I love it when my students think, discover, and create! I urge them to try new things and embrace that spirit of intellectual risk-taking. The philosophy materials and problem-solving simulation foster higher order thinking and learning. I am looking for project support!
I am thrilled to be able to work with the academically gifted population at each of my schools.
There is a surprising range of abilities and interests within this subset of the school population. Both elementary schools that I serve are located in Asheville, NC and each school is a central part of its neighborhood from where my students are drawn. The boys and girls in the gifted program have unique talents and abilities, and many of my students are excited to be challenged in new ways and look for enrichment opportunities in and outside of school; these include competing in the state Math Fair, scouts, sports, dance, art programs and a host of other things. Each year I like to introduce new and varied academic topics to kids; things they don't often experience and learn about in the regular classroom. My students are often leaders in their schools. I'm proud to work with such hard-working kids.
My Project
I encourage my students to develop what are often called, "Habits of Mind." Some of these habits include the idea of thinking flexibly, asking questions, persistence, sharing innovative ideas, and collaboration. I want to develop in my students the timeless skills such as questioning, deep thinking, and considering big ideas from a variety of perspectives.
In schools today, unfortunately, many kids don’t get the opportunity to develop the habits of mind that philosophical thinking encourages.
For this reason, it’s imperative I give my students this opportunity during our weekly enrichment time together. My goal is to develop short philosophy units for students in grades 2 - 5. Since I work with the same students as they get older, the work they do in the next year will build on what they have done the previous year. The Mosquito Coast simulation will be done with my 4th grade gifted students.
By supporting this project you will allow me to provide greater opportunities for my students and broaden their view of what learning can look like. It will allow them to consider 'big idea' questions as well as questions about ethics and existence. Thinking, listening, reading, questioning, collaborating, and considering others' perspectives about big ideas and questions are important, particularly in today's world and I want to begin this work with my young students.
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