"Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids"

"Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids" by Marietta McCarty (Tarcher, New York City, 2006) is one of the most important books about the new children, today's children, yet written - and I want you to know about it. Please buy two copies: one for you and the other to take to your nearest school administrator. I've been following Marietta's work for years. She's been outspoken in her insistence that philosophy needs to be taught in grade school. I proposed the same thing in my book "Beyond the Indigo Children." It is a must - now I know why. Philosophy is the art of clear thinking. The ability to think critically and examine one's life is essential to healthy living and the continuance of democratic societies. Our new children are the smartest in history. Most of them know more than their parents do, not to mention their educators. I don't care if they're flunking in school and can't spell - they're smart, and they're clever, inventive, intuitive, and quite incredibly amazing. Forget labels of "indigo," and "crystal" and "starseed." None of these labels adequately describe the range of mind and abilities our new children possess. They're greatest talent, though, and research bears this out, is their ability to abstract: think outside the box. And this great ability is lost with far too many of them by the ages of 13 to 15. Why? Studies tell us the culprit is virtual realities/synthetic worlds. Not that any of these are bad, because they are not. But the kids are using too many of these electronic wonders at too young an age and for too many hours each day, and it's interfering with brain development. What better way to correct this than teaching philosophy in classrooms, in homes, each one teach one: the kids can do it.

Marietta's book has all the tools, examples, and instruction needed for anyone, I repeat anyone, to take philosophy into kindergarten and grades up to the eighth. The best years are the first three grades in school. PHILOSOPHY BELONGS IN GRADE SCHOOL ! ! ! The more open your mind, the better able you are to listen to others. As your mind expands, so does your heart! Our new children are ready for philosophy. It will help them to refine what they already know! Please, buy two books: one for you and the other for your nearest school administrator. Learning the art of clear thinking is more important than you can imagine.

Thank you, PMH