Episode 30:
Originally broadcast: July 10, 2011
How young can children learn philosophy? How should it be taught in the schools? What does philosophy offer that other curricula do not? For decades, the international movement known as “philosophy for children” has had tremendous success teaching in both public and private schools. Emphasizing moral education, critical thinking, and concept development, P4C, as it is know, has inspired even the youngest children to speak out in class, think about the most difficult subjects, and come to their own conclusions about controversial issues. Join WHY? as we examine this fascinating topic and ask whether a subject like philosophy is compatible with schooling built on standardized testing.
WHY’s host Jack Russell Weinstein says, “Philosophy for Children is a fascinating subject. People always think about philosophy as a subject for college student, but it seems to be more successful the younger the students are. I’m thrilled to be able to talk with someone who has such an international view about philosophy and its impact on children’s education.”
Links mentioned in this episode:
Institute for the Advancement for Philosophy with Children
International Council for Philosophical Inquiry for Children
PLATO: Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization
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[…] song that begins with the line “I believe that children are our future.” Maybe this is because last night’s episode of WHY? was on teaching philosophy for children, I don’t know. An added annoyance is that it is not the […]
[…] It is worth noting that the Quartz article gives a shout-out to Matthew Lippman a New Jersey philosopher who designed the Philosophy for Children curriculum. Lippman helped train Professor Jack Russell Weinstein who runs Philosophy is a Great Major, and Weinstein himself interviewed the heir to Lippman’s institute, Maughn Gregory, on Why? Radio. You can listen to that episode by clicking here. […]