The Classroom as a Work of Art

Abstract

The "Philosophy for Children" program has different goals, one of them being to foster creative thinking among students. The educational approach of the program is designed to transform the classroom into an innovative and philosophical environment that encourages students to develop creative thinking. At the beginning of this article, I discuss a concept of art as a creative activity that requires strong active involvement by the person who creates the work of art as well as the person who perceives, observes or enjoys that work. Moreover, we also consider art not to be an activity exclusive of those we call artists, but rather we contend that all of us have the capacity to make works of art. In this light, one of the most important goals of our educational practice is to transform the class itself into a work of art in which all participants bring to bear the best of themselves, thereby making a valuable educational experience that demands from them and from the teacher the practice of complex and high-level thinking: a critical, creative, and caring way of thinking.