Philosophy
'We are very lucky to be able to offer Philosophy to Years 7, 8 and 9 at Crispin. We use the P4C (Philosophy for Children) methodology which provides an opportunity for children to consider, challenge and question more deeply.
philosophy curriculumjourney.pdf
Students begin each philosophical enquiry with a stimulus such as a story, picture or piece of music about which they ask questions. Groups then vote for the question which they would like to discuss further. They are given time to reflect on the question and discuss with their peers.
This form of working encourages students to listen to each other, consider others' opinions and value each others' ideas. It actively seeks collaborative, creative and critical thinking and has proved to have many benefits including:
- Increased confidence
- Greater self–esteem
- The ability to reflect and think more deeply
- The ability to work together with others
- Greater cognitive ability
- Increasing use of reasons when answering questions in class
- Improved communication skills
- Better management of feelings
- A greater tolerance of others' ideas
Here are some questions discussed by children during their P4C sessions in other schools:
- Is it ever good to fight?
- Is happiness the best feeling?
- Is it better to cheat and win or not cheat and lose?
- Is it better to say something nice or do something nice?
- Does getting what you want bring you happiness?
Last Updated: October 2022
