Here is a nice introduction to logic in the form of two 50-minute workshops on DVD. If you've been to homeschooling workshops before, the format will be familiar: two speakers and an overhead in front of a classroom full of homeschool parents and students.

The Bluedorn brothers' wit is evident in these presentations; they are relaxed and casual in their approach to what can be a daunting topic. You might think of "Logic" as dry and dusty, one of those tedious subjects that classical homeschoolers must trudge through in order to fulfill some requirement or other. (Perhaps I'm projecting my own feelings about memorizing phrases like "if a, then b" and all the related syllogisms.)

However, the Bluedorns are on a mission to prove that logic is doable and fun. They set forth arguments for learning to master logic as a necessary life skill, in the face of all the bad thinking and poor reasoning prevalent in society around us.

For example, we've been teaching our children about fallacies for years, even before reading the Bluedorns' The Fallacy Detective (please see related review). From the time they were little, we'd dissect advertising as it came to us. ("What are they selling? How are they selling it? How are they trying to make us feel?")

In the first workshop, "Learning to Think Logically," the speakers use examples from advertisements and popular cartoons in presenting some of the common fallacies that you hear every day. (Unfortunately, the cartoons could not be displayed on the video, but the speakers do a good job of describing the action and dialogue for the benefit of viewers.) After a discussion of propaganda that is both diverting and thought provoking, they go on to suggest a course of study for students beginning at the age of ten.

The second workshop, "Using Your Thinking Toolbox," demonstrates how to incorporate logic into the subjects you're already studying, such as history and science. Again, the material is presented in a way that is interesting and entertaining, yet never superficial. You'll learn to consider the source in historical research and how to put together a science fair entry, among other things.

Handouts for the two workshops are available on the DVD in printable PDF format. The DVD case contains a list of common fallacies and their definitions. A bonus feature includes a movie adventure about spelunking (cave exploration) featuring a number of Bluedorns and friends.

As I mentioned, this set of video workshops could be used to whet your student's appetite and stir an interest in logic before embarking on a formal study. Our middle daughter, having already devoured The Fallacy Detective with relish, enjoyed the video workshop as a supplement to what she'd already read. Our youngest, who will soon be ready for logic study, watched the video with interest. (Actually, she prefers to watch the cave exploration adventure over and over, but she sat through the logic workshops without wiggling, which says a lot for the presentation.)

I'd say Logic in 100 Minutes is well worth its modest asking price, whether or not you are interested in Christian classical education. Our family, eclectic in our approach, has found study of the various fallacies to be of great value in all areas of study and in dealing with the world and its irrationalities. I'd even hazard to say that this knowledge is an indispensable life skill.