Education Center offers lifelong learning opportunities

’Tis the season for learning. On Monday, Oct. 10, the Longboat Key Education Center re-opens its doors for the 2011-12 season. The non-profit educational organization offers non-credit courses and workshops for adults interested in classes on fine and applied arts, humanities, liberal arts and natural and social sciences.

The classes, which are divided into fall, winter and spring semesters, include some perennial favorites — such as “Easy Yoga — Feel Your Best at Any Age,” bridge classes for a variety of levels and “You’ve Got to See This Movie!” as well as new classes, such as “Buddhist Meditation — Inner Technology to Transform the Mind,” “Still Struggling with Getting Beyond the Basics on Your Computer?” and “Movies that Changed Our Minds.”

“Easy Yoga,” which is taught by Education Center Executive Director Susan Goldfarb, offers stretching, conditioning, breathing and relaxation exercises. Classes take place from 9 to 10 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Other Zen-like options include “Alive with Yoga!” which welcomes men and women of all fitness levels to classes from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays; and “Buddhist Meditation,” which emphasizes the development of awareness of the mind and how to increase positive states of the mind. That class takes place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays.

Bonnie Hammer, who taught the “Social Networking 101: Facebook and Twitter” class in the 2010-11 winter semester, returns to teach two classes this fall. She will lead the “Still Struggling with Getting Beyond the Basics on Your Computer?” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and “Intro to Windows 7 — The Basics” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Kathie Moon, who also teaches the popular “You’ve Got to See This Movie!” class will lead a new class this semester. “Movies that Changed Our Minds” will show four thought-provoking feature and documentary films. That class will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays.

Another facet to the Education Center is its variety of workshops. This fall, new workshops include “Dalcroze Eurhythmics — Moving to Live Music,” a program that teaches movement in time to music; “Zentangle Art — Fun, Creative, Relaxing, Meditative,” which is a method for creating images using repetitive patterns; and “Gentle and Restorative Yoga — A Morning Treat,” a yoga workshop focusing on bringing the body, mind and spirit into balance through yoga stretches, poses, posture awareness and breath work.

The fall semester begins Oct. 17 and runs through Dec. 19; classes begin at various dates. Classes will not be held the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 21 to Nov. 25.

Visit lbkeducationcenter.org for more information and a complete list of classes.

IF YOU GO
What: The Longboat Key Education Center’s fall semester begins Oct. 17; classes and workshops run from Oct. 17 to Dec. 19.
When: Registration begins in person Oct. 10, at the center, 5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 212; or now by phone, 383-8811; by fax, 383-1935; or on its website, lbkeducationcenter.org.
Cost: Prices for classes vary.