1. Philosophy of Education

2. Questions are the heart of philosophy What is the world really like? How do we know something? What does it mean to teach something? To learn something? How should we treat each other? What is valuable? What’s the best way of governing and arranging society? What does it mean for something to be beautiful? Is there a correct way to reason? What is reason anyway?

3. Philosophical specialties have arisen to deal with these questions Metaphysics Epistemology Ethics Political philosophy Aesthetics Logic

4. The origin of Western Philosophy Socrates Plato The parable of the cave Aristotle

5. Why does all this matter to teachers? Our answers to the questions of philosophy influence how we think about schools and our classrooms.

6. Philosophy of education questions What is the purpose of schooling? Of education? What ought we to teach? How should we teach it? How should we treat our students? How doe we expect our students to treat us?

7. Philosophical questions in other disciplines What does it mean to know something? Constructivism Do humans have free will? Behaviorism Is there an essence to all human beings? Culture

8. Concrete Questions Is it fair to treat students differently? What is the role of the state in providing equal education for all? Can a student who fails a test be said to know less than a student who passes? Can you really grade a student’s art project or musical composition? Should a student’s culture influence how they do their assignments and how they are assessed?