Philosophy for Children P4C
10 questions to ask a Christmas tree.
Questions to ask a Christmas
tree.
• How does it feel when people decorate you?
• Does it hurt when you get chopped down?
• How does it feel to be stored in the loft for most of the
year?
• What do the lights and baubles really think of each
other?
• Do you know what’s in the presents under you?
• How does it feel when your needles fall?
• Which part of the house do you prefer to be and why?
• What happens in January when you are thrown away?
ABOUT PHILOSOPHY
‘Philosophy’ means ‘love of wisdom’ in Greek.
If you are being philosophical, you are
wondering about thoughtful questions, and
trying to understand them better.
One philosophical question might be:
“What is wisdom?”.
It is philosophical because people
might have different opinions about
it. There’s no single answer; it needs
to be discussed or ‘enquired about’.
P4C aims to create a caring classroom situation
where children:
• learn to listen and respect each other
• learn to be clear in their thinking and to make
responsible and more deliberate judgements
• learn to be more thoughtful by basing their
decisions and actions on reasons
Critical thinking is a key requirement of global
citizenship and community cohesion.
Unless people can learn to think independently then
there is always the possibility that they will be led
unthinkingly into behaving in ways which may be
damaging to themselves, others or the environment.
Philosophical enquiry develops these critical thinking
skills.
Children learn to ask questions in response to a
variety of stimuli, each other and the teacher; to
give reasons for their opinions, examine their own
values and tease out their own and others'
assumptions about an issue.
The ability to listen to other people, see their point of
view and perhaps change your own mind is another
skill essential to living peacefully in a plural society. At
its best, P4C gives young people an experience of how
it is possible to engage with people with differing
viewpoints and disagree with them in a nonconfrontational way.
This opportunity to deeply listen also allows children
to put themselves in another’s shoes, to empathise
and potentially understand.
Empathy is a core skill for global citizens for without
it there can be no desire for the prevention of
suffering of other people.
10 STEPS IN AN ENQUIRY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Getting set
Presentation of stimulus
Thinking time
Conversation
Formulation of questions
Airing of questions
Selection (voting)
First thoughts
Building
Last thoughts
WHAT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL
QUESTION?
1. Which major river flows through London?
2. When was the Battle of Hastings?
3. Which type of Christianity is led by the Pope?
4. Are words ‘real’?
5. What makes something wet?
6. What makes something beautiful?
7. A £15,000 car is discounted by 25%. What does it cost?
8. When should people get married?
9. Who are known as the ‘Blades’?
10. Is it ever ok to lie?