ARCTIC CIRCLE
BALTIC STATES
ST PETERSBURG
MOSCOW
CENTRAL RUSSIA
UKRAINE
EUROPE
TURKISH STATES
BREAKAWAY REPUBLICS
SIBERIA
(illegible)
VLADIVOSTOK
ASIAN STEPPES
PROF. STEFANO
ROOM 32C
OFFICE HRS
M 2PM-4PM
T-W 12-1.30PM
T 9AM-10.30AM
F 5PM-7PM
SAT-SUN OFF
IMPERIAL RUSSIA 3271
1609-1752
MAIN STUDY QUESTION -
AS TIME PASSES, THE RUSSIAN IDEAL OF
GOVERNMENT UNDERWENT A RADICAL SHIFT
DESCRIBE THAT SHIFT & ALL ASPECTS
OF IT
History - A-level standard or higher. Two blackboards shows that a lot of work has gone into this lesson.
Not a bad map by history teacher standards, though St Petersburg is too far south and Vladivostok too far north. But it certainly gives an idea of the key areas - this was a time of great Russian expansion into the Baltic, Ukraine and Siberia, war with the Ottoman Empire, and the moving of the capital to St Petersburg. The lumping together of 'breakaway republics' may show a tendency to generalise.
The title Imperial Russia 1609-1752 is something of a misnomer. The Russian Empire wasn't founded until 1721 - before that date it was the Tsardom of Russia. In fact, the date range chosen for module 3271 does seem somewhat arbitrary.
The main study question is rather awkwardly posed, using a mixture of tenses, but is open enough to stretch the more able students.
Handwriting is rather sloppy - all caps, sometimes at a rather wild angle, and with one map label illegible. The student pictured has been lucky to find Professor Stefano in, as his office hours are somewhat idiosyncratic. But this could be a result of education cutbacks, or flexitime due to his personal circumstances, so will not affect the overall score. (In fact, his work-life balance may be under threat as he feels the need to specify that he does not work at weekends.)
Overall: a very good effort - 7/10.
It must have been a Thursday, judging by the clock.
ReplyDeleteCould it be A levels? I don't live in the UK but in the US students wouldn't have enough free time to go to morning office hours -- they ought to be in another class. I think it's 10p.m., which suggests Mr Stefano's work-life balance is asiege.
ReplyDeleteThe desks face away from the blackboard. Perhaps Mr Stefano does not value his own maps.
Ahem. "Tsar" means "emperor." Like the German "kaiser" it is derived from the Latin "Caesar," and was adopted by the Grand Dukes of Muscovy to show that their grand duchy was now an empire, the "Third Rome" that succeeded fallen Constantinople (once officially Roma Nova, New Rome) as the center of Roman imperial tradition.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the 1609 start date is quite arbitrary, though. Better nearby start dates are 1598 (end of the Rurikid dynasty), 1605 (death of Tsar Boris Gudunov and start of the "Time of Troubles," the nadir of Russian imperial history) or 1613 (foundation of the Romanov dynasty).
To the contrary, I love 9-11 am office hours. :-) What's strange about this to me is that the professor has so many! Most only have one or two sessions weekly.
ReplyDeleteActually the 1609 date isn't as arbitrary as it would seem. It marks the start of the Siege of Smolensk in the Polish-Muscovite war, the end of the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, as well an alliance between the Tsar and historical foe Sweden, in the person of Charles X.
ReplyDeleteWow, I really do have too much free time on my hands...
Flags The Band - Well spotted.
ReplyDeletemakkabee and Aeraphiel - Excellent work, thank you.
To the contrary, I love 9-11 am office hours. :-) What's strange about this to me is that the professor has so many! Most only have one or two sessions weekly.
ReplyDeleteSydney EscortsBondage