Contact Information:  Brian.Stephenson@marion.k12.fl.us

 Welcome to AS & A-Level Classical Studies or AS European History. My name is Brian Stephenson and I'm excited to complete another year at Belleview High School. I earned my MA History from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2013 and BA Liberal Arts from the University of Central Florida in 2006.   I have been teaching for 15 years. I currently adjunct with Lake-Sumter State College and teach full-time at Belleview High School.  I enjoy family time and continuing to learn and explore about various past human cultures.   Above all, I want to help make a difference in students lives, by helping them gain critical thinking skills and achieve earned success.

The goal of history classes is to make connections from the past and project it to modern issues to educate the present in order to guide the future.    

My Teaching philosophy:

I strongly believe in the core values of personal responsibility, logical analysis, self-reliance, and the ability to exercise free and independent thought. You alone are accountable for your work. In this course, you will be exposed to new and often more complex material that may conflict with your own assessments of the world. The goal of this course is that you expand your mind and appreciate new ideas. Acquiring real knowledge is a painful process, so much of what you will be exposed to will be inconsistent with conventional wisdom and traditionalism. In order to facilitate this painful process of knowledge acquisition, I often at times will play the role of a devil's advocate or will push you to expand on your points and ultimately to expand your mind.

Students possess the free will and the power to learn, to be personally responsible, and to exercise free and independent thought beyond the limitations and constraints imposed on you by conventional and traditional social and political institutions. It is your choice to exercise your free will and to accept your own ability to engage in free and independent thought. If you do, you will do well in this course. It is also your choice to embrace simplicity and ignorance. In this course, simplicity and ignorance will never be rewarded. You must question everything as you will be exposed to new ideas, thoughts, and concepts.

Sincerely,

Mr. Brian Stephenson