Stage 1 - 14th and 15th April 2012

Due to a high demand for our training, and the inclusion of philosophy in the new interim National Curriculum Review which has been published, we have decided to run another Stage 1 course earlier than expected.

"Being with so many philosophically minded people was very affirming and it gave me so much energy to start new things. The course itself was fantastic and a real eye opener - I can't praise it highly enough. Thank you for what must have been the immense amount of time and effort in putting this together - it is a truly wonderful thing" John Geldard

Becoming a philosophy teacher with The Philosophy Foundation means you will join a community of philosophers who share ideas, practice and resources. You will have the charities support when approaching and working in schools, as well as work opportunities and professional development. Our training in Philosophical Enquiry in the classroom can also be easily transferred to adult groups and community settings.

The training to become a specialist philosophy teacher with The Philosophy Foundation involves:

Attending the Stage 1 course (12 hours)
Observing at least one of our specialists in school (1 hour)
Facilitating a minimum of 5 sessions in school (5 hours)
Self-evaluation of your sessions (written work, 3-4 hours)

We will observe your first and last sessions in our training school (or alternative), and offer feedback and assessment throughout your training. You will be assessed on your final session and be passed as a Level 1 or Level 2 Specialist, or be advised to continue your training with us as a Trainee.

Our next Stage 1 Course to train to become a specialist with us is on April 14th and 15th at Horniman Primary School in Forest Hill, London.

The Stage 1 2 day course is practical, fun and focused on developing the necessary skills to get you going in the classroom as soon as possible. All attendees will facilitate a short Enquiry, and there are games played throughout the course that can be used in philosophy sessions, or any classroom or group setting.

We require a minimum of a BA single or joint honours in philosophy (or equivalent) in order to become a specialist with us, however, the course is also relevant for those working in schools who would like to find out more about running Enquiry sessions in schools or with young people. No experience of working in schools is necessary and we welcome philosophy undergraduates.

The course is £295 (10% discount for students) and includes:

* Philosophy Foundation Stage 1 Handbook – including 10 sessions (not in The If Machine)
* The training package described above
* Free membership to the website for 3 months
* Ongoing support and invitations to Continued Professional Development days to help build repertoire and skills

Attending the course will give you:

* Ability to run philosophy sessions with Key Stage 2 children (primary age 8-11) and above
* A model that can be easily transferred to older age groups and adults
* Teaching strategies for developing autonomous, critical and creative thinking
* Work opportunities through The Philosophy Foundation
* An introduction to a like-minded community where you can share experiences and resources

If you are interested in booking a place on the course please download the application form and email it to emma@philosophy-foundation.org. Space is limited and places are allocated on an application being received and a £50 deposit being paid.

To find out more about our work and training call Emma on 020 8699 9314.

"Right from the beginning [the course] was practical and applicable fueled with dialectics, games, education methods and philosophy." Jan Kautz