like culture, socioeconomic status, gender, race, dating, and family life. We also do a lot of fun and interesting activities- some of you may have come to my classroom to participate in speed-dating or you’ve heard a friend talking about their dialect quiz results or love language. We watch interesting videos including Prom Night in Mississippi that looks at a school in Mississippi that was still having segregated proms in 2008 and we look at relevant topics that are happening in our society today. I promise you will not look at things the same way after taking this class!” - Ms. Biddle

Rigor: 2/10

HW Level: None to some presentations/note taking

Student Reviews:

“Everything we learned about in the class was so interesting, and we learned about some really important things that we aren't always taught in school. Ms. Biddle is the best teacher and she made the class extremely fun! Everyone was always happy to be in class and it felt like a big friend group because of how well we got to know each other!” - Sasha Wilson, Senior

“By taking this class, you are encouraged to get out of your comfort zone and participate in discussions. These discussions are absolutely worthwhile and interesting, and I found myself getting out of my comfort zone and participating more than I thought I ever would.” - Rebecca Crump, Sophomore

“I would recommend this class because it is a good break in the day while still learning interesting issues and topics in the world. Most of the class is stuff you talk about everyday but now you get a credit for it.” - Nikita Gandhi, Junior

“This class teaches something that is so needed in the world right now, which is acceptance of everyone and their beliefs/cultures. You learn about how there is no "normal" when it comes to humans, and that all people should be celebrated… I cannot stress enough how fun [this class] was. Miss Biddle is an amazing teacher who is always open to talk things through with her students, which makes the class amazing.” - Ella Prieto, Junior

“I would recommend this class because it is fun and enjoyable. There’s not a lot of assignment or homework. It also tackles real world issues and so many seemingly simple things the people believe in society that have much deeper influences. Overall, this class is great and I would definitely recommend it to all students.” - Lauren Klieber, Senior

“The diverse material we went over made the class incredibly enjoyable. The topics we discussed ranged from socioeconomic status to sexual orientation and each day was eye opening. Sociology helped me to dive deeper into the world around me. Since taking the class, I've seen society from a different perspective and found my personality to be more inclusive and understanding of others. I've also looked more into my own personal being and my own impact on the world around me... Sociology is a laid back course centered around discussion. You and your classmates grow together and form a unique bond I personally have never had in my past core classes.” - Amanda Eadie, Senior

“The environment is very relaxed and it is not a hard class that would stress you out at all. You are constantly learning relevant material and ultimately realize the relatability between yourself and a lot of your peers. Ms. Biddle is a great teacher and makes all the lessons very engaging.” - Carly Luksic, Senior

AP Psychology

“I love teaching AP Psychology because everyone can relate to the topics and find areas of interest, one of the best motivators for learning. Additionally, as an Advanced Placement course, I can push students to think deeply about various subjects.

Numerous projects, class demonstrations, labs, and activities make a fun learning environment. Additionally, the diversity of the course material exposes students to hundreds of possible diverse career paths such as therapists, teachers, business leaders, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, researchers, animal trainers, and many more.

The other benefit of AP courses is that students can earn college credit for them, and they typically do achieve it in Psychology. As of the 2020-2021 school year, more than 500 West Chester East students received college credit for the course.” - Dr. Jones

Rigor: 6/10

HW Level: HW every night

Student Reviews:

“I would recommend this class because the topics covered in it are very interesting and relate to everyone since the class is about how our minds work. The topics I’ve learned about in this class will stay with me in my future career and generally in everyday life. You should take it, it’s fun!!” - Emma Nasuti, Junior

AP Macro and Micro Economics

“This course is for 11th and 12th graders and is for anyone interested in money in any way. I LOVE teaching this class because it explains how our economy works and how people make decisions with their money, which is one of the most important things to learn in school. The Macro class focuses on the economy as a whole, and will help students understand how unemployment, inflation and GDP can be used to measure our overall success or failures as a country. The Micro class studies individuals and firms and how they make decisions. It's a really enlightening course that helps students understand how businesses and consumers make decisions when buying or selling products. Overall, both classes are really fun and interesting and a great way to get two college credits in one year.” - Mr. Busby

Rigor: 7/10

HW Level: Some presentations/noting taking

Student Reviews:

“Many students, especially in the ephemeral high school years, desire to learn concepts applicable to their daily lives. I can come up with few classes offered at East more applicable than economics. Whether we realize it or not, we actively employ key economics concepts in evaluating what we should purchase! Unveiling the principles that lie behind our habits as consumers intrigued me from the start, and every student can carry these ideas and principle far beyond their academic lives… An amazing teacher in Mr. Busby, paired with a fresh and exciting economics curriculum, makes for a highly dynamic and intriguing course. AP courses do require some work on your part, but Mr. Busby will explain and demystify the concepts you already know. AP economics sits easily in my top 5 favorite courses, and I hope every student considers adding it to their schedules!” - Joshua Cuozzo, Senior

AP Human Geography

“This is my second year teaching this class and it's really fun. As far as AP classes go, this is one of the easier AP's to take. In addition to the material being easily accessible for all grade levels, it's also really interesting. In short, we study how humans have been impacted by their environment and how humans have had an impact on the environment around them. This course would be perfect for anyone who likes to travel, learn about other cultures, learn about food or simply wants to understand why things on earth are the way they are.” - Mr. Busby

Rigor: 5/10

HW Level: Some presentations/note taking

Student Reviews:

“I love learning about different places of the world and the way they are similar as well as different to America. This class touches on a plethora of countries to allow you to have diversified knowledge on the world and the different people that inhabit it… Mr. Busby, no matter what class of his you take, really helps you learn how to take tests well, and to just overall become a better student. Additionally, I think it is always important to learn about other parts of the world to broaden your perspective. While AP classes can be scary, this one is really fun I promise!” - Ella Prieto, Junior

East also offers many semester-long electives. Courses that are a semester-long run for half of the year and students often take two as a set. These classes allow students to explore more topics in one year than they normally would be able to.

Understanding Law

“This semester course is available for all students at all grade levels. We focus on three things: A basic understanding of your rights as an American, an overview of Civil Law and an overview of Criminal Law. My favorite parts of this class are teaching students about how the law works and helping them understand how the government has an impact on their daily lives. In addition, we frequently have great guest speakers in this class and, in normal years, take a field trip to the Chester County Prison to understand how our local prison system works. This course is perfect for anyone who is interested in becoming a police officer, a lawyer, a detective, a forensics investigator or someone who is simply interested in crime and the law.” - Mr. Busby

Rigor: 3/10

HW Level: No homework at all

Student Reviews:

“I not only enjoy the content of the class, I also enjoy how Mr. Busby can mold what we learn within the class to what we are interested in as students. We are able to learn about topics within law that we have questions about or that we are interested in. This makes the class even more fun and interesting… This class's information is almost necessary for my life currently and in the future. I was able to learn about many topics that I am going to need to know about in my daily life. I was also introduced to many career opportunities I knew little about before.” - Danielle Lewis, Junior

Race and Ethnicity in America

“Beginning in the fall of 2021, there will be a new elective course offered at West Chester East called Race & Ethnicity in America. The course will be offered in two parts with each part running for one semester. Many people have worked passionately and enthusiastically to build this course, and I couldn't be more excited to teach it. There is a rich history involving race and ethnicity in this country (and state, and county) that is often overlooked. I believe that students want to participate in thoughtful research and conversations about sensitive topics like this, and Race & Ethnicity in America will provide a safe and structured place to do so. What I'm looking forward to the most is the process of developing critical thinking and communication skills as well as a deeper understanding of the history of America and its public policy as it relates to race and ethnicity. Each semester will conclude with a student inquiry project where the students will be able to research a modern topic of interest to them, and I'm really excited to see what the students choose to look into. I'd love to see this course become a staple here at East, and I'm looking forward to a great year!” - Mr. Sackitey

Stocks and Investment

“If I could teach stocks and investments every period, I would be very happy! I feel this course should be a requirement for all students at East. The course teaches students about finances that impact you on a every day basis. We study personal finance and you will learn things that no one teaches you when you get out of high school. Things such as how to open a bank account, how credit cards work, how mortgages work, managing a budget, how life insurance could be used as an investment, retirement savings accounts, and all information regarding personal finance that you can use when you leave high school. The second half of the course studies the stock market, culminating with the stock market simulation game which competes against the stock class at Rustin.

I run the class in a laid back style. All assignments are accepted late, there is no homework, and everything is done in class. The point of this class is not about the grade, but more so about getting you information that is so badly needed, but no one will ever teach you. Teaching this course is a passion of mine and feel as though it is extremely beneficial for students.” - Mr. Owens

Rigor: 3/10

HW Level: None

The Holocaust

In this course, students discuss the Holocaust and what being a responsible citizen in a democracy means. Students will study anti-Semitism and the Nazis before focusing specifically on the Holocaust. This class is recommended for more mature students who have some background in European history.

Hispanic Cultures (Cyber Only)

The Hispanic Cultures course teaches students about the role of Hispanics in shaping the history of the United States. This study begins in pre-colonial America and continues through to the present day. Students will also learn about the experiences of Hispanics in America.

African American History (Cyber Only)

In the African American History course, students learn about the experiences of African Americans in the United States. They also study African Americans’ role in shaping the history of the country, beginning in colonial America to the present day. Students use primary and secondary sources to learn about these topics, including maps, paintings, music, films, and more.

American Military History

The American Military History courses are taught by Mr. Monaghan, who is a veteran of the U.S. army. American Military History 1 covers French and Indian War to the Civil War, while American Military History 2 covers the Spanish American War to the present. Students will also learn about the American military system, military theory, and the impact of certain weapons on war.

Psychology (Semester)

In this course, students learn about the basics of psychology and the brain. The semester course is slightly less rigorous than the AP course offered to tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students. The class features many experiments that students participate in in order to learn the material firsthand.

You can read more about these electives and all the other courses available to East students in the course selection guide. You can also hear more from the teachers in this article on Flipgrid. Thank you so much to the students and teachers who took the time to write about their classes for this article!