25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Challenging life questions are made approachable, January 12, 2007
This review is from: Little Big Minds (Paperback)
Wow! This book challenges us all to use our big minds to chew on the thought-provoking topics contained. Thank goodness for chapters! Each one is worthy of stimulating conversations- and the meaty discussion questions that are offered are a great place to begin.
This is a read-out-loud type of book, one to be marked up and ruminated upon. The implications for teaching critical thinking skills for children are staggering. Adults, be prepared for mind-stretching responses from the little big minds. For children and adults alike, we need this book. The potential for lively dialogue amongst people of all ages abounds.
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the world of education needs this book!, January 7, 2007
This review is from: Little Big Minds (Paperback)
This is not the sort of book I would normally buy...a friend gave it to me to read... from reading it I came to realize a bigger picture. Imagine the possibilities of a kinder gentler more thoughtful world. These little minds taught me to see in a better way.
Teacher and parents will want to get this book into the school curriculum asap! Tax $$ put to good use on this endeavor. I can see a 12 year course built around this one. WIsh it were available when my kids were in school.
A thought provoking and fun read too.
RTL
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Judge this book by its cover!, April 25, 2007
This review is from: Little Big Minds (Paperback)
Despite the old saying "You cannot judge a book by its cover," the reader will immediately be attracted to Little Big Minds because of its appearance. The child on the front captivates your attention; the Greek writing on the authentic chalkboard tempts you to decipher what's inside; and delving into all the pages between the cover results in a quest to know more, do more, BE more.
When I first discovered this book, just days after its release, I knew that I wanted to teach philosophy to students of my own, as soon as possible. I was inspired by the content of the book, the anecdotes sprinkled throughout the text, and the sheer passion with which this book was written. Marietta McCarty's book makes it possible for anyone to teach philosophy to children.
Using her work as a springboard for my own ideas, I created a two-week plan to teach philosophy to students at the University of Virginia's Summer Enrichment Program. The book is quite literally a how-to on teaching philosophy. It is filled with discussion questions, resources, exercises, teaching tips and suggestions, and is structured very much like a well-written lesson plan. A wide variety of topics are addressed, including happiness; courage; freedom; responsibility; love; death; prejudice; justice; and many others. Students can learn to engage in meditation, thoughtful and meaningful discussion, and to develop introspection. Philosophers ranging from Socrates to Sartre are introduced and included in a way that makes them very accessible to young minds. Connections are made to art, music, poetry, and other great works. Perhaps most striking is that talking about philosophy, teaching philosophy, and practicing philosophy can truly shape or even change our everyday lives; Little Big Minds shows us exactly how to make it happen.
Quite simply, this book is an inspiration, a must-have, one that grabs your attention from the moment you see it and leaves you thinking about it long after you have finished reading it.
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