NEW COURSE PROPOSAL
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Title of course: The Philosophy of Children
Shortened version of title for schedule and transcript. (30 characters including spaces):
The Philosophy of Children
Department and course number:
PHIL 250
Number of credits:
3
Variable credit?
No
Is the course repeatable for additional credit?
No
Effective date:
Fall 2011
Proposed for General Education option?
No
Scheduling course information:
Is it lecture, laboratory, discussion, seminar, independent study, field study or thesis research?
Seminar & Service-learning
Does the course have a required attached lab for zero credit?
No
Does enrollment require the consent of the instructor?
No
Department?
No
Grade basis:
A = 100% - 90% B = 89 – 80% C = 79% - 70% D = 69% - 60% F = 59% and below
Catalog description:
In this course, we will both cultivate our wonder about children, and their wonder about the world. This will be achieved by first
considering children and childhood through a philosophical lens, and second, by exploring the manner in which children themselves
philosophize. Our ultimate purpose will be to take this new knowledge into local elementary classrooms and to engage children in
philosophical thought, encouraging their inherent sense of wonder, and cultivating an appreciation for their unique perspectives on
life.
Prerequisites:
PHIL 151, 211, or instructor approval.
Main Units:
See attached
Objectives of the course:
 Understand child development from a philosophical perspective
 Develop a philosophical sensibility and questions
 Develop the ability to lead young children in philosophical discussion
Evaluation procedures and techniques:
Peer review of teaching modules will be based on collaboratively decided evaluation criteria
Special projects, term papers, class reports, etc.:
See attached
Library or other physical resources to support the course:
N/A
Need for Additional resources:
Support of center for service learning and local elementary school classrooms
Course(s) to be dropped:
N/A
Attach appropriate minutes showing approval.
The Philosophy of Children
Instructor: Sarah LaChance Adams
Course Description
The title of this course has a dual meaning which reflects its double purpose: We will cultivate our wonder
about children, and their wonder about the world. This will be achieved by first considering children and
childhood through a philosophical lens, and second, by exploring the manner in which children themselves
philosophize. Our ultimate purpose will be to take this new knowledge into local classrooms and to engage
children in philosophical thought, encouraging their inherent sense of wonder, and cultivating an appreciation
for their unique perspectives on life. To that end, the final weeks of the course will be dedicated to designing
and implementing modules for engaging children in philosophical discussion. After peer review of the lessons
that they have created in our classroom, students will visit a local elementary school to facilitate philosophical
discussion.
Weeks 1-3: Approaching the Child’s World
Readings:
 “Adults and Children,” From The Changing Nature of Man, J.H. van den Berg
 “The Countryside of Childhood: Reflections on a Hermeneutic-Phenomenological Approach to
Developmental Psychology,” Eva Simms
 “A Phenomenological Approach to Child Development,” Marc Briod
 “A Philosopher’s view of Childhood,” Piaget and Philosophy,” & “Literature for Children” From The
Philosophy of Childhood, Gareth Matthews
 “Playing a Theoretical Statement” & “Playing: The Search for Self,” From Playing and Reality D.W.
Winnicott
Weeks 4-7: The Child as Philosopher
Readings:
 “The Child as Natural Phenomenologist,” Talia Welsh
 Philosophy and the Young Child, Gareth B. Matthews
 “The Notion of Thinking,” From The Child’s Conception of the World, Piaget
 “Study of the Child’s Perception,” From Child Psychology and Pedagogy, Merleau-Ponty (p. 141-143)
 Excerpts from Dialogues with Children, Gareth Matthews
 “Young Spirituality: Philosophical Reflections” From The Spiritual Life of Children, Robert Coles
 “Psychoanalysis and Moral Development,” From The Moral Life of Children, Robert Coles
Weeks 8-9 Structures of the Child’s World—Space, Language, Freedom
Readings:
 “The World’s Ever Expanding Skin: Spatiality and the Structures of Child Consciousness,” Eva Simms
 “About hens, Hands, and Old-Fashioned Telephones: Gestural Bodies and Participatory Consciousness,
Eva Simms
 “Babble in the House of Being: Pointing, Grammar, and Metaphor in Early Language Acquisition,” Eva
Simms
 Excerpts from Summerhill School: A New View of Childhood, A.S. Neil
Weeks 10-15 Teaching Children Philosophy
Readings:
 Big Ideas for Little Kids, Thomas Wartenberg
 The Read Aloud Handbook, Jim Trelease
 Little Big Minds, Marietta McCarty
Practicum:
Each student will visit an area elementary school twice and facilitate philosophical discussions with the
students. They will develop, discuss, and practice these discussions within our class before going to the
elementary school.
 Visit #1: Look at the book modules on this website:
http://www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/wiki/Category:Book_Modules
Select two that interest you and workshop (during our class session) how you would teach it to
the children. Then facilitate a discussion in a local elementary school based on one of these
modules.
 Visit #2: Create Your own book module assignment:
Select an age-appropriate children’s story and develop a philosophical discussion around this
story. In preparation for your school visit you will: 1) Summarize the plot. 2) Discuss the main
philosophical issues raised by the book. 3) Develop a series of questions that can be used to
initiate philosophical discussion about the book with children.