P4C Links
SAPERE - UK sponsoring charity & learning community
Thinking Skills in Primary Classrooms - Government Site
Learn to build communities of enquiry using this Socratic method of learning and teaching for any age group in any venue, from classrooms to pubs. Originally pioneered by Matthew Lipman at Montclair State University and now an international movement.
Who Is It For?
Philosophy for Children or Philosophy for Communities (P4C) can be used with any age group, Early Years to A Level and beyond. It is for anyone who likes structured open-ended enquiry in which the community itself generates the questions it wants to explore in dialogue, inspired by a specific topic, story, poem, picture etc. In schools, students co-construct the lesson facilitated by the teacher; in communities groups determine their own agenda for pursuing their own philosophical interests.
What is Involved?
Opportunities for In House P4C include school, local authority in-service training and workshops for community groups. Thinking For A Change currently offers:
1. half day Taster Workshop for groups who want an introduction to P4C in practice
2. Thinking Days & Pupil Workshops for hands on work with kids in primary and secondary schools
3. 2 day SAPERE Level 1 course: Introduction to Philosophical Enquiry in Communities. This is a 10 hour accredited course for practitioners designed to equip them with the skills and resources to start practising it in their own context. Tim is a trainer registered with the charity SAPERE.
There are also follow on Level 2 & 3 courses primarily designed for educationists which can be booked through SAPERE.