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Syllabus

Philosophy of
Education

Spring 2002

Marist College

Dr. Greg Moses


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Course Description: In this course we will explore contemporary frontiers of the philosophy of education, looking at what's wrong, what's right, what could be, and how we might think differently about education today. Our first readings will contrast challenges of a veteran teacher with solutions from experienced researchers. Next, we will explore two texts organized around problems and prospects for community socialization. Our final set of readings will develop terms of desire and spirit.


Course Method: This course will emphasize weekly preparations and discussions that integrate course materials with autobiographical reflections on teaching and learning. The process is designed to sustain an exploratory attitude toward materials, inviting students to participate in critical reconstruction of meanings suggested by our texts.


Outcomes: By the end of the course, students should be able to develop their own philosophies of education, informed by some of the latest work in the field. Participation, papers, and portfolios will provide regular opportunities to assess student development.


Required Texts (in order of use):

  • John Taylor Gatto. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. Gabriola Is., BC: New Society, 1992.


  • Alfie Kohn. The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.


  • Mary Field Belenky, etal. A Tradition that Has No Name: Nurturing the Development of People, Families, and Communities. New York: Basic Books, 1997.


  • Franz Fanon. White Skin, Black Masks. Grove Press; 1991.


  • Kelly, Ursula A. Schooling Desire: Literacy, Cultural Politics, and Pedagogy. New York: Routledge, 1997.


  • Rachael Kessler. The Soul of Education: Helping Students Find Connection, Compassion, and Character at School. Alexandria, VA: Assn. for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.



Course Requirements: The final grade will be based on the following,

  • 20% Portfolio and participation.


  • 20% Paper One: On Problems and Promises in Today's Education (6 pages)


  • 20% Paper Two: On the Meaning of Community Socialization for Education (6 pages)


  • 40% Final Paper: On Terms of Desire and Spirit in Education Theory (10 pages)



Attendance Policy: Documentation will be accepted within two weeks of an excused absence. More than two undocumented absences will result in deduction of a letter grade from the final average. More than three undocumented absences, two letter grades. More than four undocumented absences, and the instructor reserves the right to issue a failing grade.


Late Grades: Preparations and assignments should arrive in class with the student. Any preparations or assignments not accompanied by students to class will be marked "late" or "absent" with a grade penalty.


Weather: If the College announces official closing for weather, we will cancel class accordingly. Otherwise, class will be held.


Schedule of inquiry:



Part One. These American Values: In this section of the course, we will explore two books that help situate the problems and promises of U.S. education today: the first book offers testimony from an experienced New York teacher; the second book offers analysis from an experienced researcher. Together, these books allow us to explore some key issues in schooling today.

The first paper will ask students to reflect on a key issue raised by Gatto & Kohn important to your own philosophy of education, with one page introducing the issue, three pages presenting approaches from Gatto & Kohn, and two pages developing your own conclusions.

Assessment will be based upon completeness of the assignment, diligence of scholarship, coherence of the several parts, critical acumen, and original contribution. Better essays will demonstrate conceptual organization of ideas rather than point-by-point review.


Jan. 23-Introduction: Re-Freshing Education
Syllabus, books, & methods. First chapter assignments. Welcome to the House of Life.

Jan. 30-Gatto
Prepare: Two paragraphs typed: (a) summary of a key argument in the text (b) comment on a claim or inference from the argument.
Next Time: Kohn 1-6

Feb. 6-Kohn I
Prepare: Two paragraphs: (a) summarizing a key argument and (b) commenting on a claim or inference.

Feb. 13-Kohn II
Preparation: Four paragraphs: (a) summarizing a key argument and (b) commenting on a claim or inference (c) identifying a key issue in Kohn & Gatto (d) suggesting your own approach to the issue.

Feb. 20-Library Visit
To collect materials relevant to a key issue that you have identified in Gatto & Kohn (you are not bound to the issue declared in your prior preparation.)

Feb. 27--First Paper Due
Penalties for late & absent apply

Part Two. In the first part, we explored some challenges and proposals for education today. In this section, we will focus on the theme of education as community empowerment. In the Belenky text, we see how community education works for several women's initiatives. In the Fanon text, we will explore some challenges to education in a racialized world order. How might these explorations contribute to our own philosophies of education?

The second paper will ask students to reflect on a key issue raised by Belenky and Fanon that is important to your own philosophy of education, with one page introducing the issue, three pages presenting approaches from Belenky & Fanon, and two pages developing your own conclusions.

Mar. 6-Belenky I
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

Mar. 13-Belenky II
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

Mar. 20-White Skin
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

Mar. 27-Black Masks
Prepare: Four paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text (b) commenting on an important claim or inference (c) identifying a key issue in Belenky & Fanon, and (d) suggesting how you might approach the issue yourself.

Apr. 3-Second Paper Workshop

Part Three. The readings in this section of the course explore some key terms in the philosophy of education such as literacy, cultural politics, pedagogy, connection, compassion, and character. Kelly investigates eros as a multi-dimensional energy that sustains teaching and learning. Kessler is interested in spirit and soul. Both texts reach for terms that the authors believe have been inadequately investigated as focal resources for re-thinking education as we know it.

The final paper will be similar in format to the first two, with an expanded section for the student's own philosophy of education: one page identifying a key issue from the final texts by Kelly & Kessler, three pages presenting the issue as developed by the authors, two pages developing your own conclusions. Then write four pages exploring two other key issues in your own philosophy of education.

Apr. 10-Kelly I
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

Apr. 17-Kelly II
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

Apr. 24-Kessler I
Prepare: Two paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text and (b) commenting on an important claim or inference.

May 1-Kessler II
Prepare: Four paragraphs, (a) summarizing a key argument from the text (b) commenting on an important claim or inference (c) identifying a key issue in Kelly & Kessler, and (d) suggesting how you might approach the issue yourself.

Final Exam=Final Paper Workshop (during scheduled exam period).



Contact Information
Fontaine 322
x2217
greg.moses@marist.edu
Home: 473-4737

Ofc. Hrs.:
Tues: 1-2; 3:30-5:00
Wed: 1-2; 3:30-5:00
Thu: 1-5


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