Philosophy of Education MW Schedule
1. What is the Purpose of Education?
M 8/29 Introduction to course
W 8/31 Wren and Wren “The Capacity to Learn,” Bransford et al., “Executive Summary of How People Learn”
Topic: The purpose of education
Paper #1 Due Paper
Guidelines
M 9/5
W 9/7
Overview of NCLB on the CT Dept. of Education website http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/nclb/faq/nclb_overview.htm#intro
CT sues the Federal government over unfunded NCLB mandate http://www.state.ct.us/sde/nclb/
Brief National Educational Association critique of NCLB http://www.nea.org/esea/index.html
New Haven Superintendent criticizes NCLB http://newhavenadvocate.com/gbase/News/content.html?oid=oid:46278
Topic: Does one size fit all? The controversy over NCLB and other attempts to standardize testing and curricula.
2. Plato: Recollection, Virtue, and Meritocracy
M 9/12 Meno 3-20
Topic: The Socratic method and the theory of recollection
W 9/14 Meno 20-31
M 9/19 Republic 39-63, Bks. 2-3
Topic: Meritocracy and curriculum
W 9/21 Republic 63-84, Bks. 4-6
Topic: The virtues of the city and the soul
M 9/26 Republic 84-109, Bk. 7
Topic: The theory of forms
Paper #2 Due Paper
Guidelines
3.
Locke and Rousseau on Children’s Capabilities
W 9/28 Locke, “Some Thoughts Concerning Education” 144-161
Topic: Rationality in children and a structured pedagogy
M 10/3 Rousseau, Emile 162-181
Topic: Developing natural abilities by providing leeway for the student
W 10/5 Emile 181-196
M 10/10 Midterm Exam Study Guide
4. Controversies about Pedagogy and Curricula
W 10/12 Neill “Summerhill” 368-376, Egan “Open Education, Open to What?” 377-386
Topic: The debate between traditionalism and progressivism
M 10/17 Ryan and Lynch “Motivation and Classroom Management,” Websites on the Unschooling movement:
Interview with John Holt on Homeschooling http://www.naturalchild.com/guest/marlene_bumgarner.html
John Taylor Gatto’s critique of modern education as warehouses that stifle learning, generate conformity, and create an underclass to perform undesirable employment http://www.spinninglobe.net/againstschool.htm
Topic: Control and individual initiative in the classroom
W 10/19 Lipman “Excerpt from Philosophy Goes to School,” Matthews “Excerpt from Philosophy and the Young Child,” Encyclopedia entry on Philosophy for Children:
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on the Philosophy for Children movement http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/children/
Topic: Can philosophy be taught to children? Should it be?
5. Dewey: Creativity and Democracy
M 10/24 “The Child and the Curriculum” 274-288
Topic: Critique of rigid curricula
W 10/26 “Democracy and Education” 288-309
Topic: The social and democratic purposes of education
(Withdrawal Deadline F 10/28)
M 10/31 “Democracy and Education” 309-325
Topics: Methods of instruction, the evaluation of curricula, developing moral character and social concern
W 11/2 “Experience and Education” 325-343
Topics: Progressivism, experience
M 11/7 “Experience and Education” 343-363
Topics: Social control and freedom
6. Education and Justice
W 11/9 Freire “Excerpt from Pedagogy of the Oppressed” 460-471
Topic: Learning and political liberation
M 11/14 Walzer “Spheres of Justice” 386-411; Brighouse “Educational Equality and Justice”
Topic: The ideal of educational equality
Paper #3 Due Study Guide
W 11/16 Greene “The Passions of Pluralism” 510-521; Fullinwider “Multicultural Education”
Topic: Multiculturalism
M 11/21 Reich “Common Schooling and Educational Choice”
Topic: The tension between diversity and social cohesion
W 11/23 Thanksgiving
M 11/28 Preparation
for Group Presentations Group Project
Guidelines
W 11/30 Final Exam Study Guide
M 12/5 Group Presentations
W 12/7 Group Presentations
Final Exam Period W 12/14 5:15
– 7:15 pm