An introduction to Philosophy for Children (P4C)
Reflections on P4C and Teaching in British Columbia
The following is an adaptation of an assignment I completed during the University of British Columbia Teacher Education program: The power of story is one of my biggest takeaways from both the University of British Columbia Bachelor of Education program per se as well as my own reflection over the course of the program. Story…
P4C and the BC Curriculum: Social Studies
The British Columbia Social Studies curriculum is particularly amenable to Philosophy for Children pedagogy. While P4C and Art are virtually a perfect match, the discussions are almost solely ideal, rather than practical. To be clear, this has immense value; but practical discussions also have value. Social Studies, perhaps by definition, is a practical exercise. Thankfully,…
P4C and the BC Curriculum: Art
Axiology is the study of value: what is valuable or valued and why we value it. Axiology is broken into two parts: ethics and aesthetics. Ethics is concerned with good action; aesthetics is concerned with beauty. Aesthetics pops up in the curriculum in two main places: Art and English Language Arts. This post will look…
What is a philosophical discussion in the P4C classroom?
What are the constituents of a philosophical discussion? Let’s start with the properties a philosophical discussion does not have: Closed questions Questions with quantifiable answers Shouting Personal insults Speaking over others Ignoring others’ points Dismissing particular viewpoints Making inappropriate assumptions Inability to change/adapt or admit mistakes A philosophical discussion, then, possesses (among others) these attributes:…
Do I need a philosophy background to teach P4C?
In the coming days, I will be writing about connections to the British Columbia curricular competencies in various subject areas. Today, however, I want to talk about a specific critique of P4C pedagogy: that a philosophy background is required to successfully implement this approach. We are not all philosophers; I am not a philosopher in…
P4C and the British Columbia Curriculum’s Core Competencies: Personal & Social
We have to be awakened to the ethical and political meaning of our experience—emotionally as well as conceptually—before we can sense, and then articulate that there’s something wrong with it. Ann Sharp, P4C co-founder What is the first part of politics? Education. The second? Education. And the third? Education. Jules Michelet, 19th century French historian…
P4C and the British Columbia Curriculum’s Core Competencies: Thinking
The British Columbia’s curriculum’s second core competency of “thinking” is, once again, at the core of philosophy for children pedagogy. The competency is broken down into two sub-competencies: creative thinking and critical thinking. First-generation P4C was designed to promote critical thinking (especially logical thinking) in children. This was Matthew Lipman’s original vision. For example, a…
P4C and the British Columbia Curriculum’s Core Competencies: Communication
The new British Columbia curriculum is centred on three core competencies: communication (which includes communicating and collaborating); thinking (which includes creative thinking and critical/reflective thinking); and personal/social (which includes personal awareness and responsibility, positive personal and cultural identity, and social awareness and responsibility). These core competencies are almost a perfect reflection of philosophy for children…
Benefits of P4C
“My brain hurts…but like a good hurt.” -Grade 6 student at the end of a P4C lesson The biggest advantage of the philosophy for children approach is engagement. Children love that it is something different, that there are no wrong answers, and that they are continually forced to think. Children love the stories, and find…
P4C and the First Peoples Principles of Learning
Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are an integral part of the new K-12 curriculum in British Columbia. Integrating Indigenous content and the First Peoples Principles of Learning (http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11×17.pdf) can be challenging for many teachers, who question their ability to do so meaningfully or authentically. Philosophy for Children pedagogy and its emphasis on storytelling, exploration, curiosity, and…
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Philosophy for Children in the British Columbia Classroom 