In this course, we will study philosophy of children and childhood, philosophical and educational theories related to dialogue, and a variety of philosophical topics with the aim of developing and delivering a philosophy curriculum appropriate for middle school (5th or 6th grades). Course participants will work with the instructor and with help from a Philadelphia School District (PSD) middle school educator to develop a series of one-hour lessons in philosophy, which participants will then teach to the middle school students in a local school. Part of the course will be held on Penn’s campus, and part of the course will be held on-site with one of our partner schools.
Philosophy and Children (NEW)
We sometimes see philosophy as an inaccessible subject and the philosopher a solitary academic musing about abstract concepts from her office chair. However, philosophical thinking lies at the heart of many aspects of human life. Anyone who has pondered over questions regarding goodness, value, friendship, fairness, how to live well, or how to determine the right course of action has thought philosophically. These issues are of great interest and importance not just to adults, but also to children and teenagers. Introducing younger students to philosophical thought consists, in part, of showing them the ways in which they are already thinking philosophically.