Blah Goes to College
Sent: 2007-02-23 07:09:36 (PST)
To: buzzard@bayardtayloronline.com
Subject: Blah Goes to College
“Before you dive, get the big picture.”
Fellow Buzzards,
Dr. Peter Fitch, Dean of Ministry Studies at St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada) reports: "We used Blah in my Introduction to Critical Thinking course last fall. This is an introductory philosophy class that deals with worldview, the history of philosophy in the west, and the differences between religious and scientific views in our culture. I had a grad student teach the main worldview concepts from Blah in a lecture or two while I was out of town. It was amazing to me how many students chose to include ideas from the book in their final (take-home) exam as they described the nature of worldviews (since there were many other materials in this area). I think the lectures from Blah really helped them understand the importance of this topic and also stayed with them in a way that made sense to them and that they could easily turn around and communicate to others.
I immediately got back to Peter and asked him to put me in touch with the grad student, Wayne Thomas. He did, and I wrote him:
Wayne,
I understand from Peter Fitch that you did some teaching on Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter and worldviews at SSU. I'd sure like to find out how it went straight from the horse's mouth, and since you're the horse. . . I'd like to pepper you with some pertinent particulars.
Wayne got back to me:
Mr. Taylor,
Sure, I don't mind being a horse. I can dig out the notes I used. Are there any particulars questions you have or would you just like a brief of what material I used and a rundown of the presentation and how the class engaged?
I replied:
Just some idea of what you did, how you "hooked" them, how they reacted, questions they asked, if the material seemed to suit them. Did you draw the diagrams on a board, or do it without the diagrams? Also, did you have a chance to read Blah? If so, what sort of overall impressions did you have? Who do you think the book is best suited for? How does it translate to Canada? That kind of stuff.
He answered:
Mr. Taylor,
Peter had already spent a couple of classes discussing the concept of worldviews. Mostly raising awareness of their existence, examples of influence and raising questions of implications (the idea of WV seemed like a new concept for most students).
I started the lecture by giving them the chance to ask any questions regarding WV that might be unclear so far. I then asked them to consider times in the own lives where their WV may have been challenged and how they responded. The class shared some personal examples (faith challenges, moving away from home, etc.).
We discussed a bit about why we reacted the way we do when our WV is challenged (maybe growing up in a sheltered home, lack of life experiance, etc.).
We then discussed a bit about how other people groups/cultures may respond to their WV being challenged.
I then introduced the idea that understanding our own WV as well as those of other people groups could better help us understand our own position in relation to others as well as others positions hopefully reducing judgmental responses and inhibiting communication and interchange.
I then introduced and discussed the six main WV's you outlined in your book. I didn't draw the diagrams but I followed your descriptions of each view and used your examples of categories that fit within them. The class seemed to understand and receive this well. They asked some questions for clarification and speculated a bit on the particular views influence on other areas of life. Most of the students were taking notes. They seemed interested and received the descriptions well (no disagreements of descriptions!!)
We summed up by discussing unique aspects and overlaps of the different views (using your Ch.6 as a guideline) and then finally some of the important life questions that these views might introduce.
The class was engaged and interactive throughout.
I personally read the first seven chapter's of your book and used that material as the primary source for the lectures. I really enjoyed the book and ended up buying my own copy. I think its a comprehensive intro to WV's with some important implications. I think you had mentioned (in the intro maybe) that it was geared primarily to High School students. I think that this is a great target group but thought it was also very appropriate and would work with year one and two university/college students. It seemed like a very good intro to the subject of Worldviews with relevant reflection on personal faith implications as well as faith interaction with others.
The class was represented by students from the US (about a quarter), Can (about half) and UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and Korea (the final quarter). The material seemed clear and understandable (as far as I could tell) to everyone. The girl from Germany did have some (more than others) questions of clarification but I think the main issue was "language" and not the concepts expressed.
Hope this helps. Feel free to pepper me with further questions of clarification if it would help.
I responded:
First, you can call me Bayard, if you're comfortable with that.
Regarding “the idea of WV seemed like a new concept for most students” – very interesting.
Regarding how you started the lecture -- Great questions! You immediately got people personally involved.
Regarding the discussion about how WVs are challenged and so on –- Again, great questions! Did you yourself have a chance to read chapters 1-3, which are totally devoted to these kinds of things?
Regarding the benefit that “understanding our own WV as well as those of other people groups could better help us understand our own position in relation to others as well as others positions hopefully reducing judgmental responses and inhibiting communication and interchange” -- Absolutely! Well done.
Regarding not using the diagrams -- Some people are visual learners. If you can give them a picture, they remember it better. I tried to make the diagrams so simple and memorable that people would instantly see what the main issues are for each one and remember those illustrations the rest of their lives. If they do remember them, in any conversation in the future, they'll be able to draw out a worldview comparison on a napkin or other sheet of paper and talk about how the biblical worldview better answers the deepest of human questions. If you teach this again, and you decide to use the diagrams, let me know how it goes. Or, if you use the diagrams in any way, ever, let me know how you think they work.
Regarding the six categories and the class reaction -- Great question! This is huge, of course, because wv affects how we think about many, many things, including poitics, economics, etc. Worldview is such a brand-new concept, and so counterintuitive to how they've probably been taught to think, that they were in the "let's hear him out and wait and see" mode.
Regarding summing up the Worldview Overlaps (using Ch.6 as a guideline) and then some of the important life questions that these views might introduce -- I thought about putting ch. 6 before ch. 5, but I felt it more important to immediately tell what makes the biblical worldview really "ring" compared to the alternatives. For people with little knowledge of Christianity, or who are suspicious or hostile to Christians, I think ch. 5 may be the most important chapter in the book. It's the one that establishes that the biblical is a really viable alternative to the other major truth claims. But ch. 6 is important, too. We have Truth in Christ, we have some absolute truths revealed to us by God, but we don't have a monopolitic claim to truth.
Regarding your reading of the book and even buying your own copy -- Thank you!
Regarding your evaluation of who Blah is “for” -- May I cull your words and include you as an endorser of the book, and put it on my website? If so, I'd put Wayne Thomas, (whatever your title is), SSU (New Brunswick, Canada). So whatever grandiose title you have, let me know what it is (graduate student lecturer is fine). I'd like to post your email here on my newsletter to give other people who are teaching worldviews some ideas on how to do it. Would that be okay? (Go to blahblahbook.com, click on Newsletter, then click on Archives to see what I'm trying to do there.) I'm looking for someone who'd like to help me strengthen that section of the website. If you're interested, let me know.
Regarding the backgrounds of the students from different countries -- The first people who really started using Blah were ministering to international students in New York City (Int'l Students, Inc.). They've bought two cases of Blah for their students and staff.
Wayne graciously replied:
Bayard,
I did read and use some of your ideas from Chapter 3. Thanks for pointing out the fact the diagrams are a help for some. I'm not really a visual learner and so discounted their importance (from my perspective) without considering that they may be a help for others. A lesson for future ref. I remember thinking as I read through the material that Chapter 6 seemed to go better before Chapter 5. With your rationale, I can see the value of placing them the way you did. Within our context of Christian University I don't think I used any material from Chapter 5.
You can post any of my emails or use any of my words as you like. I think your book is a great WV/faith reference tool and would definitely recommend it.
Wayne
To: buzzard@bayardtayloronline.com
Subject: Blah Goes to College
“Before you dive, get the big picture.”
Fellow Buzzards,
Dr. Peter Fitch, Dean of Ministry Studies at St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada) reports: "We used Blah in my Introduction to Critical Thinking course last fall. This is an introductory philosophy class that deals with worldview, the history of philosophy in the west, and the differences between religious and scientific views in our culture. I had a grad student teach the main worldview concepts from Blah in a lecture or two while I was out of town. It was amazing to me how many students chose to include ideas from the book in their final (take-home) exam as they described the nature of worldviews (since there were many other materials in this area). I think the lectures from Blah really helped them understand the importance of this topic and also stayed with them in a way that made sense to them and that they could easily turn around and communicate to others.
I immediately got back to Peter and asked him to put me in touch with the grad student, Wayne Thomas. He did, and I wrote him:
Wayne,
I understand from Peter Fitch that you did some teaching on Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter and worldviews at SSU. I'd sure like to find out how it went straight from the horse's mouth, and since you're the horse. . . I'd like to pepper you with some pertinent particulars.
Wayne got back to me:
Mr. Taylor,
Sure, I don't mind being a horse. I can dig out the notes I used. Are there any particulars questions you have or would you just like a brief of what material I used and a rundown of the presentation and how the class engaged?
I replied:
Just some idea of what you did, how you "hooked" them, how they reacted, questions they asked, if the material seemed to suit them. Did you draw the diagrams on a board, or do it without the diagrams? Also, did you have a chance to read Blah? If so, what sort of overall impressions did you have? Who do you think the book is best suited for? How does it translate to Canada? That kind of stuff.
He answered:
Mr. Taylor,
Peter had already spent a couple of classes discussing the concept of worldviews. Mostly raising awareness of their existence, examples of influence and raising questions of implications (the idea of WV seemed like a new concept for most students).
I started the lecture by giving them the chance to ask any questions regarding WV that might be unclear so far. I then asked them to consider times in the own lives where their WV may have been challenged and how they responded. The class shared some personal examples (faith challenges, moving away from home, etc.).
We discussed a bit about why we reacted the way we do when our WV is challenged (maybe growing up in a sheltered home, lack of life experiance, etc.).
We then discussed a bit about how other people groups/cultures may respond to their WV being challenged.
I then introduced the idea that understanding our own WV as well as those of other people groups could better help us understand our own position in relation to others as well as others positions hopefully reducing judgmental responses and inhibiting communication and interchange.
I then introduced and discussed the six main WV's you outlined in your book. I didn't draw the diagrams but I followed your descriptions of each view and used your examples of categories that fit within them. The class seemed to understand and receive this well. They asked some questions for clarification and speculated a bit on the particular views influence on other areas of life. Most of the students were taking notes. They seemed interested and received the descriptions well (no disagreements of descriptions!!)
We summed up by discussing unique aspects and overlaps of the different views (using your Ch.6 as a guideline) and then finally some of the important life questions that these views might introduce.
The class was engaged and interactive throughout.
I personally read the first seven chapter's of your book and used that material as the primary source for the lectures. I really enjoyed the book and ended up buying my own copy. I think its a comprehensive intro to WV's with some important implications. I think you had mentioned (in the intro maybe) that it was geared primarily to High School students. I think that this is a great target group but thought it was also very appropriate and would work with year one and two university/college students. It seemed like a very good intro to the subject of Worldviews with relevant reflection on personal faith implications as well as faith interaction with others.
The class was represented by students from the US (about a quarter), Can (about half) and UK, Germany, Hong Kong, and Korea (the final quarter). The material seemed clear and understandable (as far as I could tell) to everyone. The girl from Germany did have some (more than others) questions of clarification but I think the main issue was "language" and not the concepts expressed.
Hope this helps. Feel free to pepper me with further questions of clarification if it would help.
I responded:
First, you can call me Bayard, if you're comfortable with that.
Regarding “the idea of WV seemed like a new concept for most students” – very interesting.
Regarding how you started the lecture -- Great questions! You immediately got people personally involved.
Regarding the discussion about how WVs are challenged and so on –- Again, great questions! Did you yourself have a chance to read chapters 1-3, which are totally devoted to these kinds of things?
Regarding the benefit that “understanding our own WV as well as those of other people groups could better help us understand our own position in relation to others as well as others positions hopefully reducing judgmental responses and inhibiting communication and interchange” -- Absolutely! Well done.
Regarding not using the diagrams -- Some people are visual learners. If you can give them a picture, they remember it better. I tried to make the diagrams so simple and memorable that people would instantly see what the main issues are for each one and remember those illustrations the rest of their lives. If they do remember them, in any conversation in the future, they'll be able to draw out a worldview comparison on a napkin or other sheet of paper and talk about how the biblical worldview better answers the deepest of human questions. If you teach this again, and you decide to use the diagrams, let me know how it goes. Or, if you use the diagrams in any way, ever, let me know how you think they work.
Regarding the six categories and the class reaction -- Great question! This is huge, of course, because wv affects how we think about many, many things, including poitics, economics, etc. Worldview is such a brand-new concept, and so counterintuitive to how they've probably been taught to think, that they were in the "let's hear him out and wait and see" mode.
Regarding summing up the Worldview Overlaps (using Ch.6 as a guideline) and then some of the important life questions that these views might introduce -- I thought about putting ch. 6 before ch. 5, but I felt it more important to immediately tell what makes the biblical worldview really "ring" compared to the alternatives. For people with little knowledge of Christianity, or who are suspicious or hostile to Christians, I think ch. 5 may be the most important chapter in the book. It's the one that establishes that the biblical is a really viable alternative to the other major truth claims. But ch. 6 is important, too. We have Truth in Christ, we have some absolute truths revealed to us by God, but we don't have a monopolitic claim to truth.
Regarding your reading of the book and even buying your own copy -- Thank you!
Regarding your evaluation of who Blah is “for” -- May I cull your words and include you as an endorser of the book, and put it on my website? If so, I'd put Wayne Thomas, (whatever your title is), SSU (New Brunswick, Canada). So whatever grandiose title you have, let me know what it is (graduate student lecturer is fine). I'd like to post your email here on my newsletter to give other people who are teaching worldviews some ideas on how to do it. Would that be okay? (Go to blahblahbook.com, click on Newsletter, then click on Archives to see what I'm trying to do there.) I'm looking for someone who'd like to help me strengthen that section of the website. If you're interested, let me know.
Regarding the backgrounds of the students from different countries -- The first people who really started using Blah were ministering to international students in New York City (Int'l Students, Inc.). They've bought two cases of Blah for their students and staff.
Wayne graciously replied:
Bayard,
I did read and use some of your ideas from Chapter 3. Thanks for pointing out the fact the diagrams are a help for some. I'm not really a visual learner and so discounted their importance (from my perspective) without considering that they may be a help for others. A lesson for future ref. I remember thinking as I read through the material that Chapter 6 seemed to go better before Chapter 5. With your rationale, I can see the value of placing them the way you did. Within our context of Christian University I don't think I used any material from Chapter 5.
You can post any of my emails or use any of my words as you like. I think your book is a great WV/faith reference tool and would definitely recommend it.
Wayne
