Playing with philosophy: Gestures, life-performance, P4C and an art of living

Abstract

It can hardly be denied that play is an important tool for the development and socialisation of children. In this article we argue that through dramaturgical play in combination with pedagogical tools such as the Community of Inquiry (CoI), in the tradition of Philosophy for Children (P4C), students can creatively think, reflect and be more aware of the impact their gestures have on others. One of the most fundamental aspects of the embodied human life is human interaction that is based on expressions, what Schmid calls gestures. Through self-reflection, one's set of gestures can be developed into a deliberate 'life-performance'a conscious, selected and coherent work of art. Drawing on Nietzsche's idea of living artistically, we explore how Schmid's philosophy of the art of living, P4C and the liberal arts, with a focus on drama education, can work together to help children develop their own art of living while respecting and supporting the development of the good and beautiful life of others.

The Effect of Philosophy Education for Children (P4C) on Students' Conceptual Achievement and Critical Thinking Skills: A Mixed Method Research

“…In this context, creative thinking is a way of thinking that supports critical thinking. Via critical thinking a judgment is made by using logic, on the other hand new ideas are produced through creative thinking (Boyacı, Gülenç & Karadağ, 2018;D'Olimpio & Teschers 2017). Philosophy education practices for children that contain critical and creative thinking skills are considered as an effective approach in education today (Gardner, 2019).…”