Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
September 2025 Modules
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Academic Writing, Research & Scholarly Publishing Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 1)
Summary of Jason Troutman’s Tutorial Project – Revising Conference Presentations for Publication
From Jason Troutman: "I have a small collection of Mythmoot conference presentations given in a kind, receptive venue. I would like to revise some of them (if suitable) for publication in an appropriate journal, to participate in Tolkien scholarship in a more structured fashion."
Tutorial Goals:
Through guided mentorship, Jason will work to:
- Assess which conference papers are suitable for revision.
- Restructure and refine them to meet the expectations of academic publishing.
- Receive thoughtful editorial feedback and scholarly support.
- Participate more deeply in structured Tolkien scholarship through journal submission.
Next Steps:
Jason will begin with a one-hour Orientation session to establish a working plan, identify the most promising papers for revision, and match with a preceptor whose expertise aligns with his goals. With flexible month-to-month engagement, his tutorial path will provide academic guidance, editorial insight, and accountability as he moves from conference presentation to peer-reviewed publication.
Advanced Old English Series:
Readings in Prose
Ancient Greek 2
Continuing Series
Note: All sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.
Biblical Hebrew 1
First in the Series
Spotlight
Course Outline:
-
Weeks One and Two
- Sessions 1-4: Introduce the Hebrew alphabet and vowel classes
- Session 5: History of Hebrew alphabet and vowel pointers
- Session 6: Syllabification
- Session 7: Daghesh and Shewa
- Session 8: Reduced vowels
Note: All sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.
Book Club: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1
Cluster
We will get together twice a week to explore the series, reading through the books at a relaxed pace. Connect with fellow readers and share your insights as we discover (or rediscover) the magic.
Over two months, we will follow seventeen-year-old Harry's adventures. With Voldemort ascendant, Harry and his friends are now fugitives. They must find a way to break the dark lord's power, or the Wizarding World is lost...
This book club is all about sharing the moments of unexpected, joyful discovery through close reading. Focusing on the text, we will share our personal readings and experiences. We will learn from our classmates in a kindness-first, supportive environment.
Together, we can tackle some big questions about the series. What was it about the Harry Potter books that resonated with so many people? To what extent is it possible or indeed desirable to separate art from artist?
Most of all, however, we will have an inclusive dialogue that embraces a multiplicity of views and enriches our experience of the text.
[Claim Your Spot!]:
Reserve Your Spot in the Signum Tutorials Program
[ST]
Candidate
Simply click the blue "vote to reserve your seat" button to set aside a token here: This confirms your interest in working with a tutor/mentor and secures your spot in the program. After you vote, our team will follow up by email to help you with next steps, whether you're ready to jump into a specific tutorial or whether you'd like to first do an orientation session to begin crafting your individualized learning path.
Creative Writing Skills: Critical Fantasy
Spotlight
In this module, I will use my own creative writing and that of other writers to illustrate the key topics of each week (see list below). I will also occasionally use theoretical works (in literary theory) to introduce or explain certain concepts in writing (all such readings are optional). At the start of each week’s lesson, we will also have a sharing session where you can read out your own writing (drafts, overviews, or just random thoughts on your writing) in a safe space among fellow creatives.
Course Outline:
-
Week One
- Introduction: Module Structure, Topics, and Methods
- Stylistic Principles: Syntax and Phonetics: Chiasmus, Hyperbaton, Parallelism, and Alliteration
- Character Principles: Developing Psychological Complexity in Your Characters: Inner Conflicts, Perception, Habits
- Narratological Principles: Narrators Types: Extradiegetic vs Intradiegetic; Heterodiegetic vs Homodiegetic
- Narratological Principles: Narrative Space: Dynamic Space, Chekov’s Gun, Ecphrasis, and Fable vs Story Space
- Worldbuilding: Building Historical Layers into Your Writing: Ruins, Symbols, and Forgetfulness
- Writing as ‘Philosophical impulse’: Why do we write?
- Workshop: Sharing Thoughts and Writing
Creative Writing:
Weekend Intensive
Friday, September 19th at 8:00 PM for two hours
Saturday the 20th at 10:00 AM for three hours
Saturday the 20th at 3:00 PM for six hours (with supper break together)
Sunday the 21st at 1:00 PM for three hours
In one weekend, we're going to celebrate creativity by attempting a complete short story, novelette, or novella! Our format will include SPACE class sessions, WriterSpace focused writing time in excellent company, Bandersnatch Breakout room for talking about our craft and peer feedback, and an enthusiastic celebration of Story. So sharpen your quills, line up the inkpots, make a BIG casserole to last the weekend.
Here's the plan:
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Friday from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern
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Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Eastern
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Saturday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Eastern:
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Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern
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Our goal is to create a completed first draft in one weekend! Prompts, planning, focus methods, peer encouragement, machete editing, character crucibles — we’ll do it all. Writers will write between sessions as well as during.
You are going to end this amazing experience with a complete first draft of your story!
Note: For more information about the Collaborative Feedback Method in SPACE, please check out our video here.
Creative Writing & Worldbuilding Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 1)
Candidate
Summary of David's Tutorial Project – Kasyada Fictional World & Story Cycle
David is seeking mentorship and accountability to help develop and refine a long-standing creative project: a fictional country called Kasyada, complete with 1,500 years of history, story cycles, and mythologies. Having written material over several decades, he now aims to organize and revise his work, produce new chapters, and prepare his stories for potential publication and public sharing. With a strong Tolkien influence and past writing group experience, David is ready to re-engage with his worldbuilding and storytelling in a more focused, supported way.
David's has commented thus on the project:
Creative Writing & Worldbuilding Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 1)
7:00 PM for 1 hour on August 12, September 10 and 24
Meeting has been set to automatically record in the cloud.
Summary of Kayla’s Tutorial Project – Novel Revision & Preparation for Publication
Kayla is undertaking a focused, multi-stage project with two key goals:
- Revise her novel manuscript: This would include both structural/developmental editing and chapter-level refinement.
- Prepare for traditional publishing: This would include crafting a compelling query letter and synopsis, with the eventual goal of pitching to literary agents.
To support these aims, Kayla is hoping to work regularly with both Christopher Bartlett and Dr. Julian Barr as part of her customized tutorial plan.
Monthly Participation Tier
Kayla is uncertain which Tier of participation will be the best fit yet, but she's open to adjusting her Tier level month-to-month depending on the phase of the project (revision vs. feedback vs. prep for submission). She's ready to invest significant time and is eager to work with both of you to bring her novel to its fullest potential.Working With Christopher Bartlett:
Kayla envisions an ongoing collaboration focused on revision. This may include reviewing chapters incrementally or conducting an additional read-through of her current draft to identify structural and developmental improvements. The process is still flexible, but she is ready to commit regular time and effort.
Working With Dr. Julian Barr:
Kayla would deeply value your expertise on two fronts:
- The mythological component, as she is reimagining the Greek Fates in her narrative.
- The world-building and cultural backdrop of her fictional empire, which draws inspiration from Byzantium.
Once her manuscript is complete or near-final, she would also love your input on pitching materials—particularly her query letter and synopsis.
Creative Writing & Worldbuilding Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 2)
Hi Barbara! Here is the link you can use each time you're ready to con- tinue your next round of tutorials with Dr. Barr. Then we can schedule ahead the next two half hour sessions for you. The tutorial lite plan is all handled manually by our team so thank you in advance for staying ahead of it so that we can organize your sessions. Wishing you all the very best in your sessions!
Tutorials Lite Plan
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦Barbara's Project Summary – Independent Publishing Mentorship
Barbara hopes to bring her 6-novel fantasy series to publication, establish an online presence, and maintain a higher level of scholastic rigor than pulp fiction. She wants to broaden her digital capabilities and stay in community with other writers.
Barbara is currently receiving mentoring and coaching in preparation for the independent publication of her novel series. As her project progresses, Barbara plans to deepen her engagement for a more comprehensive reader’s report on her second novel, including developmental feedback and follow-up discussions.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs 4
Continuing Series
Le Morte Darthur:
Seeking the Holy Grail in Malory and Monty Python
Japanese for Advanced Beginners 6
(Genki II)
Continuing Series
Recorded Series: All sessions of this series are being recorded and provided afterwards to enrolled students in order to support the learning of the group.
Japanese for Beginners 4
Continuing Series
In this series of modules, you will get familiarized with basic Japanese vocabulary and structures. Using a communicative approach, you’ll learn basic expressions, start to learn the hiragana script, and recognize katakana and kanji in a fun and interactive way. We will also explore Japanese culture in general. いっしょに日本語を学びましょう!
Japanese:
From Zero - 25
Continuing Series
Japanese is a language of great nuance and depth. This module will open the door to that world and build a foundation for greater insight into Japan's culture and its people.
Japanese Through Culture 14
Continuing Series
Note: Japanese Through Culture is for students who already have a basic level of Japanese.
Language Learning & Philology Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 1)
Candidate
Thom's Project Summary – Advanced German Language Practice & Cultural Exploration
Thom is pursuing an individualized language-learning path with the goal of significantly improving his proficiency in modern German, with a focus on both reading comprehension and spoken fluency. While not a beginner, Thom seeks structured accountability, regular conversation practice, and a supportive guide to help reactivate and advance his skills—particularly in navigating 20th–21st century German texts and culture.
He is hoping to work with Dr. Schendel, building on their past work together in Old English and Middle High German, and would benefit from a weekly one-hour session focused on conversation, reading, and guided discussion. Thom is looking for a preceptor who can match his pace, gently keep him on track, and offer flexibility for occasional tangents while maintaining a productive learning rhythm.
With a strong existing passion for German literature, history, and culture, Thom brings specific reading goals and materials to the table and looks forward to collaborating with his preceptor to choose suitable texts that align with their shared interests and expertise.
Language Learning & Philology Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 3)
Candidate
German Book Club: Advanced Beginner or Intermediate Level
One of the best methods for language learning is to read and discuss a text with friends in a relaxed setting. One can discuss the subject matter from a “literary” perspective, focusing on themes, character development, narrative styles, or from a “language-learner” perspective, focusing on new words, idioms, or syntax. Both discussion types allow us to get to know a text intimately. If one of your foreign languages is Modern German, consider joining SPACE’s German Book Club for a month, where we read German short stories or books and meet twice a week to discuss them—in either English or German!
This module is aimed at the advanced beginner or intermediate level and seeks to meet the intellectual interests of the participants. Every month, the preceptor (Isaac Schendel) chooses a new text based on student interest and German level. Examples include: the novels of Hermann Hesse, the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, or the fairy tales of Johann Karl August Musäus. Feel free to send in any suggestions and be sure to bring along some Kaffee und Kuchen.
Latin Readings for Advanced Beginners
(continuing)
This module offers a series of Latin readings that review material covered in many traditional Latin I courses (including Signum's own Latin I graduate course and the first five Latin in a Year SPACE modules). Students will read selections from selected textbooks and Latin readers and attempt two short literary passages. All readings will be provided, though access to a Latin grammar book and a basic Latin dictionary may be beneficial.
Latin grammar assumed:
- Understanding of stems, endings, cases, agreement, and parts of speech
- Knowledge of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th declension endings for nouns and adjectives
- Knowledge of regular Latin verb conjugations in all indicative tenses (present, imperfect, future, perfect, pluperfect, future perfect), both active and passive, and the imperative forms
- Ability to recognize conjugations of of “sum” and “possum”
- Familiarity with ego, tu, is, hic, ille, iste, idem, qui, and reflexives
- Awareness of Latin numerals
- Acquaintance with ablatives of means, accompaniment, manner, time, agent, separation, and place from which, as well as genitive of the whole and use of genitive and ablative with cardinal numerals
Old English 1
First in the Series
Note: All sessions will be live recorded and shared with all enrolled students afterward for review and to allow those who cannot attend live to still participate in the class.
Other (Interdisciplinary or Unique Projects)
[ST]
Candidate
At Signum Tutorials, we recognize that great ideas often live at the edges of categories—and that it is sometimes necessary to invent new ones altogether. Whether your interests are highly interdisciplinary, unconventional, or simply hard to describe, this is your space to tell us more.
Simply add this "tutorial" to your wish list, submit your idea on our Student Interest Form, or email us at [email protected]. We’ll evaluate whether we can match you with a preceptor who can guide and support your journey. We love working with creative, curious learners—and we’re always open to projects we haven’t yet imagined.
Let’s explore new paths together.
Readings in Old Norse
Non-Sequential Series
This series will help introduce students to the breadth and depth of Old Norse texts available for study. Each month, Dr. Anderson surveys the group using the Old Norse survey form to see which text students are most interested in exploring next.
Some of the texts we could explore in a given month include:
• Vǫlsunga Saga (“The Saga of the Vǫlsungs”)
• The excerpted short texts in Jesse Byock’s Viking Language 2 (which can both be ordered from Amazon, etc.)
• The other short but complete texts in Byock’s saga series: The Tale of Thorstein Staff-struck and/or Saga of the People of Weapon’s Fjord (which can both be ordered from Amazon, etc.)
• Njáls saga. (There is a modernized Icelandic text online.)
• Laxdœla saga. (There is a modernized Icelandic text online.)
• Egil’s saga. (A free PDF of a good edition is available from the Viking Society.)
• The Prose Edda, or portions thereof (Free PDFs are available from the Viking Society.)
• Something from the legendary sagas (besides Vǫlsunga saga), e.g.:
--- Hrólfs saga kraka. (There is a modernized Icelandic text online.)
--- Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks (A free PDF of C. Tolkien’s edition/translation is available from the Viking Society.)
--- Ragnars saga loðbrókar (Olsen’s 1908 edition is available as a PDF online.)
• Something form the chivalric and/or Arthurian sagas (various texts online or in print).
• Eddic poetry (various texts are available online).
• Faroese ballads of the Vǫlsungs (not technically “Old Norse”, but the 19th-century editions are available online).
But there are many other possibilities!
The Anime Films of Hosoda Mamoru 細田守
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline | 8-Session Structure |
---|---|
Week 1 | Session 1: Biography, influences, contexts, and early works |
Session 2: Summer Wars | |
Week 2 | Session 3: The Boy and the Beast |
Session 4: The Boy and the Beast, continued | |
Week 3 | Session 5: Mirai |
Session 6: Mirai, continued | |
Week 4 | Session 7: Belle |
Session 8: Belle, continued |
The Hunger Games Book Club
(Book 1: The Hunger Games)
Hybrid
Series Outline:
What lessons do the Capitol and Districts have to teach us? What warnings should we heed? What road leads from here to Panem? Over the course of five months, participants in these SPACE modules will read and discuss a modern classic of dystopian storytelling, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.
In this hybrid series, each week will include one lecture and one live discussion. The lectures will examine the inspirations behind, allusions in, and questions posed by that month's novel. In live discussions, participants will share their insights on, interpretations of, and reactions to the story. Together we will consider why this series has spoken to so many readers and explore how its messages remain relevant today.
Students will be asked to read one book over the course of each month in whatever format they choose. All of these novels are available in print, ebook, and audio format.
(Warning: The Hunger Games series include descriptions - for a young-adult audience - of substance abuse, physical abuse, violence, and death.)
Series Outline:
- Module 1: The Hunger Games (2008)
- Module 2: Catching Fire (2009)
- Module 3: Mockingjay (2010)
- Module 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020)
- Module 5: Sunrise on the Reaping (2025)
The Poetic Corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Later Poems 1
(Volume 3: The Years 1931-1967)
(Section 1)
Hybrid
Monday Lectures (Live-Recorded): Meeting for four 1-hour Lectures with Dr. Sara Brown (and/or guest Chris Vaccaro) meeting on Mondays at 11:00 AM Eastern Time on September 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Discussion Sessions: Discussion group meetings with Dr. Sara Brown on Thursdays at 11:00 AM Eastern for four 1-hour discussion groups on September 11, 18, 25, and Oct 2
In this triad of modules we explore Volume 3 of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien: Three-Volume Box Set, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. All are welcome to join the class whether new to the series or continuing from a previous module!
JRR Tolkien one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. But now for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size!
In this hybrid course, we will read and discuss a selection of these poems, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. This is a hybrid course, in which one class per week will be a lecture and the second class will be group discussion.
There are so many poems in these volumes that the intention is to spread the course over several months. If you can’t make one or more of the months, feel free to dip in and out as suits you!
The Poetic Corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Later Poems 1
(Volume 3: The Years 1931-1967)
(Section 2)
Hybrid
Monday Lectures (Live-Recorded): Meeting for four 1-hour Lectures with Dr. Sara Brown (and/or guest Chris Vaccaro) meeting on Mondays at 11:00 AM Eastern Time on September 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Discussion Sessions: Discussion group meetings with Dr. Sara Brown on Fridays at 11:00 AM Eastern for four 1-hour discussion groups on September 12, 19, 26, and Oct 3
In this triad of modules we explore Volume 3 of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien: Three-Volume Box Set, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. All are welcome to join the class whether new to the series or continuing from a previous module!
JRR Tolkien one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. But now for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size!
In this hybrid course, we will read and discuss a selection of these poems, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. This is a hybrid course, in which one class per week will be a lecture and the second class will be group discussion.
There are so many poems in these volumes that the intention is to spread the course over several months. If you can’t make one or more of the months, feel free to dip in and out as suits you!
The Poetic Corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Later Poems 1
(Volume 3: The Years 1931-1967)
(Section 3)
Hybrid
Monday Lectures (Live-Recorded): Meeting for four 1-hour Lectures with Dr. Sara Brown (and/or guest Chris Vaccaro) meeting on Mondays at 11:00 AM Eastern Time on September 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Discussion Sessions: Discussion group meetings with Patrick Lyon on Thursdays at 9:00 PM Eastern for four 1-hour discussion groups on September 11, 18, 25, and Oct 2
In this triad of modules we explore Volume 3 of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien: Three-Volume Box Set, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. All are welcome to join the class whether new to the series or continuing from a previous module!
JRR Tolkien one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. But now for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size!
In this hybrid course, we will read and discuss a selection of these poems, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. This is a hybrid course, in which one class per week will be a lecture and the second class will be group discussion.
There are so many poems in these volumes that the intention is to spread the course over several months. If you can’t make one or more of the months, feel free to dip in and out as suits you!
Tolkien & Inklings Studies Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 1)
August 28 at 11:00 AM Eastern for one 1-hour sessions;
September 11 & 25; October 9 & 23; November 6 & 20;
These sessions have been set to automatically record to the cloud.
Bridget's Project Summary: Exploring Hope through Tolkien – A Personal and Public Journey
From Brid's Interest Form Submission:
As I have discovered Tokien's world for the first time in just the past few years, it feels like Tolkien's characters have reached out from the pages to help me through this time. In their varied responses to the difficult circumstances in which they find themselves, they show us that that hope, fellowship, small joys, and creative expression are not frivolous indulgences, but crucial tools of resistance and social change, and a vital part of sustaining social movements.
Notably, a book like this is inherently, unavoidably political. I seek not to be preachy, nor to project my own poltics onto Tolkien. I believe I can hit the right tone by focusing on unifying values--such as friendship, joy, courage, and pity--rather than ideology. But anyone who works with me should be comfortable with this aspect of this project.
As a near-term goal, I'd like to write an essay or OpEd."
Tolkien & Inklings Studies Tutorials
[ST]
(Section 3)
Primary Project:
Trevor is planning a 4-month Tier 1 engagement to prepare a paper for publication in JTR or Mythlore. He envisions monthly sessions focused on reviewing drafts, receiving critical feedback, and improving the paper's academic quality. The monthly structure is also intended to provide accountability and steady progress, which he finds motivating.
Secondary Project (if the first goes well):
Trevor is also considering a second, more informal project—a popular or inspirational-style book that explores Tolkien’s views on Faery and their significance for modern readers. This project would be more reflective and broadly accessible than the academic paper. He’s unsure whether it fits under Tutorials and wonders whether a suitable preceptor might need to be someone with strengths in public writing, mythopoeia, or spiritual/inspirational interpretation of Tolkien rather than strictly academic.
Additional Notes:
- Trevor appreciates the recording policy for sessions, as he finds it helpful for reviewing dense or rapid discussions.
- He has updated his availability in preparation to begin.
- He is open to working with different preceptors across months depending on the phase of his work.
Why We Love Faerie – A Psychological Perspective
Spotlight
How many people feel this way about Middle Earth? Well, Tolkien’s stories are valued at roughly the same amount as the GDP of Iceland. That’s a lot of fans.
But Why?
Why do we love Faerie, and specifically Tolkien, with such passion. What is it about Middle Earth that elicits such a powerful emotional response?
This class will cover what those typical responses look like and then discuss the psychological mechanisms behind them. We will discuss what it is about Faerie, and Tolkien’s writing specifically, that is so successful at prompting these psychological functions.
This class is not so much about Tolkien’s work, but rather it is a study of the people, like all of us, who are impacted by his work and why we react the way we do. We will read The Professor's own theories about Faerie and then connect these ideas with various psychological studies.
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
Outline | 8-Session Structure |
---|---|
Week 1 | Session 1: Intro to this Class + Psychology of Faerie Stories: This is a psychology class! We will talk about the literature, but mostly will focus on what happens to us when we engage with the literature. While we will read some Tolkien, most of what we will be reading are scientific studies. To begin, we will define and discuss the true definition of a faerie story? And HOW does it captivate? Introduce “positive psychology” vs. “traditional psychology” and the concept of Flow State. |
Session 2: Psychology of Faerie Stories continued | |
Week 2 | Session 3: Developmental Psychology and Faerie How does Faerie impact the adolescent and child versus the adult. Why are teenagers & adults impacted? Talk about different stages of development specifically moral development |
Session 4: First of two parts on “Fantasy, Recovery and Escape” The first part will focus on “Fantasy” and the difference between Controlled Fantastical Thoughts and being delusional or hallucinating and Tolkien's vies on Lies Vs. Enchantment. We will also talk about Frankl’s theories of logotherapy. | |
Week 3 | Session 5: Recovery & Escape What does Tolkien mean by “cleaning our window”? How does the concept of the “Eucatastrophe” allow people to recover from trauma and build resilience mechanisms? |
Session 6: Tolkien and Carl Jung – Symbolism, Imagination and Magic. This class will be based on the lectures given by Dr. Lance S. Owens on the similarities between Carl Jung’s imaginative experiences writing his “Red Book” and Tolkien’s writing | |
Week 4 | Session 7: Thinking Strategically (non-linear) vs. linear thinking (cognitive psychology and adult learning) How does Fantasy open up non-linear thinking and learning? Plus, how do Tolkien’s stories allow for safe places to think without bias and repressive tolerance. We will introduce various cognitive psychology theories such as Frederickson's Broaden and Build Theory and Mezirow's theories on adult learning. |
Session 8: Spirituality & Evangelium. The religion of LoTR. SBIMI – SHALL PROVE BUT MINE INSTRUMENT! Faith and Finding grace in LoTR and how that type of spirituality contributes to happiness and well-being. |