Procedures to Follow in Teaching for Wisdom

1. Students would read works of literature and philosophy (whether Western or other- wise) to
learn and reflect upon the wisdom of they contain.
2. Students would be engaged in class discussions, projects, and essays that encouraged them to
discuss the lessons they have learned from these works, and how they can be applied to the
students' own lives and the lives of others.
3. Students would need to study not only so-called truth, as we know it, but values. The idea is
to avoid force-feeding a set of values and to focus on encouraging students reflectively to
develop their own values.
4. Such instruction would place an increased emphasis on critical, creative, and practical
thinking in the service of good ends-ends that go beyond individual interests.
5. Students would be encouraged to think about how knowledge can be used for better or worse
ends and to realize that the way knowledge is used matters.
6. Teachers would realize the importance of serving as role models of wisdom themselves. In a
wisdom-based approach to teaching, students take a more active role in constructing their
learning rather than just seeking the right answers to pass a class.
 Assessment of Wisdom

Felicia and Alexander have been in an intimate relationship for their entire four years of college.
Felicia has now been accepted for graduate school in French by a prestigious graduate program
in northern California. Alexander was not admitted to the law school in this university, nor to
any other law school in the northern California area. Alexander was admitted to a good although
not outstanding law school in southern California, but he was also admitted to an outstanding law
school in Massachusetts. Felicia has no viable opportunities for graduate study on the East Coast,
at least at this time. Alexander is trying to decide whether to attend the less prestigious law
school in southern California or the more prestigious one in Massachusetts. He would like to
continue the relationship, as would Felicia, and both ultimately hope to get married to each other.
A complicating factor is that the law school in Massachusetts has offered Alexander a half-
scholarship, whereas the law school in southern California has not offered financial aid for the
first year, although it has indicated that there is a possibility of financial aid in subsequent years.
Alexander’s parents have indicated that while they would be willing to pay his half-tuition for
the more prestigious law school, they do not believe it is fair to ask them to pay full tuition for
the less prestigious one. They also believe his going to the less prestigious law school will only
hurt Alexander’s career advancement. Felicia is torn and is leaving it to Alexander to decide
what to do. What should Alexander do and why?