a NEH Summer Institute for High School Teachers, July 8-August 2, 2013
Mitchell Green, Director.
Thank you for your interest in becoming an NEH Summer Scholar at the upcoming Summer Institute in Philosophy entitled Epic Questions II: Mind, Meaning and Morality, to be held from July 8 to August 4 at the University of Virginia. In what follows you will find more details about the Institute, which we hope will be stimulating, informative and enjoyable. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you have further questions. We hope you’ll apply to join us here at U.Va.!
Sincerely,(¤) Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
(collapse and return to top)The Epic Questions Institute aims to support the teaching of philosophy in American high schools by means of a four-week, intensive exposure to some of the main topics within the field. I, together with my Associate Director, Jennifer Gurley, and five Visiting Lecturers (Professor John Arras, Professor Alisa Carse, Professor Mara Harrell, Professor Trenton Merricks, Professor Rebecca Stangl,), will lead and facilitate discussions on these topics, provide reading and writing assignments, and support the development of course syllabi. Our work will be further enhanced by our On-Site Coordinator, Mr. Corin Fox. We hope thereby to provide NEH Summer Scholars with the knowledge, skills, materials and confidence to return to their schools with an heightened ability to incorporate philosophy into their teaching. We are eager to serve secondary-level teachers from public, private, parochial, and home-school contexts, from all geographical areas within the U.S., and from a wide variety of backgrounds. No previous formal training in philosophy is required for eligibility. I am honored and excited to partner with the aforementioned colleagues and the National Endowment for the Humanities in order to make this Institute possible.
The rationale for this Institute is as follows. For many years I have been struck by the contrast between American and European approaches to teaching philosophy at the secondary level. While philosophy is quite commonly taught in European high schools (particularly those in Germany, France, Italy and the Low Countries), it tends to be the exception rather than the norm in American high schools. Not all aspects of European philosophical pedagogy merit transplanting here; yet I believe that so long as our students can engage actively with philosophy, they can benefit from it. In particular, such active engagement can help our students:
The above three aims inspired me in 2009 to found the High-Phi Project, which, as the name suggests, supports the teaching of philosophy in American high schools. Such teaching need not take the form of a full-semester course in philosophy. While such courses are valuable, many schools lack the resources to offer them. Rather, the High-Phi Project is equally enthusiastic about supporting teachers who teach more standard subjects (English, Math, History, etc.) but would like to incorporate philosophical inquiry into their syllabi. Say for instance that you teach English literature and regularly cover a novel in which a character confronts a moral dilemma. How can you guide your students into a reflective discussion of what that character should or might do that goes beyond the venting of subjective opinions? Or suppose you are a science teacher who would like to discuss with students what it means to confirm a theory even when the available evidence leaves open the possibility that it may be mistaken in some way? How, by means of such a discussion, can you guide your students to appreciate the difference between dogma and knowledge? The High-Phi Project aims to support you in these and like endeavors, and the Epic Questions Institute puts that aim into action.
The Institute will run for four weeks on the grounds of the beautiful and historic University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson. A more detailed schedule is available in a table below, but the basic format is as follows: in each of the four five-day working weeks, two faculty experts will lead discussions for the first four days. One will lead discussion on Monday/Tuesday, and another will lead discussion on Wednesday/Thursday. Friday will be set aside for you to work independently or in small groups to incorporate what you have learned into a syllabus or course unit. That work will be carried out within easy reach of the faculty members who have led discussions on earlier days of that week, so that you may consult with them as further questions arise. I will also be on hand throughout each week to answer questions.
(¤) Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
(collapse and return to top)A list of readings will not be finalized until we have a profile of our group of NEH Summer Scholars for 2013. However, all participants will be sent a copy of and asked to read my book, Engaging Philosophy: A Brief Introduction (Hackett Publishing Co.) before arriving on the University of Virginia campus in July. This text was written as a gentle introduction to philosophy that familiarizes readers with the some of the major issues and techniques in the field. In addition, soon after our reading list is made final, we will provide copies of all remaining readings in either hard or electronic copy, depending on the preference of each incoming Summer Scholar.
(¤) Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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In addition to the above “core” faculty, we will also have on hand an advanced graduate student who will support our efforts:
Full-time teachers in American high schools, whether public, charter, independent, or religiously affiliated, as well as home-schooling parents, are eligible to apply to the Epic Questions Institute. Americans citizens teaching abroad are also eligible if a majority of the students they teach are also American citizens. Librarians and school administrators may also be eligible as space permits. We seek a diverse group of participants, both geographically, culturally, and in terms of the kinds of schools represented. Further, no previous formal training in philosophy is required. Moreover, and has been emphasized above, we are eager to support not only teachers aiming to teach a full-term philosophy course, but also those teaching non-philosophy courses but who would like to incorporate philosophical pedagogy into their classrooms. Finally, as a new initiative, the NEH allows us to admit up to three graduate students currently enrolled in Philosophy doctoral programs who are seriously considering a career in teaching at the secondary level.
(collapse and return to top)Each day of the Institute will divide into morning (9 am to noon) and afternoon (1:30 to 5 pm) sessions. On Mondays through Thursdays, the morning session will be broken into two parts, the first of which will be an hour-long discussion led by myself on some core topic in philosophy: logic, fallacies, conceptual analysis, argument construction, the method of counterexamples, varieties of meaning, etc. The second part of the morning session (10 am to noon) will be led by a Visiting Lecturer who will speak for two hours (with one or more breaks during that period) on a topic in his or her area of expertise. We will break for ninety minutes each day for lunch, and this will be followed by a second presentation by the Visiting Lecturer (1:30-3:30 pm). After a half-hour break (3:30-4 pm) we will convene for a roundtable discussion led by Green, Jennifer Gurley, and the day’s Visiting Lecturer (4-5 pm).
Fridays will be devoted to curriculum development. In the mornings of these days (9 am to noon), teachers will use the resources of the Scholar’s Lab in Alderman Library, or whatever other milieu they prefer, to develop curricula reflecting what they have learned from the previous four days. After a lunch break, participants will divide into groups of five in order to present their results and receive comments from others. Visiting Lecturers who have taught earlier in that week will make themselves available that day to review newly drafted syllabi, and to answer any questions that the teachers may have.
Before their arrival in Charlottesville for the Epic Questions Institute, all Summer Scholars will be asked to read Engaging Philosophy: A Brief Introduction (Hackett Publishing, 2006), by Mitchell Green. A free copy will be mailed to all Summer Scholars in May.
The readings listed below will be posted on a website at the University of Virginia, and all NEH Summer Scholars will have free online access to it and its contents. (Please note that this list is subject to change.)
They may be housed in Brown Residential College (pictured below), located in the heart of the U.Va. campus and a two minute walk to the Department of Philosophy, where all seminars and lectures will be held. In Brown College, each participant will have his or her own bedroom, which is part of a larger suite. Such suites each contain two rooms adjoined to one, two, or three other suites via a common bathroom. All suites are air-conditioned, and come furnished with two captain’s beds with six drawers, two closets, four overhead shelves, two desks with bookcases, two chairs, individual connections to the University’s computer network, phone service with voice mail, and basic cable at an additional charge.
More information is available at the Brown College website: http://www.virginia.edu/browncollege/index.php?page=front
Institute participants may instead choose to reside in Lambeth Field Apartments (pictured below). Located about two blocks north of Central Grounds, all 174 apartments in the 24 buildings of Lambeth Field contain either two or three double-occupancy bedrooms. Each apartment is air-conditioned and has 1½ or 2 baths, a living room and kitchen with stove, refrigerator and sink. Apartments are furnished with a sofa, two arm chairs, coffee table, two end tables with lamps, and dining table with chairs. Free basic cable service is included in the living room. The complex provides laundry machines, a vending area, and a convenience store. Lambeth Apartments are about a fifteen to twenty minute walk from the Department of Philosophy, or a short bus ride on the campus shuttle bus.
More information on Lambeth Field Apartments is available at: http://www.virginia.edu/housing/options.php?id=lambeth
A stipend of $3300.00 will be given to each NEH Summer Scholar. This will be paid in two equal parts, one upon your arrival in Charlottesville, and the other upon the close of the Institute. Please note that we strongly encourage NEH Summer Scholars to reside at Brown College between July 8 and August 4, and if you choose to do so, payment for room, board and parking on campus will be deducted from your stipend. We do not yet know the exact rates for Brown College for that period, but based on recent numbers we expect four weeks of room, board and on-campus parking to total approximately $1200.00. This amount will be deducted from the stipend for those who choose to reside in Brown College. Accordingly, and working with the $1200.00 figure for the time being, this would mean that Institute participants who reside in Brown College will be given the first half of $2100.00 ($3300-$1200) upon their arrival in Charlottesville, and the second half at the close of the Institute, conditional upon their full and satisfactory participation therein. [Rates for room and board are subject to confirmation.]
(collapse and return to top)“The Epic Questions Institute is the most intellectually engaging endeavor I’ve participated in since graduate school; I can say with certainty that I’m better teacher because of it. My curriculum is more rigorous, and I’ve seen my students rise to the occasion as I’ve implemented more and more philosophy into my classes. Students love being able to ask big questions and search for answers, and in attending the Epic Questions Institute, I’ve learned how to engage them in this process.”
“I thought that the Institute was excellent. I’m still working to employ all the things I learned while I was there. …I loved the experience. I learned a ton about how to introduce philosophy to newcomers, and UVa is beautiful.”
“The Epic Questions Institute was both challenging and exceptionally rewarding. Whether you are a beginner in philosophy or a graduate student in the field, it offers valuable substance for all. The teachers in my group were quite diverse in their exposure to the various topics, but we all knew what we were getting from the Institute was truly valuable. With the Common Core’s emphasis on argumentation, the thinking encouraged by Mitch Green and his colleagues will be all the more important in the classroom. I would love to do it all again. U.Va. and Charlottesville are a treat too.”
“My experience at the NEH “Epic Questions” Summer Institute for Teachers at the University of Virginia was very rewarding personally and professionally. Prof. Mitch Green put together a wonderful short course on key philosophical issues and invited captivating, dynamic guest lecturers to lead us thirty or so participants into serious dialogue with not only the older philosophical tradition but also with those contemporary thinkers who are making news in philosophical reflection. He also built lessons on logic and notation into the daily meetings so that those of us who lacked that experience would go home with some logic literacy. The classroom discussions were always exciting– a testament to the high quality of interest and background of the teachers selected to participate –and discussions often spilled over into lunches and dinners and other contexts in which we enjoyed each other’s company. Another valuable aspect of the course was Prof. Green’s concern to relate what we were studying to the challenges that we teachers actually face in our classrooms as we try to bring elementary and secondary students to a deeper awareness of the philosophical enterprise. With regard to the general cultural and historical opportunities afforded by the university, Charlottesville and the surrounding area, I found it always hard to decide which opportunity for exploration to pursue on the weekends.
“Since returning from the seminar, I have found that it made me a better high school history teacher by having acquainted me more intimately with some of the key philosophical issues with which all human societies wrestle in some fashion. I am better able to articulate some of the critical philosophical and political views that have emerged over time and better informed about the contemporary scene, always what most immediately affects my students. I am also the advisor for my high school’s philosophy club, and participation in the Epic Questions seminar gave me a multitude of new ideas and viewpoints to share with my young philosophers. Some of the sources Mitch and my fellow participants shared with me have been used in every class I have taught and at every meeting of our philosophy club held since I returned from Virginia.
“Finally, I enjoyed meeting and working with my fellow participants at the seminar. Not only were they a highly engaging group of charming individuals, but it was enormously profitable professionally to spend three weeks thinking and talking to other teachers who think about these same issues and teach young people how to join in that reflection in their classrooms. I picked up a lot of great ideas and strategies for communicating my ideas and interests to my students. It was a rich experience I can heartily recommend to all teachers who apply.”
“1. I really liked Mitch Green. He was very responsive to the group’s needs. I also appreciated how well organized the Institute was. I enjoyed the hiking trip/restaurant experience and the outing to Monticello. Reading Mitch’s book, Engaging Philosophy, before coming to the Institute was extremely helpful, essential for someone like me who had less background experience than other Institute participants who teach philosophy.
“2. I really like the visiting professors and how we got a taste of different branches of philosophy. Each professor stretched my thinking. And, as a side benefit, I picked up some pedagogical tricks from watching the various professors teach.
“3. I found the other Institute participants interesting and inspiring. I really enjoyed the group discussions and hearing various participants’ viewpoints.
“4. I realized the importance of being able to back up one’s thinking with “proofs.” I am better able to spot fallacious reasoning.
“5. In my own teaching, I do a better job of asking students to support their positions and to gently challenge positions that are illogical. I have engaged my high school freshmen with Pascal’s Wager as a result of the Institute.”
“Diversity of the 2011 group in terms of age, gender, level of teaching, and knowledge of philosophy proved to be a real strength. Teachers from middle school, high school, college, and even a prison program added a wide range of experience and perspective to the discussions and cooperative lesson planning sessions. Some of the participants brought considerable knowledge of philosophy to the program, some very little, but everyone, regardless of prior knowledge, felt completely and comfortably included in all parts of the program.
“The seminar inspired me to design a a philosophy course with a colleague at my high school which will include both a study of philosophy and opportunities for the students to engage our younger (middle and lower) students in age appropriate philosophical texts and discussions. The accommodations for participants were very comfortable. Most of the world class campus facilities were opened to everyone. The central campus, with the Rotunda and Lawn (and where the seminar took place) provides a unique reflection of the enlightened influences on Thomas Jefferson, founder and designer of the original Grounds. In the three weeks of the program, participants took a hike in the Blue ridge Mountains, visited Jefferson’s home, Monticello, and James Madison’s home, Montpelier, traveled to nearby wineries, including Dave Mathews’ winery just outside Charlottesville, among other adventures.”
“What was especially useful as a teacher of Senior Project, a workshop in research, writing and public speaking that all of our seniors complete was the emphasis on healthy skepticism and the need for rational proof for assertions. Asking the simple question: “How do you know that?” or “What do you base that on?” became my mantra this term. In my course this fall I incorporated readings by Clifford and Michael Sandel. The fact that many students choose contemporary topics to investigate that have an ethical component made our discussions of ethical dilemmas especially relevant. The sessions where we had an opportunity to talk to colleagues about their classrooms, goals and practices were especially helpful and enriching. Guest speakers for individual topics created variety and provided a good overview of contemporary issues in philosophy today.”
“Thank you again for such an inspiring and informative three weeks. The material has proven to be very helpful in guiding my students in philosophy. The Institute provided such depth of resources and food for thought, so that two years later I find myself developing new units influenced by our readings and discussions. Students have benefitted both from “engaging philosophy” and developing effective argument skills. In fact, yesterday a student who is President of our Philosophy Club said, “When I try to come up with discussion topics for club meetings, I just think about what we did in AP Language today.”
I will hold “office hours” for 45 minutes before some of the morning sessions, and again during our lunch break. These will be 8-8:45 a.m., and 12:30-1:15 p.m., and will be held on two days of each week. During the first week of the Institute, I will schedule fifteen-minute individual conferences with Institute participants. I will do the same again during the final week of the Institute. Additional appointments can be made as needed.
All NEH Summer Scholars will have borrowing privileges at the main University libraries, as well as wifi access to the Internet while on campus.
Some NEH Summer Scholars may wish to receive Continuing Education credit for their work. If you would like to do so, please make us aware of this fact after being accepted for participation in the Institute. Within reasonable limits, we will help to facilitate this.
While enrolled in the Institute, all NEH Summer Scholars will have the status of Visiting Scholars at the University.
(collapse and return to top)If you wish to apply to the Institute, please be sure to read the NEH’s application instructions and criteria, where you will also find out how to go about submitting your application: https://securegrants.neh.gov/education/participants/.
The essay that you submit as part of this process will be given a great deal of weight by the selection committee, so in it please be sure to explain the nature of your interest in the Epic Questions Institute, your relevant qualifications, as well as how you hope to use the knowledge and skills gained from it in enhancing what you do in the classroom. Please let us emphasize again, however, that you need not have studied philosophy before this point in order to be a competitive candidate for admission to the Epic Questions Institute.
As part of your application, you need to secure two reference letters. Please ask your recommenders to sign their name across the flap of their letter to ensure confidentiality. You must submit their letters with your application.
Your application must be postmarked no later than midnight on March 4, 2013. It should be sent to:
The application cover sheet must be filled out online by clicking here. Please follow the instructions for filling it out and submitting it. You will also need to print it out before clicking the ‘submit’ button and use it as the cover sheet for your application package.
(collapse and return to top)If you have any questions, please write to: epicquestionsneh@gmail.com. Thank you again for your interest in the Epic Questions Institute. My colleagues and I look forward to hearing from you!
If you’d prefer filling out our contact form, please head over to our contact page.
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