It’s so hard to entice someone to morph into the perspective of another. Unfortunately, it’s darned near impossible for adults and not that easy for kids, who hopefully are more open-minded.

I teach in a small town just outside Columbus, Ohio. We are just a couple of miles from the diversity of Columbus. However, our town is growing and diversity is coming. It’s my mission to help our kids appreciate different viewpoints. I was overjoyed when I found an online tool that helps greatly in the quest. Introducing the Belief-O-Matic. 

I challenged my kids to REALLY understand Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam via the Belief-O-Matic. The students were confronted with 20 questions that they tried to answer as a member of the faith we explored. Please give this a try! I guarantee the experience will be challenging and enlightening. To help me explain how to utilize this cool tool are 2 amazing primary sources. Sebastian Kirkpatrick and Graham Mackey are wonderful guys who are 11th graders at our school and they are articulate salesmen for this tool.

And finally, some educators may worry that this entire endeavor may be too controversial. Perhaps, you could share this link with your principal and then explain to her how you intend to use it.

Episode Template

The Problem:

It’s hard for kids to assume the perspective of another.

The Solution:

Please create a lesson where you can utilize the Belief-O-Matic. Challenge students to answer the questions as a member of the faith you’re exploring.

What you can do Tomorrow:

• Navigate to the Belief-O-Matic and try the 20 questions answering as your authentic self.
• Next, try answering as a member of a faith you’re not. See how close you can get to 100%.
• Scan your future lessons for an opportunity to use this tool.
• Check with your principal to make certain everything is kosher.

It’s tough to put oneself into the perspective of another. The Belief-O-Matic can help!

Listen to “110-TEMPORARILY Morph your Kids into Buddhist, Hindus, and Muslims via the Belief-O-Matic…Starring Sebastian Kirkpatrick and Graham Mackey” on Spreaker.

I remember 10th-grade Geometry. I was quite a distracted high schooler. And to accentuate this problem…I was a total humanities guy. Math class was more of a social opportunity as opposed to an academic endeavor. Consequently, I was totally lost. I had virtually no idea what was going on. Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids in Math classes today who resemble the 15-year-old me.

So at this juncture of our journey, Mark Robinson enters the fray.

Mark and his lovely wife Amy markrobinson@bwls.net

Mark is a fabulous Math teacher who embarked this fall on a Standards-Based Learning journey. Standards-Based Learning is a powerful wave that’s churning on education’s horizon. Mark stops into today to talk about what it is, how it works and evaluates its effectiveness. The 15-year-old James Sturtevant would have thrived with a teacher like Mark.

Unlike other episodes, there is not a What you can do Tomorrow section. I simply don’t know enough about this concept to create one. Instead, I’ll encourage you to approach your principal and plan a visit to watch it action!

Here is the Math hashtag that Mark promotes #MTBOS

Listen to “109-Adventures in Standards-Based Learning…Starring Mark Robinson” on Spreaker.