Summary |
Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an educational movement that started in
America in the 1970s with the aim of teaching school aged children to think
critically and creatively, and to work together in caring and collaborative
ways. The pedagogical focus involved using age appropriate stories to encourage
student-led dialogue and inquiry into philosophical questions. Supporters of
P4C believe that philosophy need not be confined to the domain of the academy,
but rather children from ages 3 and upwards are capable of deep thinking on
topics such as ‘what is Art?’. ‘Philosophy for Children: Aesthetics’ is devoted
to research published on the theory and practice of teaching philosophy in
schools using creative and artistic methods, using art resources (particularly as
stimuli for Community of Inquiry dialogues), as well as supporting young people
to engage with artworks in a philosophical manner. The term ‘P4C’ was coined by
Matthew Lipman who wanted to encourage citizens to be reasonable and
democratic, and, along with Ann Margaret Sharp at the Institute for the
Advancement of Philosophy for Children, figured the best way to do so was to teach
philosophical thinking skills from an early age. Publications in the areas of arts education and aesthetic
education is still relatively young, and therefore the application of arts education
and aesthetics to philosophy for children and philosophy in schools is also a growing
area. |