Philosophy Thoughts

Looking forward to teaching Philosophy again this school year! In the past we've always used Marietta McCarty's excellent book Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids. She even signed my well-used copy a few years ago when she came to spend a professional development day with us in Maryland, back when I taught at Tidewater. Lovely woman.

Anyway, I also have a BUNCH of other books on teaching philosophy to children, so there's lots to think about. And, of course, I also see things all over the place that would fit with a lesson. So here is a catch-all spot for things that I think would work well for a philosophy discussion this year:

The Soul of Soil
The New York Times - Aug 4, 2024
is soil alive? can it become extinct?

Flora's Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall
love

The Corinthian Girl: Champion Athlete of Ancient Olympia by Christina Balit
(goes well with this image of a daric coin)
"Everyone had the right to dispose of an unneeded child."

Was the Great Brooklyn Goldfish Heist a Rescue? Or a Robbery?
The New York Times - Aug 9, 2024
ethics

California Will Formally Apologize for Being Complicit in Slavery
The New York Times - Sep 26, 2024

The Panda Factories
The New York Times - Oct 15, 2024

Why AI Fiber Art Is a Problem

Colleges Can’t Say They Weren’t Warned
The New York Times - Aug 18, 2024
"The intersection of free speech and harassment can be fraught and complex."

The Loneliness Epidemic Has a Cure
The New York Times - Sep 1, 2024
friendship

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You can do Philosophy with kids at any time, but in the Waldorf scope & sequence I think it works particularly well in grade 6 (Ancient Greece) and then on through middle and high school. Here's another resource that I love!

Teaching Children Philosophy
The Prindle Institute for Ethics

Interested in teaching philosophy and ethics to elementary school children? We’ve got over 200 discussion guides designed to help you introduce philosophy and ethics using popular children’s picture books. Each discussion guide will introduce educators to the key philosophical or ethical issues in the picture book. The guides also provide questions to help initiate a philosophical discussion with young children.

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