eSkeptic » Wednesday, July 25th, 2012. A Magician in the ClassroomUsing Magic and Mentalism to Teach Skepticism by Paul Goodin Anyone who teaches can relate to running into the occasional brick wall when trying to convey new ideas. To teach critical thinking and impart a skeptical outlook is difficult in and of itself. But when you are teaching where a majority of the students have strong religious convictions, it can be an even greater challenge. Although I teach an advanced writing course, I believe critical thinking is as important to writing as grammatically sound work.
I discovered my amateur magician’s skills were a valuable tool to use to introduce a topic that might otherwise be unpalatable to a group where a majority of them hold strong, unmoving religious convictions. Although student reactions vary from class to class, they are usually consistent on the whole. When explaining my methods, I walk a fine line between debunking their beliefs and revealing magician’s secrets. Explore the 101 Resource Center Order the book.
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