Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College
Winter 2026 Course Schedule
Online registration opens on Tuesday, Dec 9 at 10:00 a.m.
Need help deciding what to sign up for?
- Many course description pages, linked through the course schedules below, include a video introduction from the instructor. Click on the course names below for full descriptions and instructor bios.
- If a course is full, you can join the waiting list by calling 413-236-2190.
- Hiking classes have a separate registration page found here.
- Come to our Winter Luncheon and Information Session on December 11 at 10:00 a.m. This program is free but registrations are required. Click here for more info!
Where are classes held?
- Our schedule includes courses held online and in-person. See listings below for locations.
- All indoor spaces are ADA accessible unless noted otherwise.
Course cost:
- $60 for one class
- $110 for 2 classes
- $150 for 3 or more classes
Most courses held online are recorded so if you miss one, or your schedule doesn't work for a particular course, you can access the recordings and watch the class sessions on your own time. Note: in-person classes are not recorded.
(Note: you need to be an OLLI at BCC member to register for courses. Membership information can be found here.)
Also available this winter:
Online courses through Osher Online. This program is offered through the Osher National Resource Center (NRC) at Northwestern University. These classes are delivered by the Osher NRC via Zoom, with participants from all over the country. These courses are not recorded. Registration is separate from our winter courses.
2026 Winter Semester Course Schedule
-- Click on the course names below for full descriptions and instructor bios. --
See a printable .pdf of the Winter 2026 course schedule.
Monday
Instructor: Tom Hodgson | Join together for a deep dive into the motives and the thinking that went into the creation and adoption of our Declaration of Independence; and a chance to reflect on its ongoing significance. This class is part of OLLI's Rev250 Project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. |
Instructor: Linda Neville | Time Travel Travails will explore the problems encountered in traveling through time in a collection of science fiction stories. We will discuss how different authors use a variety of techniques traveling between the past, present and future. |
Instructor: Kathleen Duguay | Dante’s Divine Comedy is one of the most celebrated literary works of world literature. In this 6-week session we will read and discuss the second half of Purgatorio which deals with the second part of Dante’s journey toward redemption. |
Instructor: Pamela Quirinale | Many of us have not drawn since we were in elementary school! But drawing can be fun, and not as difficult as we might think. In this class you will learn the basics (and then some). |
Facilitators: Phil Brown and John McComish | Today's Headlines is a moderated discussion course that provides an opportunity to voice your opinions on national and international issues. Serving as a guide and provocateur, the moderator will introduce selected topics drawn from a variety of newspapers and the internet. Lively discussion is the centerpiece of this course. |
Instructor: Richard Eason | The course will examine the profound influences of events on the Eurasian steppes on world civilization both east and west. This vital area saw the domestication of the horse and other animals, key aspects of the Neolithic Revolution, the development of Indo-European Languages and early developments in metallurgy. |
Instructor: Christine Casey | In six sessions, we will focus upon six different musicals, discussing the biographies of the composer and lyricist, the production of the work, notable first performances, followed by a synopsis of scenes with audio excerpts from an outstanding production. |
Tuesday |
Instructor: Ann Berman | “Who’s there?” Hamlet’s opening question invites us to examine one of drama’s most interesting and complex characters, as well as the court which surrounds him. In this course we will work through the text and will look at excerpts from various productions, highlighting the many ways in which this play can be brought to life. |
Instructor: Nancy Bonvillain | This course explores Haudenosaunee historic and contemporary lives, lands, and their activism in support of their cultural and political autonomy and sovereignty. |
Instructor: Nancy Walters | The Great Gatsby captures the frenetic activity of the Gilded Age as characters search for personal and national identity through sources popularized after World War I. Through a thematic kaleidoscope of motifs, allusion, figurative language, and multiple points of view, F. Scott Fitzgerald creates patterns of meaning that support numerous interpretations. |
Instructor: Shirin Nash | Explore the interactions between basic science and medicine through introductions to breakthroughs in technology, physics, chemistry and biology. |
Instructor: Michael Forbes Wilcox | In this course, the history and present status of the Town Meeting form of government will be discussed. Speakers will include individuals who both study and lead town meetings across Massachusetts. This class is part of OLLI's Rev250 Project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. |
Instructor: Andrew Weiss | This course will introduce some basic self-defense techniques that anyone at any age can learn and practice anywhere. It will include drills that can enhance all aspects of physical conditioning. Striking, kicking, blocking, escape techniques, and more will be practiced in a safe and fun manner. |
Wednesday |
Instructor: Fadia Rostom | A practical, engaging exploration of artificial intelligence designed for curious adults who want to understand how AI works, how it's already part of their lives, how to use it to enhance daily life activities like preserving memories and supporting well-being, and what the future might hold. No technical background required—just curiosity! Course participants will need to bring a computer or iPad to class in order to more fully explore AI platforms. |
Instructor: Jeannie Woods | Creating Theatre is a lecture/discussion course about the creative process of the American stage director laying out the process by which a director transforms a script into a performance. The aim of the course is to demystify the secrets of the rehearsal hall and to inspire a greater understanding and appreciation of this ephemeral art. |
Instructor: Howard Jaffe | Everyone knows Moses, but what about his brother, Aaron, or his sister, Miriam? We will explore both the Biblical text (in English translation, of course) as well as traditional commentary about six different figures from the Hebrew Bible whose stories may not be as well-known but have powerful and valuable lessons for us. |
Instructor: Don Barkin
Location: In-person in Stockbridge | Certain times cry out for political poetry. But poetry isn’t argument, and good political poetry is rare. We will read some good political poems from different eras and also read public poetry that isn’t quite political. |
Instructor: Kate Sontag | “A poem should not mean/ but be” (Archibald MacLeish). This is an example of what one poet had to say about his chosen art form. By discussing a wide variety of “ars poetica” poems, past and present, we will try to gain a better understanding of what poetry is (and isn’t), why poetry is important, and how the long tradition of writing about it (since Horace, 66 BC) can be edifying as well as entertaining. |
Instructor: Lou-Ellen Barkan |
In this workshop, participants will use the art and craft of storytelling to tell their own special stories – from first to final draft.
Please note: This class will not be recorded. Active participation and attendance is required. |
Instructors: Richard Matturro and | In this course, participants will view arguably the best submarine film ever made and never shown on American TV or in theatres. It is the spellbinding story of a German U-boat during World War II. After each screening, there will be a discussion with Robert Miller who, as a young lieutenant, served aboard a similar American submarine during the 1950s. |
Thursday |
Instructor: Charles Newman | The New Yorker once proclaimed William Trevor “the greatest living writer of short stories in English.” In this six-week course, we’ll study twelve of Trevor’s stories and learn why many novelists and short-story authors you know consider him their inspiration. |
Instructor: George Pinney 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26 Location: In-person in Lee Limit: 18 | No dance experience needed! This course will explore the brighter side of musical theatre dance to build a better sense of balance, coordination, stamina and FUN in a group dynamic. |
Instructor: Jamie Keller | Back by popular demand! Ovid’s Metamorphoses. There is nothing better than reading the ancient myths when it’s cold outside our homes and inside our hearts. Their universal themes 2000 years old still resonate today: hubris, the plight of women, the role of the artist, and the rewards of kindness. |
Instructor: Brian Hailes |
Music theory can be a daunting prospect for many people. This six-week course aims to make learning the basics of music theory an enjoyable experience. No prior music knowledge is required. |
Instructors: Katherine Kidd and Will Singleton | The landmark civil rights legislation was passed in the mid-1960s but the impact of that legislation is still playing out today. This course will examine the contributions of five civil rights leaders who helped make the promise of the legislation a reality in the courts, Congress, the labor movement and in education. |
Facilitators: Michael and Sara Hohn | You may want to snuggle up with a book for six days a week this winter but consider joining other OLLI members on the trail once a week. The class will include six hikes of about 3 to 4 miles and moderate difficulty at various locations in the Berkshires. |
Friday |
Instructor: Amy Whitworth | We will focus on how philosophers understand the human being and how ethical theories seek to answer the question, "What is the good human life?" At various points, we will consider current ethical issues through the framework of these theories. |
Instructor: Geoffrey Woglom 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27
Location: Online | Economics plays a central role in the functioning of every aspect of society. It plays this role primarily through the actions of governments at the federal, state, and local levels. Given the centrality of its role, this course will address a set of prominent policy issues where economics is at their core. |
Instructor: Noel Staples Freeman | This course offers a welcoming space for active, older adults to explore the foundational rhythms and movements of African-rooted dance. NOTE: This location has stairs leading to the studio. |
Instructor: Laycolaion Freeman | In Practical Self Defense, participants will gain knowledge and skills to stay confident in any situation. Specifically designed for active, older adults, this course focuses on practical, easy to learn self-defense techniques. NOTE: This location has stairs leading to the studio. |
Facilitator: Hank Gold 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27 Location: Online | Join us to discuss science news appearing in the Tuesday “Science Times” section of the New Your Times, plus magazines and journals. |
Facilitators: Katherine Kidd, Wendy Donovan, and Nancy Seguin | Join OLLI members on the trail for six hikes through the winter wonderland of the Berkshires. Trail difficulty will range from easy to moderate. |
|
Please note that you must be an OLLI at BCC member and have created a login account to register for classes online. How to create a login account. You can register by phone from 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Eastern at 413.236.2190.
OLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College |
