That philosophy guides the Ethics Department Chair, Sr. Joseph Murphy, for his first-time tenth grade students. Sr. Murphy explains that, “they [students] think of opinions somehow like it’s property that they ‘own it’ somehow, but they really don’t own it fully until they can argue for it. Knowledge in a certain sense is a process, and you have to arrive at a conclusion through a process.”
Over this past Summer 2021, Ethics Department Chair Sr. Joe Murphy contributed a chapter within the anthology Intentional Disruption: Expanding Access to Philosophy (2021) published by Vernon Press. The anthology edited by Stephen Miller outlines how educators in philosophy have implemented the discipline at the pre-college level.
Students are always “in process” in class, formulating their ideas, at times, only in Spanish. Joe Murphy’s chapter “Once a Philosopher-In-Hiding: Teaching Philosophy in Spanish in the USA” details his journey from being the language department chair to trailblazing the now expansive ethics department curricula. He is one of few educators to integrate second language education with philosophical inquiry emphasizing that, “language is a way that we identify ourselves. When we talk and when we use language, it’s one of the ways that we make sense of the world.”
Philosophical education in high schools is often attributed as “critical thinking”. Sr. Murphy argues that what precedes the idea of “critical thinking” is first philosophical inquiry. He has seen what it provides in little moments: parents amazed with how their children have learned to discuss hard questions over the dinner table. Sr. Murphy hopes and implores other schools, administrators, and philosophers-in-hiding to take the leap. After all, they will become the philosophers and leaders of our future.
‘Meet the Challenges and Make It Better’ Presentations
D-E families visited seventh-grade classrooms to listen to students’ “Meet the Challenges and Make It Better” presentations tied to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to address global issues such as climate change, environmental...
Eighth Graders Write Historical Children’s Books
For their American History class, eighth graders wrote and illustrated children’s books based on a historical event from the 1960s. According to Mr. Gautham Akula, Eighth Grade English/ History Teacher, this was a pilot project to teach students “how to create an...
Commencement 2025
The mood was joyous and bittersweet on June 1 as D-E’s graduating seniors, their families, faculty, and staff gathered on Leggett Field for the Commencement ceremony. This momentous event was called to order by Student Government President-Elect Max Koppelman ’26, and...
Kindergarten Zoo
A beloved annual tradition returned to the LS on May 30 when the Kindergarten Zoo was set up by LS teachers Ms. Tricia Fiore P’16,’19, Ms. Kristina Dellefave, Ms. Teresa Cali, and Ms. Meghna Mathur on Mr. Rocky’s Field. Enthusiastic kindergarteners, donning safari...
Sixth Grade Experimental Design Fair
Sixth graders unveiled the results of weeks of scientific research, experimentation, and data analysis for the Sixth Grade Experimental Design Fair, which took place on May 28 in Hajjar Auditorium. “Through hands-on experiments, students have learned to ask meaningful...
Eighth Grade Living Wax Museum
This year’s Eighth Grade Living Wax Museum, facilitated by English Department Faculty Mr. Gautham Akula and Ms. Amanda Burnett, showcased historical figures selected by students. Each student dressed the part and gave a well-rehearsed presentation to families and...
Magic 2025
On May 22, D-E’s school spirit was on full display at the Myrna B. Sherman Gym, where MAGIC happened! Rain kept the annual intramural competition indoors, but it didn’t dampen the sense of community beaming from the rafters. Juniors (Class of 2026) took an early lead...
Senior Selectives & Senior Class Trip
D-E’s Class of 2025 had an active couple of weeks leading up to Commencement on June 1 as part of their Senior Selectives, elective activities organized by US faculty and staff. These included spring roll making, Indian cooking, swing dancing, dog training, and soccer...
Service Learning in Action
Service-learning is an integral aspect of meeting our D-E mission, and as aptly described by Debbie Rivera Murphy ’11, Dean of Student Life, “address[es] compelling societal needs and teach[es] our students why social issues matter for all of us, especially in an...
