PHILOSOPHY TEACHING INTERNSHIPS

Through the Philosophy Department's Teaching Internship Program, University of Rochester undergraduates work with elementary school children in the City of Rochester on the critical thinking, writing, analytical reading, and problem solving skills that are emphasized in Philosophy courses. In addition, interns serve as useful role models for the children by making evident the value of education and by displaying the qualities that have enabled them to become successful young adults. Most interns have worked with children at the upper elementary grade levels (i.e., grades 3-5). Although some interns have worked effectively with younger children, it is at the upper elementary grade levels that children tend to benefit the most from the intellectual skills that interns bring to the classroom. [The development of a high school level program is also being considered.]

Interns typically devote about six hours per week to work in the classroom. In addition to the time spent in the classrooms, interns attend regular internship meetings in which they discuss their classroom projects and activities. Interns also keep analytical journals in which they describe and evaluate the work they've done. They also write a final paper reporting on the work they've done and analyzing it in the light of suitable readings. Interns should register for Philosophy 396, Teaching Internship, for 4 credits.

The kinds of units or projects interns teach or assist with may be activity-defined or thematically-defined. However the units or tasks are defined, interns focus on the development of some or all of the following skills:

A. Writing Skills: Emphasis on clarity, organization, the use of evidence, and writing persuasive essays.

B. Analytical Reading Skills: Emphasis on group reading aloud and discussion and individual coaching to develop skills in identifying structure and meaning, and understanding and evaluating reasons and conclusions.

C. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills: Emphasis on the development of critical reasoning, the analysis and development of arguments, problem solving, and conflict resolution.

The following lists are not meant to be exhaustive, but provide an idea of some of the kinds of units or projects that are appropriate. For information on the experiences of past interns with these projects consult the journals of past interns. These journals may be found in the Philosophy Department library in Lattimore 537. All interns should review these journals as they prepare their own projects.

Activity-defined projects:

A. Debates: Interns have staged very successful debates, based on student essays on issues concerning personal conduct and the life of the school and community. Students get instruction in how to research and think through issues, and write well-organized and reasoned position papers or essays. They learn how to think critically, evaluate ideas and solutions to problems, and write carefully and persuasively. They also learn how to engage in respectful and rational discussion of issues which are important in their lives.

B. Rule Making: Interns have successfully engaged classes or small groups in the project of defining and agreeing upon rules of conduct for the class or group. This is an exercise in practical ethics and group discussion and decision-making which involves critical thinking and problem solving, and promotes acceptance and group ownership of shared groundrules of conduct. It is also an excellent vehicle for exploring the difference between right and wrong, the nature of morality, and the nature and strengths of democratic processes.

C. Publishing a Newsletter: Interns have worked with students to produce a class newsletter, another form of writing project which promotes skills in research, critical thinking, writing, and collaborative problem solving. It also serves as a useful vehicle for exploring the idea of objectivity and differing points of view in reporting events. "Editorials" provide a medium for developing skills of critical thinking and well reasoned writing.

D. Examining Advertisements: Students are bombarded by commercial advertisements, and can learn a great deal from instruction and practice in analyzing the strategies of persuasion used in those advertisements. Interns have found this to be an appealing and effective way to teach skills of critical thinking. What is the hidden reasoning? What psychological weaknesses do the advertisements exploit? Understanding the strategies in advertisments pitched at children can help them to understand themselves and their place in the world, and to make better choices in their own lives.

E. Analyzing Current Events: Teachers interested in integrating discussion of current events into their curriculum have gotten assistance from interns in selecting short readings concerned with controversies in the news, and guiding students in analyzing, discussing, and writing about those controversies. Students receive coaching in the strategies of analytical reading, thinking, writing, and discussion, and benefit from a more thoughtful engagement with the events of the day.

Thematically-defined projects:

A. Explore Differing Points of View: The existence of differing points of view is a pervasive aspect of life in a complex, muti-cultural world, and one which is important to students' understanding of the meaning of truth, objectivity, mutual respect among people, and fairness in resolving or accommodating differences of opinion and social conflict. Interns have used this successfully as a theme to explore through a variety of readings and classroom activities.

B. The Ethics of Everyday Life: A popular theme among both interns and students has been the ethics of students' daily lives. Interns work with students to explore issues of personal responsibility and freedom, hard choices, human rights, problems in the school and community, and environmental responsibility. Students learn the value of thinking things through logically.

C. "What Are Your Plans?" Interns develop activities around the theme of life plans to engage students in thinking about their futures, what they will do with their lives, and how to get there. A special merit of this unit is that it allows the intern to build on his or her presence in the classroom as someone in college, preparing for productive adulthood.

If you are interested in participating, contact

Richard Feldman
Department of Philosophy
Lattimore 518
275-8106
Email: feldman@philosophy.rochester.edu
Home Page: http://www.ling.rochester.edu/~feldman/index.html

Revised: January 22, 1999