Every person has a different way of perceiving and interpreting the world, the people that inhabit it and the events that transpire on it. According to Hobson, (1996, p.32) “a worldview is a set of beliefs that we hold and through which we organise our understanding of ourselves and our understanding of others”. These interpretations and views can be constructed by a number of factors, primarily that of close family and parents as well as the culture that we live in. The way, in which we interpret everything around us with our worldviews is not often thought about and is as natural to us as breathing.
My family has been the primary force in the development of my worldviews because of the massive influence that they have had in my life. According to Futrell (2006), one of the major influences to a person’s worldview are the parents or close relatives. I was given the opportunity to foster the beliefs of an open mind, a questioning nature and the ability to express myself without fear. Quoting Marshall, “what you believe and value directly affects your learning” (2006, p.11). These elements all directly influence my education, how I learn and what I can learn.
I was raised within a family unit that spanned many different cultures, geopolitical boundaries and theological beliefs. Having two foster brothers from Asia, family from Europe and the Middle East and Catholic, Jewish, Islamic and a good dose of atheists from different areas within the family, I was raised to respect and view everything in life