Philosophy Camps for Youth: Everything You Wanted to Know about Starting, Organizing, and Running a Philosophy Camp

(Paperback)

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Philosophy Camps for Youth joins its companion, Growing Up with Philosophy Camp, and contributes to the growing body of literature on pre-college philosophy. Providing sound advice, descriptive activities, and precise details for starting, organizing, and running a philosophy camp for pre-K-12 students, Philosophy Camps for Youth is an indispensable guide for anyone interested in hosting their own philosophy camp. The description of diverse camp modelsfrom half day to full day, from one week to multiple weeks, from day-camp to residentialallows readers to build and foster a camp that fits their instructional needs and institutional support. The inclusion of specific camp activities and contributions by campers discussing the activities and themes that had the biggest impact on them, those interested in starting a philosophy camp get valuable guidance from those who have run successful philosophy camps.

Reviews

Philosophy Camps for Youth is a terrific addition to the rapidly growing and much-needed body of literature dedicated to bringing philosophy to young people. A companion to Claire Katz's edited collection, Growing Up With Philosophy Campitself an invaluable account of the power of philosophy to change lives and minds for the betterPhilosophy Camps for Youth is a compelling blend of nuts and bolts guidance for anyone wanting to start up a philosophy camp, and reflections from mentors, campers, and parents on the indelible experience of participating in such a camp. From funding to legal issues to lesson plans and more, Philosophy Camps for Youth will provide the reader keen on starting up a summer philosophy campor adding a philosophy element to an existing campwith tips and invaluable insights based on experience for doing so effectively. But more profoundly, Philosophy Camps for Youth, together with Growing Up with Philosophy Camp, provide abundant evidence that the project of philosophy, of bringing together wonder, creativity and rigor, has the power to feed a human mind, build community, and cement relationships. -- Karen Detlefsen, Professor of Philosophy and Education and Founding director of Penn's Project for Philosophy for the Young, department of philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
Bursting with insight and wisdom that comes from experience, Philosophy Camps for Youth offers a compelling and comprehensive map to guide inquiry into the practicalities and rewards of establishing and working with a young community of philosophical inquirers. The range of contributors celebrates the flexibility of philosophical inquiry to suit any local context, and the sample lessons plans and post camp feedback serve to demonstrate just how valuable it is to give learners a leading role in exploring the curious world of ideas. A heart-warming and hopeful read that will inspire philosophers and educators alike. If there was a copy of this in every library, thered be a philosophy camp in every town! -- Marelle Rice, director, The Thinker's Midwife; director, Philosophy Ireland
Philosophy Camps for Youth is an inspirational volume. It is the absolutely necessary companion piece to Growing Up with Philosophy Camp, because here we learn the logistics of creating a camp from the ground up, how to actually do philosophy with plenty of nuts-and-bolts exercises, and (perhaps best of all) we also get to hear directly from the students and parents about their personal transformations. This book is a sustained refutation of common tropes about the uselessness of the Humanities precisely because it blends the mind-stretching star-gazing of philosophers like Plato with the practical experiences of professors, university students, parents, and the campers themselves. It is also a gift to democracy, because it gives each of us the tools to create our own community of thinkers that can endure beyond a summer camp. Platos Academy is indeed dead: long live the Academy! -- Stefan Dolgert, associate professor, political science, Brock University
Philosophy Camps for Youth is a brilliant collection and so much fun! This book guides you through setting up a philosophy camp for kids, provides sample activities, and gives testimonials from kids who've been there. Find everything you need to set up your own philosophy camp for kids. Highly recommended! -- Kelly Oliver, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University
In an age of unprecedented access to information and unprecedented vulnerability to disinformation, it is important to help young people live examined lives. Philosophy camps are a valuable resource in this effort, and Claire Katzs book is essential reading for anyone looking to run one. What a treasure! -- Paul C. Taylor, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy and department chair, Vanderbilt University
Claire Katz's new volume on the what, why, and how of pre-college philosophy camp offers a much-needed reminder that philosophy is something that we do with other people. Importantly, it goes a step further, showing us that these people have to be neither holders of advanced degrees, nor minimally of college age. Through a number of essays by academic professionals, teachers, students, and camp participants alike, what becomes clear is that philosophy camp is not only a bright spot of genuine intellectual and emotional growth amid a landscape of modern childhood strewn with entertainment and resume-building "activities," but a way in which young people can, and do, discover their identity, their agency, their personhood--and, importantly, those of others. It is a place where youth can be properly "corrupted" to see a different future for themselves than they might have otherwise imagined. And it is in such a setting that they can discover that thinking through some of life's most difficult problems can be less scary and more inviting when done in open, generous, and accepting communities. I must say that I very much wish that my introduction to philosophy began earlier than it in fact did, at the kind of place that Professor Katz, and all the contributors, bring to life on the pages of this important book. -- Anna Gotlib, JD, PhD, associate professor, philosophy, Brooklyn College CUNY
In Philosophy Camps for Youth, the rest of the profession discovers what the state of Texas has known for years: Claire Katzs formula for engaging pre-college youth in philosophical inquiry has to potential to change the scope of higher education for the next half century. Katz makes communities of inquiry between philosophers and youth accessible even to those who are new to teaching middle-and-high schoolers. Perhaps more importantly, the camp models described by Katz and the other contributors provide a map for philosophers who are keenly interested in philosophys future in academia. By following their lead, our pedagogical mission broadens to include those outside of the university, and so, creates new inquirers who will become the thought-and-ethics leaders throughout or institutions, regions, and industries. -- Jill Hernandez, dean, College of Arts & Humanities, Central Washington University
Claire Katz, a leading figure in the pre-college philosophy movement, has compiled the ultimate how-to guide for successfully organizing philosophy camps. Philosophy Camps for Youth should become a foundational resource for all those currently or aspiring to work at the intersection of philosophy and K-12 education. -- Darryl De Marzio, PhD, professor, foundations of education, University of Scranton
In this volume, Claire Katz, a recognized leader in the P4C movement, brings together an excellent assembly of contributors who discuss the nuts and bolts of developing and running a philosophy camp for youth. This collection will be indispensable for anyone thinking about engaging in this important and increasingly popular enterprise. -- Matthew Meyer, associate professor, philosophy, The University of Scranton; faculty director, Slattery Center for Humanities

Author Bio

Claire Elise Katz is associate dean of faculties, the Murray and Celeste chair in distinguished teaching in the liberal arts, and professor of philosophy at Texas A&M University. The author of three monographs and numerous articles, she is the recipient of the Association of Former Students University Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching and the American Philosophical Association Prize for Teaching Excellence.