More programs will be added as they are developed.
The Young Philosophers Program
Initially focusing on grades 1-5, the Young Philosophers Program aims to provide educators of all stripes the tools and support they need to teach philosophy.
Philosophy at its core is about learning to communicate and reason effectively. A good philosophy class shifts the power balance. It's no longer about sitting and listening while a teacher lectures. Its about taking apart interesting problems and putting them back together again to see how they work. It's about discussing the ethics of kindness, the nature of self, or the meaning of family in a way that encourages everyone to participate. The result is a sometimes astonishing and always endearing rush of thoughts, proofs, and counter examples. Students who previously didn't participate find themselves taking part enthusiastically. It provides teachers with a direct way to help students grow in confidence and skill.
Based on the approach to Philosophy with Kids championed by Professor Gareth Matthews, we offer a program to integrate philosophy into the classroom. Operating under the notion that teachers already know how to teach, our angle is a series of particular adjustments to allow teachers to easily add philosophy into their curriculum, and all educators of all stripes a method for adding philosophy to literacy, gifted and talented, and after school programs.
Why philosophy? This article in the Herald, from Oct 30 2008, gives one reason:
Philosophy has played an increasing role in schools in recent years.
The subject has already seen a revival at Higher, and last year it emerged that teaching primary school children philosophy and the thinking skills of Socrates resulted in a lasting gain in intelligence.
Clackmannanshire Council in Central Scotland pioneered the teaching of philosophical inquiry in primary schools when it introduced the subject in some of its most run-down areas six years ago.
An initial study carried out in 2003-04 showed that children aged five to 11 who were taught so-called "philosophical inquiry" showed intelligence gains of more than seven IQ points.
These results are echoed in recent research across the globe. Philosophy is like Wheaties for your mind. It exercises students' ability to communicate and reason at the same time. This provides an ideal opportunity for teachers looking to help gifted students refine strengths, and struggling students improve where needed.
Philosophy is fun. It's an engaging activity that changes the traditional power balance of class and invites students to suggest and explore their own answers. Whether it's wondering about the nature of cheese, the certainty of dreams or the ethics of sharing, it challenges kids to find and justify their own positions. Over time this atmosphere is very conducive to bringing shy students out of their shells, and gives kids the same skills that serve as the foundation for conscious citizenship.
What does philosophy look like at the elementary level? Here is a video of 5th graders discussing how one judges art.
We will be uploading materials for teachers, admnistrators, volunteers and parents to the site (all materials will be available for free under a creative commons license).
Upcoming Programs
In the future we will be offering a rhetoric program, and a community service learning program. The CSL program is tentatively titled the "Community Study Program" to emphasize the importance of long term relationships with communities and having students learn from the communities they work with.