STARTING SEMINARY chapter 168

The homework was clearly heavier, more time consuming and deeper at Talbot Theological Seminary. It would take a all I could muster to stay on track. I was also starting my second year at the church and was getting more and more involved. There would be no time to let my mind wander.

My counseling classes were with Norman Wright, a prolific writer with several books under his belt. He loved to do role-play in class. He would set up a situation then select a counselor and a counselee. When he learned I have been in ministry I became his favorite student to be the counselor. Generally I felt like he was hoping I would mess up and he would have the opportunity to point out how someone with ministry experience still did not know how to work with a “client.”

Maybe I’m dreaming and he didn’t have me in front of the class 50% of the time, but I know I never got through a week without some counseling “opportunity” (his word, not mine).

Dr. H. Norm Wright

Even with what seemed like an attempt to embarrass me regularly I really liked him and learned a great deal. He was a good teacher. Part of out assignment was to be in a counseling situation on a weekly basis. It could be real or pretend. I found a real situation that lasted an entire semester.

The purpose of the assignment was not necessarily to be an effective counselor – that would come. He wanted us to learn good listening skills. We were not to take notes during the session, but after the session we were to write out the complete session word for word as best we could. He was teaching listening and recall. That did me a world of good.

Dr. Norm Wakefield

My primary Christian Education professor was Dr. Norman Wakefield. I didn’t know what to think of him in my first few classes. He walked into class, sat on the table at the front and ask questions most of the time. I could not figure it out. He lectured at times, but never for the entire class. He was huge on interaction. As the class would banter the question about, he filled in around our comments to complete that day’s subject.

Dr. Wakefield gave us the most unusual assignment I had ever had in any school. Make a model of your philosophy of Christian education. Our only text was the Bible. The presentation had to be visual. We could act it out, sing it, draw it, build it or do anything that would visualize what we believed. We were to incorporate a life verse reflecting our goals and values.

Every assignment I ever had prior to this class required writing. I see things in pictures, Finally an assignment that focused on how I approach learning. I always wrote what I saw. If I could not visualize the assignment I had difficulty.

As I watched and listened to him teaching, I began to think I might be able to teach, if I could figure how he was doing it.. He taught as Jesus taught— in parables with questions. Yet I learned more in that class than any I had sat through. I was so attracted to this man; I finally went to his office to learn more. I told him what I would be doing after graduation and asked (read begged) for his help.I had to know what made this man tick.