PHIL 301

Philosophy for Children


Please note: this is archived course information from 2016 for PHIL 301.

Description

Philosophy for Children is an internationally practiced educational programme that brings together critical thinking, dialogue about meaningful questions and the fostering of community.  International research has demonstrated the power of this programme in all of these areas for school students from 5 – 18 years old.  The central pedagogical tool is the “Community of Inquiry” in which students pose their own questions in response to a philosophically rich stimulus, and then work collaboratively to explore the question, and to propose, elaborate and evaluate a range of answers to it.  Reflection on process and content is an integral part of the endeavour. The task of the facilitator is to assist and extend the thinking in the community, without leading the group to any pre-determined conclusion, and to encourage collaboration, and a caring and respectful attitude to fellow inquirers. A wide range of high order thinking skills are developed through this programme.  School students find the process exciting, engaging and empowering, and also great fun.

In this course you will learn the skills of facilitating philosophical inquiry with children, and engage in numerous communities of inquiry yourself.  You will become familiar with a range of stimulus and support materials, and learn how to construct these for a stimulus of you choice (such as a picture book, news story, film clip etc.).  The course involves six hours of classroom contact with primary school children. You will be supported in your preparation for this contact time, and will also be supported by the classroom teacher, during class time.  Additionally, you will meet and work with postgraduate students from the teaching profession, who will be undertaking this course as part of Phil 701.

The learning outcomes.  Students will:

  • Become familiar with participation in, and reflection upon, philosophical communities of inquiry.
  • Understand and practice the role of the facilitator philosophical communities of inquiry.
  • Use and reflect upon a range of stimulus and support materials for philosophical inquiry.
  • Develop strategies for enhancing the quality of students’ philosophical questioning, their critical skills, and their reflective practice.
  • Create activities and discussion guides to support philosophical inquiry into concepts, questions and issues across the curriculum.

Why take this course? Philosophy students will be interested in this course if they are keen to make practical use of their philosophical skills and knowledge, and to take philosophy into the wider community.  Students who are considering teaching as a career will also find this course very helpful.  (Those who wish to teach philosophy at secondary school are advised to ensure that they have another teaching subject in their degree, as philosophy as a secondary subject is still being developed in New Zealand, though it is taught already at a number of schools.)  Finally, the skills of facilitation of philosophical inquiry are extremely useful for those wishing to take on graduate teaching assistant positions in philosophy, or whose later career will involve facilitation in any form.

Class limits information for 2016: Enrolment is limited to 10 students. Selection Criteria: Students will be selected on the basis of: 1. Experience in working with children or suitability for working with children, as demonstrated in a written application and an interview 2. Breadth of philosophical background 3. Commitment to philosophical practice in the community, as demonstrated in a written application and an interview. 3. GPA of at least B+.

Please waitlist yourself for this course on Student Services Online and then send your written application with the subject heading including your ID number and “PHIL 301 Application” to the convenor, Vanya Kovach v.kovach@auckland.ac.nz  by 4pm, Friday 24 June 2016. Decisions on enrolment will be made by Friday 8 July 2016.

For enrolment/waitlist issues, please visit or contact the Arts Students’ Centre.

Availability 2016

Not taught in 2016

Lecturer(s)

Lecturer(s) Dr Vanya Kovach

Assessment

Creation of two sets of classroom resources, each supported by an essay explaining the planned strategies for implementation, and the connection to the relevant philosophical issues. 2x2000 words. 70%

Assessment via video of a philosophical community of inquiry facilitated in primary classrooms. 30%

Points

PHIL 301: 15 points

Prerequisites

60 points in Philosophy

Restrictions

PHIL 701