Subject of philosophy in secondary schools of Lithuania: curricula, teaching tools and practical aspects

Straipsnyje atskleidžiama filosofijos kaip mokomosios disciplinos samprata ir raida Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo vidurinėse mokyklose 1992–2007 metais. Aprašomi filosofijos dėstymui parengti standartai, mokymo programos ir jų turinio problematika. Taip pat apžvelgiami ugdymo procesui naudojami filosofijos vadovėliai, filosofijos olimpiadų užduotys ir jų organizavimo struktūra. Straipsnyje gilinamasi į praktinius filosofijos mokytojo ir mokinių santykių aspektus, svarstomos kai kurios aktualios filosofijos kaip mokomojo dalyko didaktikos problemos, aptariamos ir siūlomos mokinių pažangos vertinimo formosThe didactics of philosophy, as a teaching discipline, is one issue investigated in this article. Issues of importance regarding education in Lithuania are raised and their methods of resolution are deliberated. Philosophy, in the curriculum for general education and educational standards, is considered as an optional discipline in the social sciences. Realistically, however, it belongs as a course in the moral education. It supplements the curriculum for teaching ethics and religion along with studies on religions and psychology. In independent Lithuania, J. Baranova and R. Šerpytytė compiled the philosophy curriculum for the process of teaching philosophy in 1994. Later an individual study programme in philosophy was developed in 1999 and a general philosophy curriculum in 2002. The first textbook used for lessons was ‘Introduction to Philosophy’ by A. Anzenbacher (1992). A decade later, a textbook suitable for the curriculum appeared, ‘Philosophy for the 11th and 12th grades’ by T. Sodeika and J. Baranova (2002). The Olympiad of philosophy, organized annually for the students of the country since 1997, has made the subject of philosophy more popular. The Olympiads train students in skills for critical thinking and writing philosophical essays, strengthen integrity with other subjects being taught and activate undertakings by teachers of ethics and philosophy. This is the main event, coordinated jointly by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Association of Philosophy Teachers in Lithuania. The tradition for teaching philosophy, which had been severed during Soviet times, currently demands that students understand the abstract concept of “philosophy” and its meaningfulness regarding their own experiences. Therefore, a relationship of dialogue between the teacher and student takes on an important role in the education of philosophy.[...]Humanitarinių mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta