In this thirty-seventh episode of the Philosophy Bakes Bread radio show and podcast, Eric Weber and Anthony Cashio interview Nick Caltagiarone, who’s been teaching history for 16 years at the West Chicago Community High School, and has taught philosophy there as well for 13 of those years. We spoke with Nick about “Philosophy in High School,” asking why and how to teach philosophy in high school, as well as about Nick’s experience.
Weber met Caltagiarone at the 2017 meeting of the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (P.L.A.T.O.), which was held in June at the University of Chicago. Caltagiarone has charted his own course, given that there are not many resources designed for helping people to teach philosophy at that level. His story is inspired and inspiring, and can offer guidance for other high school teachers interested in trying their hands at teaching philosophy to high schoolers.
Listen for our “You Tell Me!” questions and for some jokes in one of our concluding segments, called “Philosophunnies.” Reach out to us on Facebook @PhilosophyBakesBread and on Twitter @PhilosophyBB; email us at philosophybakesbread@gmail.com; or call and record a voicemail that we play on the show, at 859.257.1849. Philosophy Bakes Bread is a production of the Society of Philosophers in America (SOPHIA). Check us out online at PhilosophyBakesBread.com and check out SOPHIA at PhilosophersInAmerica.com.