The Department of Philosophy at the University of Memphis aims to introduce the history and practice of philosophy to Memphis children, particularly those who are socio-economically disadvantaged and to those schools that are the least likely to have the resources to implement Philosophy for Children (P4C) into their curriculum.

Why Philosophy? Philosophy deals with fundamental issues regarding the nature of human beings and the meaning of life. Philosophical training involves the development of critical thinking and analytic skills. These skills allow one to formulate positions clearly, with precision and depth, and to critically reflect on the positions offered by others. Philosophy teaches one to think and write well and, to the extent that it does, it prepares students for any career or discipline they might choose to pursue. Introducing Philosophy to children in Memphis will have the effect of enriching Philosophical discourse and Philosophical practice. By bringing Philosophy to children, we hope to bring new voices to Philosophy and to the Humanities in general.

Philosophical Horizons has affinities with a movement in Philosophy called Philosophy for Children (P4C). This movement began in the 1960s and has resulted in the implementation of Philosophy into pre-college curricula across the United States and world-wide. Philosophy for Children remains, however, a curriculum for the privileged. It is implemented in schools that have the economic resources to hire philosophers or train their teachers and is often offered to students deemed “gifted.” Our program directly targets schools that are the least likely to have the resources to offer Philosophy for Children. In doing so, we hope to enable giftedness.

The history of philosophy and philosophical methodology will be introduced to students through discussion groups lead by Graduate students and undergraduate majors from the Department of Philosophy at the University of Memphis. In addition, introductory Philosophy courses will be offered at select High Schools. High School students enrolled in this course will be able to receive college credit through the University of Memphis dual enrollment program. Philosophy for Children courses and conferences will be offered at the University of Memphis to train local teachers to implement Philosophy in their classroom. Each year children participating in the Philosophical Horizons program (all age levels) will be brought to the University of Memphis campus for a culminating experience. In April 2010 the culminating experience will be a performance of Plato’s Apology (see description below).

(1) Increase academic achievement among Memphis City School students as evidenced in written work and oral participation.

(2) Enable giftedness among students in the Memphis City School system.

(3) Enhance diversity within the University of Memphis community and promote educational cooperation between students and secondary education faculty from the Memphis City Schools and students and higher education faculty from the University of Memphis.

(1) Pre-test: participants will be given a brief test prior to the start of the course that will assess their critical reasoning skills, their persuasive writing skills, and their ability to apply higher order thought in novel contexts. A similar test will be administered at the end of the course.

(2) Portfolios of High School course work: writing samples and essay exams will provide material to assess whether the program is meeting the goals of instilling analytic skills.

(3) Participants will complete a survey during the first meeting that asks for their impressions regarding expectations for their own education, their interest in a college education, their familiarity with classroom etiquette, and their understanding of the role and importance of critical thinking. A similar survey will be administered at the end of the program to see if participation changed their view of their own potential as a college student and their understanding of the skills needed to succeed in the college classroom.

(4) Student tracking. Student participants will be asked to inform us of their educational and career choices and test scores on standardized tests for several years.

(5) Video and audio taping of classroom discussions will be used to assess outcomes.

Graduate students and undergraduate Philosophy majors interested in participating as group discussion leaders must complete a readings and research course prior to placement in a school. This course will meet once a week and will explore texts from both the philosophy of childhood and philosophy for children. Students will construct their own dialogues to be used in the classroom and will try these dialogues out in a series of “practical” sessions at participating schools. The readings and research course will take place in the fall, the classroom application and training in the spring. After this training, students will be placed in a school the following year. Whenever possible, students will be assigned to a school in pairs. Discussion groups will be held once a week for approximately 45 minutes at participating schools. Transportation to the school will be the responsibility of the discussion leaders. Discussion leaders will be reimbursed for transportation costs. Discussion leaders must commit to leading a discussion for one semester.

Graduate students with at least one semester of college teaching experience, are eligible to teach the High School philosophy course. The course is a semester long and meets two times per week. Teaching the High School course will take the place of regular teaching duties for the Department of Philosophy. Graduate Students teaching the High School Philosophy course will receive an additional stipend. Graduate Students will also be reimbursed for their travel to the High School. Graduate students may teach no more than two semesters in the High School program.

All books and supplies associated with the program will be paid for by the Philosophical Horizons program.

Hickory Ridge Middle School

Booker T Washington High School

University of Memphis Campus Elementary School

University of Memphis Barbara K Lipman Pre-School

Philosophy for Children (Readings and Research)
Graduate students and undergraduate philosophy majors interested in participating in the Philosophical Horizons program as discussion leaders or instructors will take part in a reading group directed by Dr. Deborah Tollefsen, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy. Parents, teachers and administrators will participate as well.

Keeping the Child in Mind: A Conference About Philosophy for Children
September 11 and 12, 2009
Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and made possible through support from the Tennessee Board of Regents, the Squire Family Foundation, and the Marcus Orr Center for the Humanities, Keeping the Child in Mind: A Conference About Philosophy for Children will be held on September 11-12, 2009. Gareth Matthews, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts and author of Philosophy and the Young Child (1980), Dialogues with Children (1984), and The Philosophy of Childhood (1994), will be the keynote speaker. Local teachers and administrators, as well as the general public, are invited to attend. Further information about the conference is available here.

The Apology of Socrates
April 2010
Take a seat in the court of ancient Athens as Socrates goes on trial for his life. Hear the philosopher face his accusers with trademark wit, cutting logic, and the courage of his ideals. His arguments are as relevant today as they were 2500 years ago. Emmy-award winner Yannis Simonides brings his masterful interpretation of Plato's timeless classic to the University of Memphis, Philosophical Horizons students, and the local community. A Q&A discussion with Mr. Simonides follows each performance.