This week is our Christmas special, with a new version of “The Night Before Christmas” that shows Santa in an ethical dilemma with only one present left and two deliveries to make! I’ve been using this (and Philosophical Pictionary, which speaks for itself) in the last week of online classes for this year over at www.p4he.org
Before those, a couple of announcements. We’ve had a late postponement for the 2nd January, so if you can rejig your INSET day to accommodate lively and motivating oracy/philosophy training, get in touch here.
Discount Code for January Weekender
Also, here’s a voucher code your students (or your own children) can use to get a discount on our January 5th-7th Weekender near Kettering, Northants. It’s a packed programme for anyone aged 11-18. Participants rave about these events (“When one ends I immediately start counting down the days to the next one!”), which attract a mix of home-educated and general-purpose curious minds.
It’s a very friendly environment for neurodiverse and for especially bright children – teens have been spotted playing strategic board games before breakfast! I continue to be rather jealous that I didn’t get to go on these events when I was a lad. You might know a bright student who hasn’t found their tribe at school, and this could be big for them.
Here’s the list of the courses to choose from (4 over the weekend). For more details click here.
Technics LEGO Bomb Engineering
Dungeon Master Masterclass (whole day, counts as 2 courses)
D&D
Debating: Defence Against the The Dark Arts
Puppetry
Human Robots (coding without the code)
Go, Viral (biology without the biology)
Schools of Acting
Chess, but Not as We Know It
Clowning
Sonneteers
Buddhist Meditation & Mindfulness
Games from Across the Globe
The cost is £275, but use the code HOHOHMM to get £50 off. We’ve still got some spaces left, and it’s a great shame for an event as good as this not to be full.
Santa’s Dilemma
‘Twas the night before Christmas, somewhere in the town
Santa inspected his bag with a frown.
For in this philosophical Yuletide tale,
Santa faced a dilemma that caused him to pale.
He saw “Eric Bogglesthwaite” there on his list.
There should have been two: but one had been missed!
In his bag was one present, a kite that was swift,
But two children were left, both deserving a gift.
One boy, sweet and kind, with a heart full of glee,
Another, less pleasant, but poor as could be.
Both wrote to St. Nick, their wishes sincere,
But alas, only one gift was left in his gear.
So, should Santa give more thought to merit or need?
Should he give to the poor, or reward the kind deed?
The decision is yours, on this holiday eve,
Who should be disappointed and who should receive?
I preface reading the poem by saying that we’re treating this as a real dilemma for a real Santa, one that he cannot just solve magically – otherwise there’s no philosophy for us to do!
This and our previous Christmas specials are at www.thephilosophyman.com/christmas.
Best wishes,
Jason & Tom