Analytic Teaching and Philosophical Praxis

Editor's Welcome

Jason J. Howard — 2024-05-23

Introduction: This issue of AT&PP (Volume 44) includes both a range of academic articles, four in total, that explore the history and relevancy of Philosophy for Children, but also returns to an earlier publishing practice that debuted at the start of Analytic Teaching some forty years ago, focused on sharing successful lessons and activities used by teachers of all levels inspired by the methods of P4C.

From Gym Crow to P4C: Recontextualizing P4C’s Reasonableness within the Racial Politics of the 1960s

Jonathan Wurtz — 2024-05-23

As the story is often told, P4C was established after Matthew Lipman, then a professor of education at Columbia University, observed a deficiency in reasoning skills among his students and colleagues during the student protest of April 1968. Lipman pondered whether there might be a way to enhance the critical thinking skills of individuals through an educational reform; and thus, P4C was born. Consequently, Lipman and P4C are frequently presented as beacons of hope for a more sustainable democratic future in the face of systemic discrimination, pervasive private interests and corruption, and the erosion of justice. I contend that this narrative relies on the delegitimization of a successful grassroots anti-racist campaign against the aggressive gentrification of Black and Puerto Rican families that Columbia had undertaken. Building on Darren Chetty’s critique of reasonableness in P4C, I present the conventional narrative of P4C’s origin as an instance of reasonableness' gatekeeping function in philosophy for children. I specifically argue that the narrative of Columbia 1968 serves as an explicit example of how reasonableness can silence successful pro-Black educational reforms by labeling the actions of students as “unreasonable”. In other words, this paper highlights a significant oversight in P4C practitioners' awareness of their own discipline, particularly in relation to the racial politics of the 1960s.

Addressing Conflict through Imagination in Communities of Philosophical Inquiry

Anda Fournel — 2024-05-23

Existing research recognizes the crucial role played by imagination in giving meaning to our experience, thinking critically and paying attention to difference. By using a design based on what we called ‘embodied imagination’ (analogical reasoning) and ‘narrative imagination’ (contributions from universal stories), we conduct an exploratory study in a secondary school in a disadvantaged area of France, including multicultural classes. We aimed to observe how 12-15-year-old students think about conflict and how they manage tensions and conflicts that might arise during the dialogue. We have found, first, that universal stories gave students the opportunity to enrich their vision of conflict, inspiring more sophisticated thought. Secondly, we have observed that when conflicts arise during interactions, building a dialogue community is a real challenge, for teachers and students alike. Some students are able to take on the role of mediator, while others try to establish their role as speaker or find their place in the dialogue. Reflecting on the nature of peer relationships in their dialogue, one student suggests the framework of a "friendly discussion".
Keywords: conflict, imagination, community of philosophical inquiry, dialogue

Meaning at the Margins: The Case for Meaning Education in K-12 Schooling

Daniel John Anderson — 2024-05-23

Across Canada, provincial education mandates cite intellectual development, socialization, and vocational preparation as some of the central goals of public schooling (B.C., 1989; Ontario, 1990). Within Alberta's Guide to Education (2024) yet another objective is offered, which is that schooling ought to promote the leading of “meaningful, fulfilling lives.” To date, little guidance has been provided on what educating for meaning might look like, nor how to achieve this laudatory goal. This paper makes the case that meaning education can be realized through the use of the Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CPI). This is the case because this model (1) makes thinking visible (2) promotes taking ownership of one's values and behaviours (3) exposes youth to the viewpoints of others, and in so doing bolsters their emotional resilience, and (4) provides an interpersonal arena for value recalibration.

The Challenge of Inequity: How to Negotiate a World of “Haves” and “Have-Nots”

Taya Wall — 2024-05-23

Introduction: The world will always be one of “haves” and “have nots.” Whether the measurement is wealth, power, health, honor, education, attentive parenting, nourishing food, clean water, physical ability, artistic ability, brain power, intimacy, friendships, tribal association, or even sheer luck, there will always be those who are in a “better” position than others.

Notes from the Field: Concepts, Prototype Theory, and Inquiry

Onur Bakir — 2024-05-23

Introduction: One significant obstacle to teachers acquiring the skill of facilitating the quest for the meaning of concepts in the community of inquiry (CoI) is being trapped in the banking model of education (Freire, 1970, p.71). The conflict between P4C and the banking model of education has been extensively discussed in various contexts in Kizel (2022). Although teachers are eager to facilitate CoI in their classrooms, they also fear being unable to convey the necessary knowledge to their students in an inquiry due to the inherent involvement of conflicting views, confusion, and a lack of strict definitions about the concepts. Their criteria for success are determined by the knowledge attained at the end of the inquiry.

Notes from the Field: From the Cave to the Silver Screen: The Questions Raised by Moving Images

Sezer Demir — 2024-05-23

Introduction: Cinema has become indispensable to the world since the Lumiere Brothers shot the first film in the history of cinema, Arrival of a Train. While it promised a captivating experience for audiences, those in power sought ways to exploit cinema and found it relatively easy to do so. Even Hitler sought refuge in cinema during the 1936 Olympics, using Leni Riefenstahl's "Olimpia" to justify his power, achieving partial success. In essence, cinema served as a functional tool for power-building while continuing to captivate viewers as a remarkable spectacle. Beyond its role in power dynamics, cinema, often referred to as the "7th art," remains a means for artists to express themselves and share their creative productions with the masses. In my role within the education world, I observe that cinema, which has substantial intellectual value and global impact, is underutilized. Thus, in this essay I will endeavor to convey how I utilize cinema in the realm of philosophy for children—a subject I have been joyfully working on for some time.

Notes from the Field: Argument Mapping in Dialogue with Young Thinkers

Ediz Dikmelik — 2024-05-23

Introduction: Philosophy for/with Children (P4wC) is a pedagogical practice that aims to enhance thinking skills through group dialogue. One way it achieves this goal is by providing exposure to arguments. In a philosophical group dialogue, participants encounter, examine, or construct arguments. These arguments not only emerge spontaneously during discussions but are also integrated into specific activities, some of which draw from the history of philosophy.

Notes from the Field: Philosophy Workshop Experience at “Life with Children” Camp

Deniz Koyuncu — 2024-05-23

Introduction: For six years, we have organized sleepaway camps in nature, bringing together children aged 6-12, their parents and adults who are curious about life with children. Our camps, which are held 3 times a year on average, mostly take place in Antalya Geyikbayırı and last for 4 days. The camp is basically organized by a psychotherapist who is the founder of our camp and I as a specialist in 'philosophy with children and community' and an average of 3 other expert instructors accompany our camp. We schedule our camp dates to coincide with holiday periods and announce it on social media. Everyone up to 12 families and 14 children are welcome to join our camp, which requires a certain fee. We have an average of 30 people in total each session, including participants and instructors.

Notes from the Field: Philosophy on the Radio and the Little Thinkers Society

Özge Özdemir — 2024-05-23

This article is about a radio program called Little Thinkers Society that has been running for five years with children at Açık Radyo, an independent radio station in Istanbul. The radio program's goal is to engage children in philosophical inquiries on various questions and concepts and to share their voices with a wider audience. The article provides detailed information on how the radio program was created, planned, and executed. It also presents quantitative data to demonstrate the program's impact, and qualitative reports to evaluate its effect on children, educators, and the broader community. The article evaluates how Little Thinkers Society, which brings the philosophy for/with children sessions held in the classroom to the radio studio, contributes to the development of children's critical and creative thinking abilities, along with caring and collaborative social skills.
Keywords: Matthew Lipman, Philosophy for/with Children, P4/wC, Açık Radio, Little Thinkers Society, a radio show with children.

Notes from the Field: Philosophy for Children and Art Workshops

Nurşah Yılmaz — 2024-05-23

Introduction: Our paths crossed seven years ago when we had recently adopted the P4C (Philosophy for Children) method as philosophy teachers. Our shared enthusiasm for P4C resulted in collaborative development and facilitation of different workshops. In Izmir, where we reside, we became involved in workshops organized by the local government on weekends. These programs were specifically tailored for children aged 7-10, particularly those residing in underserved areas. The Ministry of National Education does not have any pedagogical approach related to Philosophy Education for Children. Consequently, our efforts in this area rely solely on collaboration with municipalities or non-governmental organizations. We initiated introductory meetings to elucidate the P4C method, aiming to integrate it into the activity programs organized by municipalities for children. Subsequently, the municipality coordinated the involvement of volunteer students and provided meeting venues using its internal resources. This enabled us to conduct P4C Workshops consistently every weekend for a period of three years. Concurrently teaching in schools and participating in these workshops as facilitators, we found immense inspiration in the children's eagerness and passion for active engagement. After depleting the widely available stimuli resources in our workshops, we soon found ourselves in need of fresh materials. Turning our attention to children's literature, both in Turkish and translations from other languages, we engaged in an intensive reading initiative. From this exploration, we carefully curated a selection of approximately 40 children's books to incorporate into our investigations. Creating content for philosophical inquiry, we had the opportunity to apply most of these selections. Driven by the aspiration to share our insights with a broader audience, we compiled our work into a book, which was published in 2019.