The UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY (UFV) and THE VANCOUVER INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN (VIP4C) are joining energies to bring “fun” and “thinking” to youngsters in the Fraser Valley by putting on 2 camps for each of two weeks (4 camps altogether).
WHEN
Camp 1 – July 8-12 (9:00-4:00)
Camp 2 – July 15-19 (9:00-4:00)
Drop off from 8:30 – 9am. Pick up from 4:00 – 4:30pm
WHERE
WHY
First and foremost, these camps are designed to be FUN!!! YEAH!!!
In the process, though, all campers will be participating in communities of inquiry that will: prime the “thinking pump”; Show that there are standards for thinking, i.e., there is good or bad thinking; help develop a respectful mode of communication; help develop the strength to listen to opposing viewpoints; demonstrate the advantage of “thinking together”; and hence alter “person-perception,” i.e., we come to value each other even in disagreement; change the structure of behaviour in the sense that in becomes routine for thinking to precede action; strengthen “self-generative capacities” in the sense of being able to think through who one wants to become as a person; enhance personal positive valance as function of the fact that one’s obvious “reasonableness” is positively valued by others—all of the above while engaging in real world, albeit fun, activities so that participants learn that thinking is not something done only in school, thinking is important for life.
WHO
Dr. Susan Gardner (Dr. Sue), graduate of Oxford University, Philosophy Professor at Capilano University and Director of The Vancouver Institute of Philosophy for Children (www.vip4c.ca), and Arthur Wolf from the University of British Columbia and Education Director at The Thinking Playground, will supervise the construction of the philosophically-based programs, as well as their implemen- tation. They will be assisted by Anastasia Anderson from the philosophy department at UFV who will also be present throughout the camp experience. Each camp team will consist of at least one graduate student, an undergraduate with extensive training in philoso- phy, and at least two volunteers, who have philosophical and/or early childhood education background. We will ensure that the ratio of counsellor/camper never falls below 1/7 campers.
PRICE
$250 for early registration, (i.e., before May 15); $275 after May 15th
Please visit thinkingplayground.org for more information and to register!
