ED3123 (Prof. Graeme Ching)
Teaching English as a Second Language
This class has been good, very entertaining and worthwhile. There has been a large amount of work (two assignments a week, at least two chapters of reading plus quizzes, midterms and exams), but the biggest struggle for me has been the emphasis on grammar. Apperantly you can't teach English well unless you can speak it and write it well. I agree, however I have spent too much time around boys from Carleton county who like trucks, potatoes and speeding tickets; not so much of the caring about proper grammar. Good pratical class, and I think I may enjoy teaching English overseas someday. Maybe.
ID34?3 (Prof. Dale Stairs)
Local Church Youth Ministry
Again, a lot of work, however not exactly a challenging class to anyone who has been in minstry for more than two weeks. I am one of three people who have actually worked in a Church in class, the rest are all frosh. Barely worthy of a 3000 level credit, but I won't argue. Latest thoughts from the class - single first year students have no qualification to say what a healthy marriage looks like for someone in full-time ministry and if someone doesn't like their job, they need to either: Change jobs, change situation or change attitudes. I got really tired of listening to kids who have spent 2 weeks working in a church whining about how bad it is that they are expected to show up on a weekly basis.
RS3463(Prof. David Graves)
Intro to Biblical Archeology
I'm writing this blog during this class. I really truly believe that this material is the heart of biblical studies (my major). We are studing the process by which we gain all our knowledge about the east between 5000 BC and the dark ages. There are weeks where I throughly enjoy the course material and wish I could come to this class every day... And there are times where these three hours each week could be spent on much more important things like reorganizing my wallet, retying my shoes or playing catch with some squirrels in Mapleton park, or reading readers digest in the bathroom. However, they tend not to give 3000 level biblical studies credits for that kind of thing.
RS4403 (Dr. Keith Bodner)
I Samuel
Finally a class worth a biblical studies credit. We actually study the book in a line by line way. It's going to be a challenging class as far as tests and papers go, but I think it will be good.
GG1013 (Dr. Bruce Martin)
Intro to Physical Geography
As part of a Bachelor of Arts, you need to complete at least 6 hours of sciences. Thus my options were physics, chem or Geography. I took Geography. That being said, I really appreciate the way the Bruce has been taking this class. Many ABU profs aren't overly keen on bringing God into discussion unless the course number starts with either "ID" or "RS". Despite this Bruce has continually encouraged us with reminders that this is not just playing with maps and compasses, notes on volcanoes and valleys, instead, this is a study of God's creation. It changes the way you look at things.
RS3343 (Dr. Barry Smith)
Pauline Studies
For anyone who has been to ABU, this is known as another "Barry Class." You sit, he reads his webpage aloud. He gives you the questions for the midterms and exams, you memorize the answers off the webpage. I've actually grown to like taking Barry's classes and once you adapt properly, I find them very helpful.
There you go. There are my classes for this semister.
On one final note; Go sox!
