Philosophy for Children as an Educational Practice

Abstract

During the past 40 years, the Philosophy for Children movement has developed a dialogical framework for education that has inspired people both inside and outside academia. This article concentrates on analysing the historical development in general and then taking a more rigorous look at the recent discourse of the movement. The analysis proceeds by examining the changes between the so-called first and second generation, which suggests that Philosophy for Children is adapting to a postmodern world by challenging the humanistic ideas of first-generation authors. A new understanding of childhood is presented by second-generation authors as giving possibilities for the subject to emerge in truly philosophical encounters. This article tries to show some of the possibilities and limits of such an understanding by considering the views in the light of general educational theorisations concerning pedagogical action. The continental tradition of European educational discourse, especially in the German-speaking regions, has stressed a necessity for asymmetry in the educational relationship. This line of thought is in conflict with the idea of a symmetrical, communal emergent system, which seems to be at the heart of second-generation understanding of educational philosophical dialoguing. The concluding argument states that in education we are always confronted with questions about purpose and aims, which have a special (educational) character in relation to pure philosophy/dialogue, although the philosophical/dialogical dimension is necessary for the emergence of unique subjectivity.& Riku Välitalo

internal goods of teaching in philosophy for children: the role of the teacher and the nature of teaching in philosophy for children

“…The teacher is confronted with institutional aims fleshed out in the curriculum, but we (especially PFC teachers) have a somewhat contrasting aim to free our students from oppressing structures in society (also see BIESTA, 2012;VÄLITALO et al, 2016). This is a complexity that comes into the picture when envisioning CPI as a structuring element of our teaching as a whole, entailing all aspects of classroom life, 12 and therefore, being forced to face its institutional role.…”

a practical look at the concept of freedom with a philosophy approach for children in early childhood

“…Lipman's work led to the emergence of the "Philosophy for Children" (P4C) approach (Altıparmak, 2016). (Valitalo, Juuso, & Sutinen, 2016).…”