An introduction to primary texts, central questions, and rival traditions in philosophy of education. An invitation to develop one's own philosophy of education.
Reading and discussion of philosophical and other works that illuminate what it means to be a teacher, whether of children, youth, or adults. Consideration of motives, rewards, and challenges in teaching.
An invitation to engage with works of art which challenge conventional ways of thinking and perceiving; consideration of the relation of art, imagination, and education.
An examination of historical and contemporary conceptions of the relation between schools and society. Consideration of issues in social and political philosophy that bear on the question of why have schools at all.
Major American thinkers and outlooks and their impact on education: Thoreau, Emerson, Fuller, and transcendentalism; Pierce, James, Dewey, and pragmatism; Douglass, Du Bois, and African-American education; Anthony, Stanton, Addams, and feminism.
An introduction to influential philosophical perspectives on professional ethics. Attention to the roles, relations, and responsibilities of educators in the context of such ethical considerations as the good human life, practical wisdom, and virtue ethics.
A study of philosophies of education that derive from the experience of African-Americans, Africans, and people of African descent around the world. Reading of classics by figures such as W. E.B. Du Bois, Aimé Césaire, Anna Julia Cooper, Frantz Fanon, and Alain Locke, as well as contemporary thinkers.
Philosophical exploration of the pedagogical, psychological, social, and political issues surrounding the recognition and misrecognition of difference. Consideration of theories of dialogue from Plato to Freire.
An introduction to influential philosophical perspectives on what it means to be a successful, whole, and flourishing human being. Attention to issues of personal identity and personal ideals and how these can evolve over time.
An introduction to significant lines of philosophical inquiry about education across Latin America, from pre-conquest civilizations through the present time. Consideration of writings by Bartolomé de las Casas, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Aimé Césaire, José Enrique Rodó, Gabriela Mistral, José Carlos Mariátegui, and others.
Permission of instructor required.
An analysis of the principal educational works of John Dewey.
An introduction to pre-college philosophy education. Analysis of children's philosophical thinking and of the philosophical dimensions of children's literature. Class participants will create a ‘community of inquiry’ by studying cognitive, social and philosophical aspects of classroom discussion.
Readings in epistemology in the context of teaching, learning, and educational research, from classical and enlightenment sources to feminist, hermeneutic, psychoanalytic, and postmodern critiques. Topics include objectivity and subjectivity and problems of interpretation in the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences.
Close reading and discussion of classic and contemporary critical theories. Examination of class, gender, race, and sexuality issues in canon, classroom, and society.
A master's thesis writing workshop for graduating students in the program of Philosophy and Education.
Topics vary. Convened to promote philosophical discussion of a contemporary educational issue (e.g., patriotism, privatization, standards, technology) or ongoing debate (e.g., liberal education, moral education, standardization).
Topics vary but may include any of the following: the moral sources of educational aims, the nature of ideals, the ethics of teaching, moral education, and meta-ethics.
A series of formal presentations and discussions with scholars in the field of Philosophy and Education.
Permission of instructor required. For first- and second-year doctoral students in Philosophy and Education. Close reading and discussion of primary texts in ancient philosophy that have shaped the field of philosophy of education. Complements A&HF 6100.
Permission of instructor required. For first- and second-year doctoral students in Philosophy and Education. Close reading and discussion of primary texts in modern philosophy that have shaped the field of philosophy of education. Complements A&HF 6000.
Permission of instructor required. Prerequisites: A&HF 6000 and A&HF 6100. An ongoing writing workshop required of all doctoral students after completion of the Proseminar sequence. Students develop research interests, hone philosophical skills, and draft dissertation proposals. Offered every Fall and Spring semester.
For doctoral students in Philosophy and Education or by permission of instructor. Topics vary and may range from close reading of a single text to exploration of a key concept or problematic. Past topics include contemporary theories of democratic education, cosmopolitanism and education, and conceptions of teacher education.
Permission of instructor required. For doctoral students in Philosophy and Education only.
Permission of instructor required. Required of doctoral students in the semester following successful completion of the doctoral certification process or in the semester in which the student defends the dissertation proposal, whichever comes first.
Permission of instructor required. Individual advisement on doctoral dissertations. For requirements, see section in catalog on Continuous Registration for Ed.D./Ph.D. degrees. Fee to equal 3 points at current tuition rate for each term.
Program Director: Megan Laverty
Teachers College, Columbia University
334-A Horace Mann
Contact Person: Kassandra Juarez
Phone: (212) 678-4138 Fax: (212) 678-3746
Email: kj2571@tc.columbia.edu