Philosophy for Children

'I've just realised how big life is!'

This was how one boy summed up an hour's worth of Philosophy for Children with us recently at a primary school in Northampton.

'P4C', as it known, is a really powerful tool for getting children to think - and think hard. Whenever we work with children our target is always that, at the end of the session, their brains will hurt.

It's a target we hit each time.

Originating in the States with Matthew Lipman, a professor of philosophy who realised that his students could tell you what Descartes or Plato thought but were incapable of thinking for themselves, P4C has been gaining in popularity in the UK for over ten years.

Ian Gilbert has been a pioneer in its use over this time, in particular through a Raising Standards Partnership project in Northamptonshire where it has been successfully introduced into many secondary and primary schools.

Not only hitting all the right thinking skills buttons across all curriculum subject areas P4C also delivers a huge payback with regard to self-esteem and Ian has instigated a number of projects where shy and quiet children ('Lost boys and girls' as one head of year called them) have used P4C as a way of growing enormously in confidence.

In one such project, we have worked closely with Kingsbrook School just outside Milton Keynes where students now run their own P4C website. Click here to have a look.

We feel the best way to understand the benefits of P4C is to see it in action with your children. To this end, the model that Ian has pioneered is to visit a school and model a P4C lesson with a group of children, observed by as many staff as possible. This is followed up by a debrief with staff and a full staff training session. Some schools have then built on this powerful introduction to P4C with what is known as Level One SAPERE training.

SAPERE (Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education) (I know! It comes from the Latin meaning 'to be wise' apparently) is the main organisation offering support and fully accredited training in P4C in the UK. The leading P4C trainer in the UK today is Independent Thinking Associate Will Ord who is very much in demand around the country and can deliver fully accredited training in this wonderful tool.

Level One training is a two-day course whereas, at Independent Thinking, we tend to work a little more quickly. Think of us like the paramilitary wing of P4C - going in, doing the job, getting things going in a school and moving on again.

It seems to work.

Call the Independent Thinking office on 0844 589 0490 or e-mail us at learn@independentthinking.co.uk for more information about how we can help introduce P4C across your school.

In the meantime, here are three ways to try our unique approach to Philosophy for Children we call Thunks - simple questions that make your brain go...ouch:

1. Click here to find out more about thunks

2. Click here to find out about our brand new Book of Thunks - 260 questions to make your brain go ouch!

3. Click here for our interactive thunks website

4. Click here to see 'thunking' in action! A short DVD of Ian Gilbert and an unsuspecting Year 6 group recorded live during the Big Day of Independent Thinking is now available.

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