Pedagogy Seminars

Beginning on July 23-27, 2012, a two-year series of one-day and week-long teacher training seminars are being held at LMU. The aim of these seminars is to familiarize 15 local teachers and administrators with an intellectual virtues approach to education, provide training in this approach, give participants an opportunity to experiment with teaching for intellectual virtues, and solicit feedback on various project materials (e.g. on the Implementation Guide). The seminars are being designed and directed by Jason Baehr, LMU Associate Professor of Philosophy and Project Director for the Intellectual Virtues and Education Project, and Steve Porter, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Biola University.

Seminar participants: Jackie Bryant, Paula Cohen, Justin Cohen, Jason Cruze, Pete Deeble, Dan Honeycutt, Katherine Lo, Sarah Marsh, Ian McCurry, Mynor Montiel, Danielle Montiel, Cari Noble, Julie Santana, Richard Williams, Appie Vanderfluit, and Agustin Vierya.

The main themes or questions of seminars:

1. What is intellectual character? What are intellectual virtues? How are intellectual virtues formed?
2. Why is the goal of fostering intellectual character virtues important to education? How does it compare to other more familiar educational goals like cognitive mastery or critical thinking?
3. How can we as educators “teach for intellectual virtues”? What methods or strategies can we use? How can we play a role in getting our schools to incorporate a concern with intellectual character development?

Seminar objectives:

1. To provide a positive and refreshing environment in which 15 local secondary education teachers and administrators can learn about an intellectual virtues approach to education and begin strategizing about how to implement this approach in their own schools and teaching;
2. To generate genuine excitement and enthusiasm about teaching for intellectual virtues among all participants;
3. To foster a supportive community of teachers and administrators committed to helping each other implement an intellectual virtues approach in their schools and teaching;
4. For each Seminar participant to develop an “Implementation Plan” for integrating an emphasis on intellectual character formation into their school communities or teaching practices, including the specification of concrete goals, an implementation timeline, assessment methods, etc.;
5. To generate interest in teaching for intellectual virtues within the broader educational community (e.g. at the schools of the Seminar participants).

Below is a short video (shot and compiled by Izzy Pollak) of some of the seminar participants sharing their thoughts and experiences with teaching for intellectual virtues: