Teaching
My students are eager to deepen their knowledge and expand their perspective on a range of topics.
My Zoom headquarters - students will recognize the bookcase backdrop
Whether I’m browsing in a bookstore, reading the newspaper, visiting a museum, or scrolling endlessly on the internet, I’m always searching for new books, essays, exhibitions, films, podcasts, and other content to inspire ideas for interactive seminars and live conversations with writers, journalists, and scholars. My classes are interdisciplinary, interactive, and carefully designed to encourage critical thinking and lively discussion about significant themes in history, literature, sociology, film, visual culture, and the arts.
Please scroll down below to see a complete list of my upcoming classes offered online and in-person through the 92Y; Scarsdale Adult School, and the Center for Continuing Education of Larchmont/Mamaroneck. Please follow the links in the class listings below or type/search for instructor Lori Rotskoff in the organizations’ search bars.
Because I am always adding new classes and special programs, I encourage you to visit the host sites for the most up to date list of classes and registration links.
Current & Upcoming Classes (list in progress)
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Contemporary Memoirs by American Poets
Four classes, Sept. 28, Oct. 12, Nov. 2, and Nov.9
Offered either 10:30 am or 1 pm
92Y
ONLINE (This class has started and is no longer open for registration.)
Explore literary themes, social and historical contexts, and personal journeys as they are conveyed by writers who have transferred their mastery of lyrical language to autobiographical prose. Class is designed for readers with a range of interests: those who typically enjoy reading literary memoirs; fiction lovers looking for a change of pace; poetry aficionados; and not least, participants who seldom read poetry at all. -
Contemporary Memoirs by American Poets
Four Classes, Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Nov. 3, Nov. 10
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Scarsdale Adult School
ONLINE (This class has started and is no longer open for registration.)Read and discuss three contemporary memoirs by renowned American poets in this informative, interactive class. Explore literary themes, social and historical contexts, and personal journeys conveyed by writers who have transferred their mastery of lyrical language to autobiographical prose. This class is designed for readers with a range of interests: those who typically enjoy literary memoirs; fiction lovers looking for a change of pace; poetry aficionados; and not least, participants who seldom read poetry at all.
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One-Day Book Club: Learning In Public: Lessons for a Racially Divided America from My Daughter's School
Tues., Nov. 16, 1:00 to 2:15 PM
Center for Continuing Education, Larchmont / Mamaroneck
ONLINE Registration is now OPEN.
In her new book, journalist Courtney Martin offers a candid, searching, and sometimes surprising account of her decision to enroll her daughter in a majority Black public school in Oakland, California. -
Contemporary Personal Narratives by Asian American Women
Three classes, Tuesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14
10:30 AM to noon OR 1:00 to 2:30 pm
92Y
ONLINEExplore recent contributions to contemporary literature and culture in a variety of genres by Asian-American women writers, illustrators, and photographers.
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Contemporary Personal Narratives by Asian American Women
Three classes, Wednesdays, Dec. 1 to Dec. 15
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Scarsdale Adult School
Location: ONLINEExplore recent contributions to contemporary literature and culture in a variety of genres by Asian American women writers, illustrators, and photographers.
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Short Stories Live
Three sessions, Dec. 2, Dec. 8, and Dec. 15
Morning option: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm (EST)
ONLINEThis innovative program combines the immediacy of live performance, insights into classic and contemporary literature, and lively discussions with fellow participants.
At every session, watch and listen as a professional actress/actor reads a thought-provoking short story live, and then engage in a discussion led by Lori Rotskoff.
Each week’s title remains a surprise until the day the session meets.
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Short Stories Live
Three sessions, Dec. 2, Dec. 8, and Dec. 15
Afternoon Option: 1:30 to 3 pm (EST)
ONLINEThis innovative program combines the immediacy of live performance, insights into classic and contemporary literature, and lively discussions with fellow participants.
At every session, watch and listen as a professional actress/actor reads a thought-provoking short story live, and then engage in a discussion led by Lori Rotskoff.
Each week’s title remains a surprise until the day the session meets.
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More To Come
More classes, conversations and programs will be added. Please check back regularly for updated information and schedules
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One-Day Book Discussion: How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
Wed. Jan. 19, 2022 11 AM to 12:30 PM
Scarsdale Adult School
ONLINEIn his new book, Clint Smith, an educator, poet, and staff writer for the Atlantic, offers an urgent reconsideration of how we memorialize and learn about the role of slavery in our nation’s past. Heralded as a “landmark of reflection and insight,” this eye-opening travelogue combines personal stories, lyrical descriptions, and incisive facts to point the way toward a more honest, accurate understanding of slavery’s complicated history.
Past course offerings:
Growing Up: Reading Contemporary Memoirs of Childhood and Youth
The Poet’s Memoir: Personal Prose by Acclaimed American Poets
We Are What We Read: Contemporary Memoirs on Literature and Learning
We Are What We Eat: Food and Culture in Contemporary Memoirs and Documentary Films
Family Histories & Family Mysteries in Memoirs and Personal Documentary Films
Women Behind the Lens: 20th Century American Photographers
Racism and Resistance in the U.S. from Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter
Screening Stories for Kids: Children’s Literature in Documentary Film