Philosophy for Children II

Objectives

1. To explain the structure of a community of philosophical inquiry as a practical model of philosophical dialogue with children.

2. To understand the substantial (cognitive) and the procedural (metacognitive) nature of the dialogue in a community of philosophical inquiry.

3. To prepare, develop and evaluate a session of community of philosophical inquiry.

4. To explore the requirements underlying the choice of a stimulus for a community of philosophical inquiry.

5. To identify different logical-argumentative procedures for conducting a dialogue on a community of philosophical inquiry.

6. To understand the role of the facilitator of a community of philosophical inquiry.

Program

1. The community of philosophical inquiry: nature and assumptions

1.1. What is a community of philosophical inquiry?

2. Initial activities and stimuli: diversity and intentionality

2.1. How to build a community of philosophical inquiry?

3. The dialogue in the community of philosophical inquiry: preparation and process

3.1. Characteristics of philosophical dialogue: skills to be developed

3.2. Following the dialogue: Socratic questions

3.3. Preparation and evaluation of a community of philosophical inquiry

4. The work of the facilitator in a community of philosophical inquiry

4.1. The philosophical orientation of a community of philosophical inquiry

4.2. The promotion of multidimensional thinking in the community of philosophical inquiry

Teaching Methodologies

The course will have a theoretical and practical nature, presenting the philosophical foundations that structure the various moments of a community of philosophical inquiry, in parallel with its practical implementation. The learning activities sought to account for the proximity between theory and practice through the preparation and monitoring of activities of philosophical dialogue in communities of philosophical inquiry.

Students are now encouraged to develop, during the semester, at least 6 full sessions in community of philosophical inquiry with the same group of children.

The sessions will be prepared and evaluated in the context of practical classes, in a highly collaborative dynamics. The assessment in the curricular unit will focus in the planning, preparation, implementation, and assessment of one of the sessions in community of philosophical inquiry, followed by a written reflection, based on the theoretical foundations discussed in the course.

Bibliography

CASTRO, G.; MIÚDO, B.; CARVALHO, M., CRIA: um projecto de Filosofia para Crianças, Universidade dos Açores, P. Delgada, 2010.

DANIEL, M.-F., “Epistemological and Educational Presuppositions of P4C from Critical Dialogue to Dialogical Critical Thinking”, Gifted Education International, 22 (2007) 2-3, pp. 135-147.

FISHER, R., “Socratic Education: a new paradigm for philosophical enquiry?”, Creative and Critical Thinking, 4 (1996) 1, pp. 1-13.

GARDNER, S. T., “Inquiry is no mere conversation (or discussion or dialogue): facilitation of inquiry is hard work!”, Critical and Creative Thinking, 3 (1995) 2, pp. 38-49.

KENNEDY, D., “The philosopher as teacher: the role of a facilitator in a community of philosophical inquiry”, Metaphilosophy, 35 (2004) 5, pp. 744-765.

MENDONÇA, D., Brincar a pensar. Manual de Filosofia para Crianças, Plátano Editora, Lisboa, 2011.

SHARP, A. M., “What is a Community of Inquiry?”, Journal of Moral Education, 16 (1987) 1, pp. 37-44.