Are College Students Educable?

Abstract

One is usually optimistic at beginnings. Before the new spring semester was under way, I was especially hopeful of rectifying some of my past teaching failures. This time, I thought, my philosophy class would be more vital and stimulating because I would begin by examining and taking up the students' real concerns. It had been a mistake to draw up a syllabus for a semester's work without even meeting with my students first to discuss whether they really wanted to explore the issues I had chosen. This time I would reflect upon and discuss whatever philosophical problems they found important, for as long as they wished. I indicated to the class, as uncomplicatedly as I could, what I thought was the essence of philosophizing and I tried to show the great range of topics that could be treated philosophically e.g., Is God Dead?, The Nature of the Black Man's Problem, Who is Woman?, Of What Value is Contemporary Art?, etc. I also said that we would not have to use books, that our source material could be novels, newpapers, comics, films, museums, or personal recollections. I told the class that I would not lecture but moderate their discussions, intervening only when I thought the discussion had become hopelessly confused, repetitious, or way off a philosophical course. And I assured the students that they need not fret about grades. Everyone would pass even if he did no work at all. Papers would be assigned periodically, but no one would have to write a word if he did not think it was of importance for him to do so. My reason for modifying traditional ways of teaching was fairly straight-