The Philosophy Foundation Provocations: Philosophy for Secondary School (The Philosophy Foundation Series) - Hardcover

'In the best tradition of the Socratic gadfly, David Birch challenges many current practices and assumptions in education, and provides an imaginative resource for stimulating debate, critical reflection and creative thinking on a wide and engaging range of topics. His emphasis on the importance of listening as well as speaking, for the teacher as well as the student, is refreshing.' --Dr Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy, University of Sheffield

'Beautifully written, clearly presented and drawing from a wide and rich range of original sources, this is a superb resource for secondary school teachers keen to encourage independent, bold and creative thinking from their students (and perhaps give their own critical faculties a tickle, while they re at it).' --Helen Mulley, editor, Teach Secondary magazine

'A rich, interesting and valuable book, packed full of extremely stimulating and, at times, provocative, starting points for philosophical enquiry.' --Dr John L. Taylor, head of philosophy and director of critical skills, Rugby School, and author of Think Again: A Philosophical Approach to Teaching

Foreword by A.C Grayling. This book is ideal for teachers, whether they are P4C trained or just experimenting with philosophy. It will help teachers to present ideas and stimulate discussions which both accommodate and engage adolescent appetites. Are human beings flawed? Is murder an act of insanity or just plain thoughtlessness? Do we need a soul? From the fall of Icarus to the rise of Caesar this practical book draws upon history, philosophy and literature to provoke students to think, question and wonder. Divided into chapters on The World, Self, Society and Others, this resource for secondary school is written to give teachers the means to listen rather than teach and to allow the ideas and thoughts of students to form the centre of the lesson. It raises questions on the nature of evil, belief in God, slavery, consumerism, utopia, the limits of freedom, and a whole lot more. With a clear introductory outline on its use both in and out of the classroom, Provocations also contains tips and advice to help guide teachers to span the curriculum. Applicable to History, Geography, RS, Science, Art, English and Citizenship it offers teachers of all subjects the opportunity to introduce a student-centred approach to their lessons. There is also an extensive bibliography for those who wish to explore the topics in greater depth. Provocations is a set of philosophy sessions designed for secondary school and predicated on the pedagogical methods of The Philosophy Foundation. These sessions are mature, challenging and provocative, using history, literature, myth and the world today as their basis. Each session contains particular pedagogical tips and advice and suggestions as to how they can be effectively delivered.