By Julia Kim
Staff Writer

The first X-Men film shown by Professor Timothy Richardson captured the awe of International Baccalaureate students at CHS as they re-watched the scenes from Magneto’s childhood. The students then dived into discussing psychoanalytical theory.

On Dec. 7, IB students departed on a field trip to the University of Texas at Arlington to sit in for two college lectures. Students left around 9 a.m. and returned at 2 p.m., just in time for sixth period.

Both IB English teacher Michael Vergien and CHS IB Coordinator Jeb Puryear served as chaperones for the five hour trip.

“[The trip] was amazing. It was the best group of students I took,” Vergien said.

Though Vergien has taken his Advanced Reading students in previous years, he has decided this year, to take his IB students.

“I wanted [my IB] students to see the inside of a college classroom and learn things in class from [higher-level professors],” Vergien said.

At UTA, British Literature Professor Kevin Gustafson and Psychoanalysis Professor Richardson each delivered an hour lecture upon Vergien’s request. The lecture was organized as an imitation of a real college setting. Students saw another aspect of analysis through Gustafson’s study of the British poem, To Penshurst. Gustafson teaches British literature to English honor students and is highly associated with the honors program at UTA.

In contrast, Richardson covered psychoanalytic theory which is one among the many courses he teaches including classical rhetoric, critical theory, creative writing and poetry.

Both professors have taught Vergien when he was a student at UTA after his release from the army, and the influence is evident.

“Mr. Vergien has mentioned more than once that he enjoyed the classes of both professors,” junior IB student Mitali Sathaye said. “The teaching methods of both the professors and Mr. Vergien are similar. It is obvious that he employs some of their techniques.”

Gustafson, Richardson and Vergien were all impressed with this year’s group of students and noted them as “the most energetic.”

“The group was delightful,” Richardson said. “I spent the rest of the day praising you all to my colleagues. [They] were an engaged group that I would love to have as a regular class here. [It] was the kind of group a professor always hopes for and rarely gets.”

Most students desired an additional hour to explore campus following the lectures and lunch.

“The hour for lunch was a bit short and really did not permit the time [to walk around campus],” junior IB student Angela Song said. “Although I didn’t get to see most of the campus, the University Center with the cafe was spacious. I really enjoyed the variety of food at [UTA’s] food court.”

The lectures were an insightful addition to Vergien’s typical lessons on analysis of literature and critical theory, which is the examination and critique of society and culture. He is currently teaching critical theory to his students through reading and discussing Lois Tyson’s Critical Theory Today.

“The lectures presented themes similar to the [ones] we discuss and have discussed in class,” junior IB student Jeanne Feng said. “I preferred one professor over the other, but both were really great with their lectures. I was somewhat disappointed with the trip though because the setting. I was expecting to sit in on a college class and just observe, not to actually play the role of the students. Without the presence of [college students], I felt as if [the professors] had toned it down for us. Overall, the trip was great.”