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SyllabusPhilosophy of EducationFall 2000Marist CollegeDr. Greg MosesPlease consider the following links:
In this course, we will survey visionary texts that seek to imagine education within full-bodied social contexts, then we will re-imagine education for ourselves and our times.
Assignments and Grades: The final grade will be based upon an average of the following components, each receiving equal weight. Please see the college catalogue for a general description of grading criteria. Also, please note that the instructor places heavy emphasis upon excellent habits of scholarly citation.
Outcomes: By the end of the course, students should be familiar with several classic works in the philosophy of education, with an ability to draw out from these texts some embedded claims about the nature of society and education; critically evaluate these claims for their worthiness as part of our own philosophy of education; and creatively re-vision the practice of education for the world today. Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is expected. Documentation of an excused absence will be accepted within two weeks of the absence. More than two unexcused absences will result in the deduction of a letter from the final grade. More than three unexcused absences will result in the deduction of two letters. More than four unexcused absences and the instructor reserves the right to issue a failing grade for the course. Part I: Vision, Meaning, and Application in Plato's Republic In this section of the course we will explore Plato's Republic, paying special attention to passages that might suggest general principles for a living philosophy of education. At the conclusion of this section, students will be asked to write a six page report that presents three passages, in each case articulating a general principle, giving reasons why the principle seems worthy for a philosophy of education, and briefly suggesting how the principle might be put into practice in today's education. Assessment will be based upon completeness, difficulty and importance of selected passages, clarity in statement of principles, thoroughness of critical considerations, creativity of applications, and cumulative development between parts. Sep. 11-Course Introduction: Welcome to the House of Life. Setting up workshops. Organizing cooperative readings. Sep. 18-Plato, Part One Read: (a) Chs. 3&4 (b) Chs. 5&6. Prepare: For each of your chapters (1) a concise summary of the discussion (2) a selected passage that you find especially helpful (3) a brief indication of the principle at stake in your passage with a brief suggestion for putting the principle in practice today. Workshops: Sharing preparations, selections, principles, and applications. Please make sure that each participant has two or three minutes to share reflections. Forum: Focus on the interesting issues and applications. We might also discuss those parts of Plato that we find problematic. Sep. 25-Plato, Part Two Read: (a) Chs. 7&8 (b) Chs. 9&10. Prepare: As above, for each of your chapters (1) a concise summary of the discussion (2) a selected passage that you find especially helpful (3) a brief indication of the principle at stake in your passage with a brief suggestion for putting the principle in practice today. Workshops: Sharing preparations, selections, principles, and applications. Once again, please make sure that each participant has two or three minutes to share reflections. Forum: Focus on the interesting issues and applications. We might also discuss those parts of Plato that we find problematic. Review for forum next week. Oct. 2-Reporting on Plato First Report Due: See above. Workshops: Please take turns sharing your papers, then select one for reading to class. Forum: Sharing results. Video, part one: Facing challenges of education today. Part II. Vision, meaning and application in Rousseau's Emile. In this section of the course we will explore Rousseau's Emile, paying special attention to passages that might suggest general principles for a living philosophy of education. At the conclusion of this section, students will be asked to write a six page report that presents three passages, in each case articulating a general principle, giving reasons why the principle seems worthy for a philosophy of education, and briefly suggesting how the principle might be put into practice in today's education. Assessment will be based upon completeness, difficulty and importance of selected passages, clarity in statement of principles, thoroughness of critical considerations, creativity of applications, and cumulative development between parts. Oct. 9-Rousseau's Emile, part one. Video, part two: Facing challenges in education today. Read: Rousseau, Bks. 1-3. Prepare: As before, for each of your sections (1) a concise summary of the discussion (2) a selected passage that you find especially helpful (3) a brief indication of the principle at stake in your passage with a brief suggestion for putting the principle in practice today. Workshop: Sharing preparations, again making sure each participant has two or three minutes of presentation time. Forum: Rousseau and contemporary challenges to education. Oct. 16-Rousseau's Emile, part two. Read: Emil, Bk. 4. Prepare: As above. Workshop: As above. Forum: Rousseau, contemporary challenges, and some comparisons to Plato. Oct. 23- Rousseau's Emile, part three. Read: Emil, Bk. 5. Prepare: As above. Workshop: As above. Forum: Rousseau, contemporary challenges, and some comparisons to Plato. Oct. 30-Papers Due: See above. Workshops, nominations, and forum. Video presentation: More contemporary challenges. Part III. On Women and Modern Times In this section of the course we will explore Gilman's Herland and Martin's School Home, paying special attention to passages that might suggest general principles for a living philosophy of education. At the conclusion of this section, students will be asked to write a six page report that presents three passages (at least one from each author), in each case articulating a general principle, giving reasons why the principle seems worthy for a philosophy of education, and briefly suggesting how the principle might be put into practice in today's education. Assessment will be based upon completeness, difficulty and importance of selected passages, clarity in statement of principles, thoroughness of critical considerations, creativity of applications, and cumulative development between parts. Nov. 6-Gilman's Herland Read: Herland complete, Chs. 1-6 & 7-12. Prepare: As before, for each of your sections (1) a concise summary of the discussion (2) a selected passage that you find especially helpful (3) a brief indication of the principle at stake in your passage with a brief suggestion for putting the principle in practice today. Workshop: Sharing interpretations and assessments of Gilman. Forum: In a woman's world. Nov. 13-Martin's vision. Read: The School Home, Chs. 1-3 & Chs. 4-Epilogue. Prepare: For each chapter, Summary and assessment as above. Workshop: Sharing summaries and assessments. Forum: Martin's vision for our time. Nov. 20-Report Due (See above) Workshops & Forum: Sharing papers. Part IV: Final Meditation In this final section of the course, we will create our own vision of education for the world today, while considering the contributions of bell hooks. A final paper of 15 pages will declare and defend a few guiding principles for a philosophy of education, creatively illustrating how these principles would guide educational practice construed in a most expansive relationship to wider social and cosmic contexts. The first five pages of the paper will present your top three principles, indicate what relationship they may have to the classic works considered in this course (with special emphasis on hooks), and briefly defend the value of such principles for guiding the practice of education. The next eight pages will present a visionary illustration of the principles in full-bodied instantiation, keeping in mind that the relationship between school and society should be a vital component of the vision. Two pages of reflective conclusion should indicate the value of your overall vision for education. Assessment will be based upon completeness, difficulty and importance of selected passages, clarity in statement of principles, thoroughness of critical considerations, creativity of applications, and cumulative development between parts. Nov. 27-hooks, part one Read: Intro-Ch. 4 Prepare: (1) Summary of selected chapter with emphasis on selected passage (2) Exploration of a principle and vision that you might include in the final paper. Workshop: Sharing hooks and personal visions. Forum: What hooks contributes. Beginning our final projects. Dec. 4-hooks, part two Read: Teaching to Transgress, Chs. 5-10 Prepare: (1) Summary of selected chapter with emphasis on selected passage (2) Exploration of a principle and vision that you might include in the final paper. Workshop: Sharing hooks and personal visions. Forum: What hooks contributes. Beginning our final projects. Dec. 11-hooks, part three Read: Teaching to Transgress, 11-14. Prepare: (1) Summary of selected chapter with emphasis on selected passage (2) Exploration of a principle and vision that you might include in the final paper. Workshop: Sharing hooks and personal visions. Forum: What hooks contributes. Beginning our final projects. Final-Final papers due. Please include disk in MS Word format and permission to post on web server. Workshops. Sharing results. Nominating presentations for sharing with class. Contact:Office: Fontaine 322Phone: 575-3000 x2217 Email: Greg.Moses@Marist.edu Web: gregmoses.net Home: 473-4737 |
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