Methods of Teaching and Curriculum

Philosophy Position Paper

The goal of your philosophy position paper is to convince your reader that your opinion is valid and defensible on one of the topic of Methods of Teaching and Curriculum

Then create a philosophy position paper by drawing on the ideas you formulated in our first class; what you have learned from reading the course text, supporting and supplemental readings; class content and discussions.

When formulating a thesis and structuring your essay, take one side of an argument that genuinely interests you and you are passionate about (within the context of this course) and determine what approach to the topic you favor. Your paper should explain why the approach you favor is better than other approaches examined in the course.

Establish your argument by considering the following:

a) Is this an issue of interest and has genuine controversy?
b) Can you identify at least two other distinctive positions?
c) Are you personally interested in advocating for this approach?

After establishing your argument, do some deeper thinking and apply the following questions and ideas to your paper:

a) What ontological, epistemological and axial positions do I take?
b) The ideal education for children
c) The ideal education for yourself
d) The ideal education to create a better world
e) The role of power and authority in education
f) Ways to reform educational institutions

Before you conclude, ask yourself:

a) Do I have enough material to support my opinion?
b) Is there enough background on the topic to help “locate” my reader?
c) Have I given enough evidence to support my position?