Think Again: A Philosophical Approach to Teaching

by John L. Taylor

Overview

Contemporary education is held captive by an obsession with assessment. The culture of 'teaching-to-the-test' and 'spoon-feeding' has distorted the purpose of teaching and destroyed the joy of free enquiry.

This book offers practical advice on how to use philosophy as the cornerstone of a new approach to teaching and learning, with the central aim of developing students' capacity for deeper, freer thought. Drawing on his experience of innovative curriculum development work, the author explains how philosophical questions provide an excellent vehicle for engaging students and drawing them into analytical, creative and independent ways of thinking. Think Again provides:

• activities for encouraging critical and creative thinking,
• examples of 'entry points' for integrating philosophy in a formal curriculum; and
• practical guidance on using philosophy to enliven learning in a range of subjects.

The author emphasizes the significant opportunity that project work provides for enabling students to develop their research and analytical skills, and suggests how the 13+ curriculum could be developed to bring a philosophical dimension to learning in all subject areas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441162625
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	04/26/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	891 KB

About the Author

John L. Taylor is Head of Philosophy and Director of Critical Skills at Rugby School, UK. Before taking up his post at Rugby he tutored in the Philosophy of Science at Oxford University. Since 1999 he has directed the "Perspectives on Science" (PoS) project. Dr Taylor is also a Chief Examiner for the Extended Project.





A.C. Grayling is Master of the New College of the Humanities, UK. He has written and edited numerous works of philosophy and is the author of biographies of Descartes and William Hazlitt.
John L. Taylor is Assistant Head (Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation) at Cranleigh School. Responsibility for the development of independent learning across the three schools in the Cranleigh Foundation. Working closely with staff, providing professional development opportunities and organizing and leading CPD in areas connected to independent learning. John is one of the principal architects of the Extended Project and other project-based qualifications in the UK.

John published Think Again: A Philosophical Approach to Teaching in April 2012 (Continuum), plus 100 Ideas for Secondary Teachers: Philosophy and Ethics in 2014 (Bloomsbury). He has written blogs or features for the Guardian Teacher Network and the TES.

He has extensive experience as a teacher trainer, providing regular INSET for schools and colleges on matters relating to independent learning, project work, the management of classroom discussion, teaching research and inquiry skills.

Table of Contents

Preface\Foreword by A.C. Grayling\Introduction: The Over-Examined Life\1. Encouraging Self-Sufficiency: How to liberate learners through philosophy\2. Socratic Mentoring: A guide to philosophical approaches to learning\3. Philosophy Within the Curriculum: How to develop a project-based approach\4. Project Management: How to supervise the writing of philosophy dissertations\5. Re-Unifying the Curriculum: Encouraging students to think philosophically in all subject areas\6. Assessment Re-Assessed: An education-driven assessment model\7. Philosophically Speaking: The future\Bibliography\Index