Carpe Diem
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Young philosophers... In the past 30 years hundreds of thousands of school-age children have experienced the challenge and excitement of “doing” philosophy, thanks to the visionary work of Montclair State University professor emeritus Matthew Lipman and the Institute he founded in 1974 with professor Ann Margaret Sharp. Today, the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IAPC) has affiliate centers in more than 40 countries and the Philosophy for Children curriculum is used in schools around the world. Pictured, Cynthia Schwartz, a second-grade teacher at the Harrison School in Livingston, uses the program in her classroom to guide students through this new way of thinking. “Many adults forget how important our philosophical wonderings used to be to us as children,” said IAPC Director Maughn Gregory. “It’s exciting for young people to have the chance to inquire into things they really wonder about. Also, taking responsibility for their own beliefs and values is one of the things about philosophy that most appeals to the children.” |