APA Committee on
Pre-College Instruction in Philosophy

Increasing Philosophy Offerings
in Your School

Many schools do not offer formal philosophy courses. One of the easiest ways to introduce philosophy to your school, especially for students in higher grades, is through a philosophy club. Often students are attracted to such extra-curricular clubs, especially if they are student-centered and students are given responsibility for planning activities.

Philosophy is often taught as a part of other courses such as critical thinking skills, values, social studies, English and science. You might begin teaching or team-teaching one of these courses. Identifying the philosophical components of the current curriculum can pave the way for increased philosophy offerings.

In some instances, public high schools are willing to offer philosophy as a dual enrollment course. Under such an arrangement students from both the high school and a local junior college would receive junior college credit for taking the course. Often teachers must agree to teach such a course in addition to their regular load. Schools are often receptive to such an arrangement since it creates a relationship with a local junior college.

If you want to propose a full philosophy course to your school, do some research concerning the particulars of your school. Do not assume your college philosophy course and text can be transplanted in whole -- this can lead to disastrous consequences. Also, if the administration understands that you can offer a custom designed course, they may be more receptive to including philosophy in the curriculum. Consider the following characteristics of your school when crafting a proposal.

Examine the nature of the student population. Do you have a diverse student body, with large populations of both challenged and gifted students, which might benefit more from an elective offering than a required course? Or do you have a smaller range of academic ability which would allow for a set curriculum requirement in philosophy? More able students can handle lengthy primary source readings, while average students may need shorter selections or a secondary source on which to rely.
Think about the religious, philosophical, or community service commitments of the school community. Does the environment allow for more heated discussions which arise in most courses on personal and social ethics? Might it be more pragmatic to offer less immediately controversial courses in the philosophy of science, logic, or critical thinking skills? Is there a community service requirement that could benefit from an academic ethics component?
Consider your school's curriculum and schedule. This will help determine whether to propose a developmentally complete program from K-12, a single course for one grade level, or something in between.

APA Committee on Pre-College Instruction in Philosophy

Increasing Philosophy Offerings in Your School

APA Committee on
Pre-College Instruction in Philosophy

Increasing Philosophy Offerings
in Your School