1. P4C – Created by Matthew Lipman
The aim of a thinking
skills programme
such as P4C is not to
turn children into
philosophers but to
help them become
more thoughtful,
more reflective, more
considerate and
more reason-able
individuals

2. Impact of P4C – research findings
• Children gained on average 6 standard points on a measure
of cognitive abilities after 16 months of weekly P4C
• Pupils increased their level of participation in classroom
discussion by half as much again following 6 months of
weekly P4C
• Incidents of children supporting their views with reasons,
doubled over a 6 month period
• Teachers doubled their use of open-ended questions over
a 6 month period
• Pupils and teachers perceived significant gains in
communication, confidence, concentration, participation and
social behaviour following 6 months of P4C

3. Typical P4C Format
1. Sit in a circle
2. Share a story, text or other stimulus
3. Ask (philosophical) questions
4. Choose the best question
5. Identify the key concept
6. Listen to other perspectives
7. Apply critical and creative thinking
8. Consider progress

6. Philosophy for Children
“No programme I am aware of
is more likely to teach durable
and transferable thinking skills
than Philosophy for Children”
Robert Sternberg
President of the American Psychological Association

7. What are your ground rules for class discussions?

8. Cognitive Conflict is Key to Engagement
But then why
I know it’s was Robin
wrong to Hood a hero?
steal

9. Kriticos = able to make judgments
Critical Thinking
Comes from the Greek,
Kriticos
Meaning: able to make
judgments
Source:
www.etymonline.com

10. An Ethos for Learning
Not all of our questions
answered …
… but all of our answers
questioned

11. Nursery P4C - Names

12. Year 5 P4C: Your Granny or Your Goldfish?
Filmed by Channel 4 in 1999. Video at: www.p4c.com/video-clips

13. Wobblers (If A = B)
Friend Trust
If A = B then
Does B = A?
Trust Friend
For example …

15. Wobblers (If NOT A ?)
Real See It
If A = B then
If it’s NOT B = NOT A?
Can’t See It Not Real?
For example …

18. What do these 3 have in common?

19. EY and Primary Concepts
Me Fairness
Real Language
Home Telling lies
Growth/Change Same
Pets Emotions
Friends Thinking
Belonging Dreaming

20. Secondary Concepts
Hero Lies
History Sport
Identity Culture
Bullying Real
Fair Knowledge
Language Test
Drama Tourism
Poem Music

22. What Makes Me, Me?
3 weeks old 2 years old 4 years old Adult
What makes you, you?
Are you the same person you were when you were a baby?
If you had a different name, would you be a different person?
When you play make believe, are you still you?

23. The Learning Challenge
1. Concept
Clarity
2. Conflict
1
Confusion
2

24. The Learning Challenge ka!
Eure
3
1. Concept
Clarity
2. Conflict
1
3. Construct
Confusion
2

25. !
Eu reka

26. Values underpinning P4C
Less … Rodin’s Thinker
More … Knights of the
Round Table

27. Good Outstanding
 Most learners make good  Most learners make well above
progress average progress
 Children display good  Children behave very well and
behaviour and attitudes are engrossed in their work
 Teaching is well informed,  Teaching is based on expert
confident, engaging and knowledge, is stimulating and
precise rigorous
 Most children are suitably  All learners are challenged and
challenged and can succeed stretched
 Assessment is accurate,  Assessment successfully
regular and consistent, & underpins the teaching and
informs students how to learners know how to improve
improve