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Philosophy of Education

Fall 1999

Marist College

Dr. Greg Moses

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Course Description: In this course we will explore contemporary problems of violence and inequity in American life, asking about the role that education should play in addressing such issues. Then we will sample some important contributions to the philosophy of education, paying special attention to a new collection of women's philosophies. A classic text from Dewey will help us revisit issues of democracy, knowledge, and the role of education in America.

Required Texts:

  • Garbarino, James. Lost Boys: Why Our Sons Turn Violent and How we Can Save Them. New York: Free Press, 1999.
  • Sadker, Myra and David. Failing at Fairness. Touchstone, 1995. (0-684-80073-X)
  • Titone, Connie and Karen Maloney. Women's Philosophies of Education: Thinking through our Mothers Merrill, 1999. (0-13-618042-6)
  • Woodson, Carter. Miseducation of the Negro. Africa World, 1990 (0-86543-171-X.)
  • Dewey, John. Democracy and Education. Free Press, 1997. (0-684-83631-9)

    • 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 course students should be able to (1) discuss contemporary social issues with reference to expert literature, (2) articulate representative philosophies of education, (3) assess the likely merits of philosophies of education in relation to informed analysis of social issues, (4) and propose a personal philosophy of education that is linked to contemporary social challenges. Four papers will assess each objective in turn.

    Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes. Given the wide range of personal needs that may arise, the instructor is willing to make allowance for one absence (the equivalent of one week.) Any absences beyond this limit must be excused and documented, or they will count against the student's final grade. Documentation will be accepted within two weeks of any absence. Two unexcused absences (two weeks) will result in a letter grade reduction from the final average. For more than three unexcused absences (three weeks), the instructor reserves the right to enter a failing grade.

    Schedule of inquiry:

    Sept. 1--Introduction & Welcome to the "House of Life."

    Sept. 8--Lost Boys

    A. Thinking about the problem of violence in America

  • Read: Garbarino, Chs. 1-5
  • Prepare: (1) One paragraph summarizing the highlights of your portion of the reading, with a few key quotes (properly cited). (2) One paragraph reflecting your own experience with boys (i.e., based upon your own experience does Garbarino make sense, and why?)
  • Workshops: Share summaries and experiences. Prepare for class discussion.
  • Forum: Reviewing Garbarino's highlights. Reflecting on our own experiences. A question about the difference between evil acts and their rates. When do personal problems become systemic?

    B. Thinking about the solutions and the role of education

  • Read: Garbarino, Chs. 6-8
  • Prepare: (1) One paragraph summarizing the highlights of your portion of the reading, with a few key quotes (properly cited). (2) One paragraph addressing your own opinion about the prospects for solution generally, but especially considering the role of education.
  • Workshops: Share summaries and experiences. Prepare for class discussion.
  • Forum: Reviewing the highlights of Garbarino's solutions. What do we think about the prospects of solving these problems, especially from within the educational field?

    Sept. 15--Failing at Fairness

    A. Seeing the Hidden Lessons of Sexism and Racism

  • Read: Sadker, Chs. 1-5
  • Prepare: Two paragraphs summarizing the material and reflecting on your own experience.
  • Workshops: Sharing notes and preparing for class discussion.
  • Forum: How do the Sadker's reveal the everyday workings of sexism? What do we find in our own experience?

    B. Thinking about prospects for solution

  • Read: Sadker, Chs. 6-10
  • Prepare: Paragraphs of summary and reflection. Please focus your reflections on prospects for solution, especially in education.
  • Workshops: Sharing notes and preparing for class discussion.
  • Forum: With sexism so deeply embedded in everyday practice, what are the prospects for improvement, especially in education?

    Sept. 22--Film

  • about a teacher-hero who somehow makes a difference
  • Some choices: Jaime Escalante, Joe Clark, Marva Collins

    Assignment Due Sept. 29:

    Seven page paper on the role of education in addressing the social challenges of violence and sexism in America. Summarize Garbarino ( 2 pages) and Sadker (2 pages.) Then reflect on your own assessment of the responsibility and impact that education may have toward these problems. Grades will be based upon (1) ability to provide interesting scholarly summaries of the texts, and (2) quality of reasoning that supports your assessment of the role that education might play in improving the problems of violence and sexism in America. The "C" paper will present competent summaries with appropriate scholarly citations, and will generally stake out a role for education. The "B" paper will begin to shape the textual evidence into a distinctive analysis that clearly prepares the reader for a careful reflection on the prospects for education. The "A" paper demonstrates thorough mastery of textual material and analysis such that a coherent essay flows from beginning to end, displaying distinctive engagement with the difficult problem at hand.

    Sept. 29--Papers on Social Challenges

  • Workshops: Share your papers, summarizing your approach to the first four pages (which points did you highlight) and then reading verbatim your final three pages. Select one paper for class presentation.
  • Forum: Presentation of papers.
  • Next time: Selecting two philosophers from Titone and Maloney.

    Oct. 6--Two women philosophers

  • Prepare: One page on each philosopher, first summarizing, then assessing the value of their work for your own philosophy of education. We will do the usual workshops and forums for each figure.

    Oct. 13--Two more women philosophers

  • See above.
  • Prepare for cooperative readings of Woodson in two parts.

    Oct. 20--Woodson

  • Prepare: One page on each section of your reading for Woodson, first summarizing, then assessing the value of his work for your own philosophy of education. We will again do the usual workshops and forums.

    Assignment Due Oct. 27:

    Reviewing the five philosophers of education that we have studied, what in your opinion are the four important questions that a philosophy of education should address and why?[2 pages] How have these questions been addressed by the various figures (it is okay to show that they have not addressed a key issue) [5 pages]. How would you address these questions? [4 pages] The "C" paper will fulfill all items in the assignment with college-level competence. The "B" paper will begin to develop an interesting coherence in the arrangement of issues and figures in preparation for a personalized response. The "A" paper will exemplify mastery of the material as the student shapes a personalized and coherent approach to the philosophy of education. Please take care to "locate" your own positions in relation to the above philosophers.

    Oct. 27--Papers on representative philosophies

  • Workshops: Share your papers by summarizing the issues and figures, then reading verbatim the four pages that develop your own position. Nominate a paper to share with the class.
  • Forum: Sharing papers.

    Nov. 3--Dewey & Democracy

  • Prepare: This is an exercise in active reading. So I am not assigning specific page numbers. Since the book is titled "Democracy and Education" we first want to find out what the term "Democracy" has to do with the term "Education." Your mission is to solve this puzzle. Please bring the usual two paragraphs, first summarizing the important relation between the terms (with appropriate citations) and next evaluating the worth of Dewey's philosophy for your own purposes. We will engage in the usual process of workshop and forum.
  • Further discussion: Let's look at each thinker, from Garbarino through Woodson, and ask if the connection between "Democracy" and "Education" may be used as a philosophical tool to guide our reflection on the general nature of problems and solutions.

    Nov. 10--Dewey & Aims of Education

  • Prepare: Dewey writes two chapters on the question of aims. One chapter generally suggests what we should look for in an aim. The next chapter suggests three interlocking aims. What is the general nature of an aim, and what are the three aims that Dewey suggests for a philosophy of education? What do you think? One page for workshops and forum.
  • Further discussion: Again, let's look at each thinker and ask how his or her view about the aims for education may be viewed from a Deweyan perspective.

    Nov. 17--Dewey & Epistemology

  • Prepare: What is knowledge and how do we get it? Dewey has a pragmatist epistemology for his theory of knowledge. What is his theory of knowledge? And how might such a theory affect a philosophy of education? Please pay special attention to Dewey's view of "interest." What do you think? One page for workshop and forum.
  • Further discussion: How might we view the connection between democracy and pragmatic epistemology?

    Assignment due Dec. 1:

    On key concepts in Dewey, their relation to other thinkers, and their relevance to contemporary education. Please identify four key concepts in Dewey, summarizing his philosophical approach to each (4 pages). Then survey the field of thinkers that we have investigated in this course to "locate" their relation to Dewey (4 pages). Finally, in your own opinion, assess each concept for its relevance to your own philosophy of education (4 pages). The "C" paper will fulfill all items in the assignment with college-level competence. The "B" paper will begin to develop an interesting coherence in the arrangement of concepts and figures in preparation for a personalized response. The "A" paper will exemplify mastery of the material as the student shapes a personalized, scholarly, and coherent approach to Dewey's philosophy of education.

    Thanksgiving Break

    Dec. 1--Papers on Dewey's relevance

  • Workshops: Share papers by summarizing the first eight pages, the reading verbatim the final four. Nominate one to share with class.
  • Forum: Papers.
  • Further discussion: Back to the beginning. What would constitute a Deweyan analysis and response to problems of violence, sexism, racism, and the trend of increasing inequality in American education?

    Assignment due for finals:

    Your personal philosophy of education. What are the most important issues that a philosophy of education should address and why? (1 page) How do you propose to address these issues and in each case how is your approach "located" among the philosophies of education that we have studied. Again, it is okay to find out that nobody has addressed an issue that you find most important, but please find the closest match and explain where and why it fails to meet your satisfaction (4 pages). This exercise is designed to serve as preparation for your succinct reply, during a job interview, to the question, "What is your philosophy of education?" The "C" paper demonstrates competence in each area of the assignment. The "B" paper begins to demonstrate an exemplary arrangement of issues, views, and scholarly background. The "A" paper exemplifies a thoughtful and original voice that is unified in tone and structure, demonstrating mastery of reflection and scholarship.

    Dec. 8--Workshop on personal philosophies of ed

  • Workshops: Share your first drafts, by reading verbatim. Nominate one to share.
  • Forum: Sharing papers.

    Final--Philosophies of Ed.

    Contact:

    Dr. Greg Moses
    Office: Cubicle in SC 149 (near the downstairs mailboxes)
    Telephone: x2217
    Email: JZ7R@maristb.marist.edu
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