This book is the result of a two year collaboration project between the Washington Elementary School in San Jose, the Philosophy Department in San Jose University, and a group of dedicated parents and volunteers. Piloted for the second and third grades, the result is a classroom-ready, active learning program for engaging students in critical thinking and philosophy.

Implementing philosophy in Elementary Schools is the result of a two year collaboration project between the Washington Elementary School in San Jose, the Philosophy Department at San Jose State University, and a group of dedicated parents and volunteers. Piloted for the 2nd and 3rd grades, the result is a classroom-ready, active learning program for engaging students in critical thinking and philosophy. Written by teachers, professors, and the founders of the project, Principal Maria Evans and Dr. Ali Bassiri, the contents cover every aspect of preparing students for philosophy. Implementing Philosophy in Elementary Schools is the perfect supplement for districts interested in boosting oral language development, critical thinking, and persuasive writing exercises--all essential components of the Common Core Standards. Teachers will appreciate the easy to follow guidelines, while parents will learn how to discuss abstract topics with their children. Elementary school principals will be inspired to share this book with their staff, with an eye toward raising academic rigor for children. And, best of all, teachers will love reading comprehension strategies and discussion topics that will engage their classes in real-life dilemmas. "Implementing Philosophy in Elementary Schools" is of interest to us all--whether in class, on the playground, or around the dining room table at home.

The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.

Lipman examines the impact his program has had and may yet have on the process of education in philosophy.

Learning strategies for critical thinking are a vital part of today’s curriculum as students have few additional opportunities to learn these skills outside of school environments. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for pre-service teachers to learn how to infuse critical thinking skill development in every academic subject to assist future students in developing these skills. The Handbook of Research on Critical Thinking Strategies in Pre-Service Learning Environments is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of critical thinking that highlights ways to effectively use critical thinking strategies and implement critical thinking skill development into courses. While highlighting topics including deep learning, metacognition, and discourse analysis, this book is ideally designed for educators, academicians, researchers, and students.

Ten years ago Philosophy in the Classroom, by Lipman, Sharp, and Oscanyan, hailed the emergence of philosophy as a novel, although in some ways highly traditional, elementary school discipline. In this sequel, Matthew Lipman examines the impact that elementary school philosophy has had, and may yet have, upon the process of education. Going beyond his earlier work to describe the contribution that training in philosophy can make in the teaching of values, he shows the applications of ethics in civics education and the ways in which aesthetics can be incorporated into areas of the curriculum related to the development of creativity. Making reference to the contemporary educational scene, Lipman compares the K-12 Philosophy for Children curriculum to the many unsatisfactory solutions being offered in our current drive for educational excellence. He addresses the relationship of elementary school philosophy to educational reform in the areas of science, language, social studies, and writing. And he shows how philosophy can be instrumental in the difficult task of teaching values to children while avoiding both ideological indoctrination and mindless relativism.

Originally published in French as "La Philosophie, une Ecole de la Liberte. Enseignement de la philosophie et apprentissage du philosopher : Etat des lieux et regards pour l'avenir." - This study is dedicated to all those who engaged themselves, with vigour and conviction, in the defence of the teaching of philosophy a fertile guarantor of liberty and autonomy. This publication is also dedicated to the young spirits of today, bound to become the active citizens of tomorrow.