Philosophy for Children: Educational Perspective

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Philosophy for Children: Educational Perspective University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa College of Education NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Educational Perspectives Educational Perspectives U.S. POSTAGE 1776 University Avenue PAID Journal of the College of Education/University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa Wist Hall, Room 113 HONOLULU, HI Honolulu, HI 96822 PERMIT NO. 278 Website: www.hawaii.edu/edper Philosophy for Children Volume 44 v Numbers 1 and 2 Educational Perspectives Journal of the College of Education/University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa CONTENTS Dean Donald Young 2 Contributors Editor Hunter McEwan 3 Introduction to the Issue Managing Editor Lori Ward Tom Jackson Guest Editor Benjamin Lukey 8 The Philosopher’s Pedagogy Graphic Designer Darrell Asato Amber Makaiau and Chad Miller College of Education Editorial Board 20 Practicing Philosophy for Children in the Search Linda Johnsrud, Professor for a Better Society Kathryn Au, Professor Emeritus Mitsuyo Toyoda Curtis Ho, Professor 22 The Top 10 Things I LOVE about p4c Hawai‘i Mary Jo Noonan, Professor Jolyn Ikeda Robert Potter, Professor Emeritus COEDSA President 25 Philosophy for Children Angela Kim The Journal and the College of Education assume no responsibility for the opinion or facts in signed articles, except to the 29 Critical Communities: Intellectual Safety and the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, Power of Disagreement that the subject matter is one which merits attention. Ashby Butnor Published twice each year by the College of Education, 32 Philosophy for Children in Hawai‘i: University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa Individual copies $25.00 A Community Circle Discussion To purchase single copies of this issue contact Benjamin Lukey Marketing and Publication Services, 38 The High School Philosopher in Residence: What Philosophy Curriculum & Research Development Group and Philosophers Can Offer Schools Phone: 800-799-8111 (toll-free), 808-956-4969 Fax: 808-956-6730 Benjamin Lukey Email: [email protected] 43 Thinking Processes in Middle School Students Address all communications regarding single copies, Caryn Matsuoka subscriptions, manuscripts, and correspondence 46 Philosophy for Children Kenyan Style about editorial material to Editor, Rebecca Odierna Educational Perspectives, College of Education, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, Wist Hall 51 “What Do You Want to Talk About?” – p4c Lessons Room 113, 1776 University Avenue, in the Family Honolulu, HI 96822 Tamara Albertini Copyright 2012 by the College of Education, 52 Raising the Bar: Love, the Community of Inquiry, and the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa Flourishing Life This publication is available in microform from Thomas Yos Bell & Howell, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 58 Community in the Classroom: An Approach to Curriculum and in pdf format at www.hawaii.edu/edper/ and Instruction as a Means for the Development of Student International Standard Serial Number Personal Engagement in a High School Classroom (ISSN) 0013-1849 Tammy Jones Volume 44 Numbers 1 and 2 Cover layout by Darrell Asato Cover photo by Hunter McEwan 2 Educational Perspectives v Volume 44 v Numbers 1 and 2 Contributors Caryn Matsuoka, Waikīkī Elementary School, 6th Grade Benjamin Lukey, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa , p4c Teacher Hawai‘i Research Associate, Kailua High School Philosopher in Residence Jolyn Ikeda-Ejercito, Waikīkī Elementary School, 2nd Grade Teacher Chad Miller, Kailua High School and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2012 Hawai’i Teacher of the Year and PhD M. Katie Berger, Kailua High School, Special Education Candidate Inclusion Teacher/Program Coordinator Lydia Shigekane, Waikīkī Elementary School, Kindergarten Catherine Caine, Waikīkī Elementary School, (2nd Grade) teacher Teacher Amber Stong Makaiau, Kailua High School, HI DOE, Valerie G. Butts, Waikīkī Elementary School, Teacher Social Studies Teacher and KHS Ethnic Studies Program Nannette Pawlak Ganotisi, National Board Certified Developer Teacher, Early Childhood Generalist Tammy Jones, James Campbell High School, English Thomas B. Yos, Ala Wai Elementary School and Chaminade Teacher/Literacy Coach University of Honolulu, Counseling staff and adjunct Mitsuyo Toyoda, University of Hyogo, School of Human professor of philosophy Science and Environment, Lecturer Jenine Hutsell, Eastlake High School, WA, English and Social Makanaokeakua Ramos, Kapiolani Community College, Studies Teacher Student/Philosopher Angela M. Kim, Waikīkī Elementary School, 5th Grade David Falgout, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Lecturer Teacher Ana Laura Funes Maderey, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Julie Park, Waikīkī Elementary School, Teacher PhD Candidate Dana Finnegan, Hōkūlani Elementary School, Teacher Lisa Widdison, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Graduate Matt Lawrence, Waikīkī Elementary School, 6th Grade Student math/science teacher Rebecca Odierna, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, M.A. Kelley Espinda, Kailua High School, Japanese Teacher Political Science Bonnie Tabor, Waikīkī Elementary School, Principal Ashby Butnor, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Lecturer & Faculty Coordinator, Learning Communities & Whitney A. Mahoney, Waikīkī Elementary School, Special First Year Success and Department of Philosophy Education Teacher Tamara Albertini, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy Thomas E. Jackson, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Philosophy and Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, College of Arts and Humanities, Specialist (Phil Dept.), Executive Director (UH Uehiro Academy…, College of A&H) Philosophy for Children 3 Home Grown Thomas E. Jackson Director, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education Every living thing on these islands of Hawai`i came a play on the name of the philosopher, Aristotle. First, he from somewhere else. The seeds were transported here in tried it out on his son’s sixth-grade class, where he was one way or another across vast stretches of ocean. Once here, delighted and astounded by how quickly the children were the seeds grew and developed, adapting to the unfamiliar able to see the logical rule presented in the first chapter and challenges of their new home. People also came. Pride of how they were able to raise their own questions about other place in arrival and thriving in the unique setting of these philosophical issues that were skillfully woven into the story. islands goes to the Native Hawaiians whose way of life Following that informal test, experimental trials were continues to nourish the thinking and ways of being of the held that demonstrated significant gains in reading and other, more recent arrivals from elsewhere. math among the students who had engaged in philosophical So it is with p4c Hawai`i. It began elsewhere, but it discussions after reading Harry Stottlemeier over the control has grown in new and exciting ways—influenced by all groups who had not. In the early 1970s Lipman moved that is best about our island home. This volume presents to Montclair State College, as Montclair University was the richness of the living forms that P4C has taken since its then known, where he joined with Ann Margaret Sharp in arrival in 1978. In this opening essay, I will relate some of creating the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy the story of those beginnings and what has contributed to the for Children (IAPC). The IAPC soon attracted international program’s specialness. attention. Each year scholars, mainly those connected with P4C began in the late 1960s when Matthew Lipman, academic departments of philosophy, came for a three week while teaching philosophy to undergraduates at Columbia workshop conducted by Lipman and Sharp. This workshop University, made a connection that had not really ever experience was an intense immersion in this new way of received much thought—the idea that philosophy could be doing philosophy. taught, and indeed should be taught, to children. Lipman By the early 1980s the IAPC had developed a saw that his students had a lot of passion to change the curriculum (now referred to as the Philosophy for Children world but were lacking in their ability to reason soundly and or P4C curriculum) that consisted of seven novels with exercise good judgment in how to go about their lives. He seven accompanying teacher’s manuals. At the same time, also recognized that college was rather late in life to begin there was a strong effort to promote critical thinking in the efforts to systematically develop reason and good judgment. nation’s schools. In response, the Federal Department of He wondered if the discipline of philosophy, with its Education established a panel of experts to identify which of emphasis on clear thinking and sound judgment, if properly the programs that claimed effectiveness in developing critical reconfigured, might be presented at an earlier age. He thinking could actually present research-based evidence in realized that philosophy in its current academic form would support of their claims. If the data they presented met DOE be unsuitable for children but wondered what would happen standards, the program received “national validation”. Such if philosophy were presented in a more accessible way, in the programs then became part of an official list that schools form of a novel, perhaps. In the story that he would tell, the around the country could consult in their own search for readers would discover, in a playful way, the rules of good an effective approach. Philosophy for Children was one of thinking, while at the same time learning to think together several programs that received this important validation. about some of the deep, philosophical questions that have National validation also meant that the program was eligible perplexed humans for over two thousand years. He set to for federal money to support costs associated with the work on his manual typewriter and soon had his first novel professional development of school faculty who wanted to tapped out. He titled it, Harry Stottlemeier’s Discovery, implement the program. 4 Educational Perspectives v Volume 44 v Numbers 1 and 2 In 1984 I had just completed a doctorate in comparative for the teacher.
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