Philosophy Program at SUNY Plattsburgh - Philosophy for Children

Philosophy for Children

Philosophical ideas have a natural home in children's experiences:

• "My doll is real!"
• "Would a best friend betray me?"
• "What do my parents mean when they say, Play fair?"
• "What does my teacher want when she requires us to, Give a good reason?"

Comments like these are an invitation for children to think creatively and critically. By engaging children in philosophical dialogue about their own experiences, we may investigate together what it means for something to be real, what makes someone a best friend, what counts as fair, or what exactly we are demanding when we insist on good reasons.

The Department of Philosophy is proud to announce our status as an Affiliate Center of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IAPC), beginning in May 2009. We share the objectives and pedagogy of the IAPC to promote philosophical inquiry with children (Pre-School through High School).

Philosophy in the Schools

The Department of Philosophy sponsors philosophy discussions with Pre K-12 students in local area schools. Trained facilitators lead these discussions using age specific curriculum published by the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children, or by designing new philosophical discussion questions for stories and novels used in the classrooms. All curriculum is designed to meet New York State Learning Standards.

Character Education

The Department of Philosophy at SUNY Plattsburgh specializes in ethics education. We offer a Philosophy Major and Minor in Ethics and Social Philosophy, with an array of courses in both theoretical and applied ethics. Additionally, faculty who teach ethics courses also do research in this area.

The Philosophy Department is committed to sharing our expertise in ethics with K-12 local area teachers and students. In our Philosophy for Children workshops and class visits we use novels about ethical inquiry published by the Institute for the Advancement for Philosophy for Children. Additionally, faculty and students in the Philosophy Department design curriculum proposals on particular ethical themes such as, responsibility, integrity, honesty, and justice.

Workshops for teachers and classroom philosophy discussions on ethical inquiry are designed to meet the New York State mandate for character education: Project SAVE.

Courses

Are you interested in philosophy and education? Students who are looking for a practical setting in which to apply their expertise in philosophy can enroll in a General Education course on the theory and pedagogy of Philosophy for Children. Or, you can enroll in an Independent Study to prepare you to lead philosophy discussions with children in local area schools.

Workshops for Teachers

Are you a teacher employed in Northern New York or Vermont? Are you interested in learning more about Philosophy for Children? The Department of Philosophy at SUNY Plattsburgh sponsors workshops for teachers. These can be short introductory presentations of 2-3 hours. Or they may be training workshops that extend over several days or weeks. Students and faculty in the Philosophy Department are available for continued support, including visits to the classrooms and curriculum development.

For workshop rates contact Dr. Beth Dixon, Department of Philosophy at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Resources

• Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IAPC)
• Interactive Philosophy site in the UK
• Teaching Children Philosophy
• Dr. Gareth Matthews, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children
• Austrian Center of Philosophy with Children and Youth
• Sapere in the UK
• PLATO: Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

For more information, or to participate in our Philosophy in the Schools Program, please contact

Dr. Beth Dixon, Program Coordinator
Office: Champlain Valley Hall 306
Phone: (518) 564-2836
E-mail: beth.dixon@plattsburgh.edu