Classes

Here is the Spring '06 schedule:
[Edit: please Change Term to Spring '07]

Global Perspectives -- MW, 13:00 - 13:50
Aerobics -- TR, 13:00 -13:50
Study Abroad Debriefing -- T, 14:00 - 14:50
Poetry & Wisdom Literature -- R, 18:00 - 20:40


Why do we get 10 minutes off our 3-hour Poetry class? Because our professor asked us where and how we wanted our 20-minute break, and some bright person suggested a 10-minute break and getting out 10 minutes early.


Global Perspectives: The idea of this course is to help students develop a biblical lens for living in a multicultural world. It probably sounds like another "diversity appreciation" class. Some people don't appreciate learning to appreciate. However, I think it is good and useful, especially since most of us don't realize how very differently other people think, much less tried thinking that way.

Taking this class seemed kind of redundant after two semesters abroad, but it's a requirement for graduation. However, my advisor, Prof. Schram, encouraged me to take the option of being a TA. So instead of taking quizzes, I grade them. That's a lot more fun, especially with three of us four TAs and Prof. Schram working together and coming across some very interesting answers!

Aerobics: This is a fun class. Coach Butler (the track coach) teaches it. He's a nice down-to-earth guy who's nuts about moving and, as the director of Grace's Gordon Rec Center, says he gets to "play all day". His goal is to teach us the principles of aerobic training so that we can train ourselves for life. Class is about fifteen minutes of relaxed, simply stated "aerobic theory" notes, then about thirty minutes of practicing them out on the track. Basically, he gives us minimum requirements to meet - at least 4 training sessions a week of getting the heartrate over 140 - and then it's up to us to do it, to do more and harder, and to keep incrementing to keep improving. Now, I really dislike being made to exercise, but I like the idea of learning how to aerobically train myself so that I always get to be in charge of my own exercise after this.

Study Abroad Debriefing: This is what study abroad students take the semester after returning. It's just one hour a week with very little homework. True, we do have to give at least half-hour presentations on our experiences to the other two debriefers and the professor. We also each have to teach a class to the whole briefing group (perhaps 10 students). We also have to pick various projects to work on during the semester. Somehow, Amy and Zach and I agreed to plan and set up the Study Abroad Chapel on February 22nd. Some of us may even be getting up there to talk. This is the kind of thing my brain simply didn't consider by default before. Before what? I don't know.

Poetry: This is by far my heaviest class. Requires reading at least 30 pages a week, reviewing for a potential weekly pop quiz, and writing two whole 5ish page papers during the semester; that's not even including the in-class group work and class discussion. We also have to read huge chunks of Scripture, something to the tune of 40+ Psalms per week. One of the poetic terms 'we' learned was hyperbole, which I have made good use of in this paragraph for your especial health benefit (that is, make you laugh and improve your heart).

And that's the whole whopping 7-credit-hour story!