After a P4C session, I asked a Year 1 group what they thought about doing philosophy. Here’s what some of them told me:
I like it! It’s my favourite thing to do because we have to say things about THINGS.
It makes me confused because it’s very hard thinking… But when we get confused we can get smarter!
I like talking about things, about questions.
P4C is fun – we can talk together.
We should keep doing P4C because then our brains will get massive! Then you will be smarter and be able to answer all the questions!
Ways to keep everyone engaged and develop the community of enquiry
Reminders from six-year-olds about some of the benefits of P4C
Pupils feel that P4C helps them with everything from relationships to confidence to staying calm
Pupil voice about whole-class talk in Reading lessons
Pupil voice from younger children shows how they enjoy thinking and talking together
Pupils tell us why they think their peers don’t raise their hands
Pupils and teachers talk about how Philosophy for Children enhances teaching and learning
If you’re not yet doing P4C – this video will convince you. If you are, it will convince you to do more.
Children describe how P4C helps them listen to others and to express themselves
Examples of what staff decided to do differently, after reading pupil voice about talk in their classrooms.
More pupil voice about the idea of changing talk partners more often.
‘Hands up’ is a very common way of inviting pupil participation in lessons. However, research shows that typically only around 25% of the class raise their hands.
I was thrilled to see the newly-developed promise displayed in every classroom on a return visit to one of my 'talk schools'.