Philosophy in Schools, Level 1 Training Certification Programme (Validated by Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations)

These modules (PS101, PS102, PS103 & PS104) form the Philosophy for Schools Level 1 training programme. The structure of this programmme consists of some 18 hours of face-to-face contact time with the trainers, approved by FAPSA, another 20 hours of reading and writing, the submission of a written assignment on a given form where the candidates are required to provide evidence of being able to use the community of inquiry approach to teach Philosophy in Schools or P4C.

Your written assignment is one of the requirements for the award of the Level 1 Certificate. This external assessment is important as the P4C Level 1 Certification is validated by FAPSA (Federation of the Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations).

This module, PS 103, will focus on:

1. The Social Dimension - The Context

What skills and rules do we need to engage in fruitful dialogue? How do we set up a learning context where our students can regularly practice skills that will enable them to develop the disposition to use these skills in the appropriate contexts.

2. The Philosophical Dimension: What is a Philosophical Problem?

How do we distinguish philosophical problems from other matters we might inquire into? Activities will include developing a concept game and using philosophical questions in class.

3. The Inquiry Dimension: The process and tools of inquiry.

What tools do we need to develop to make progress in our inquiry into philosophical problems? Activities will include a demonstration lesson, and participants to practise using philosophical tools in class.on the nature and use of Philosophical questions and also the use of thinking tools.

Assoc Prof Philip Cam of the School of History and Philosophy, University of New South Wales, Australia, has written several books related to philosophical inquiry for children, some of which have been widely translated, and he is the author of many articles on related aspects of education. He has also published in philosophy of mind, with reference to the work of Dennett, Fodor, and Searle. He has edited a series of books for UNESCO. His latest collection is Philosophical Perspectives on Globalization (2006). Philip is currently President of the Asia-Pacific Philosophy Education Network for Democracy.

Some of his latest publications includes:

· Thinking Stories 1 Teacher Resource/Activity Book. Sydney: Hale & Iremonger, 1993.Republished in German (1996), Latvian (1997), Korean (2003) and Farsi (2007).

· Thinking Stories 2 Teacher Resource/Activity Book. Sydney: Hale & Iremonger, 1994. Republished in German (1997), Latvian (1997) and Farsi (2007).

Date: Wed, 30 July 08

Time: 9:00am to 4:30pm 

Venue: Raffles Girls' School (Secondary), 20, Anderson Road, Singapore 259978

Fees: Standard Rate - $230, STU-members Discounted Rate - $180                                                                                     

(Registration fees inclusive of course materials, tea-break, lunch and prevailing GST.)