I think it’s great if you can bring philosophical thinking into different subjects across the curriculum. And it does work really well in History. It’s a way to help pupils realise that their learning is relevant to their lives beyond school; this makes their learning more meaningful. They will also develop their thinking skills (critical, creative, collaborative and caring).
Here are a few big questions to get children thinking deeply about History. These could be used at the beginning of a new topic, or as starter questions at the beginning of each lesson.
Should we learn about the past?
Which is more interesting – the past or the future?
“History is the winner’s diary” – agree / disagree?
How does History affect who we are now?
Is the present better than the past?
Pupils and teachers talk about how Philosophy for Children enhances teaching and learning
I’ve been working with a group of Manchester teachers to discover how to optimise P4C in the teaching and learning of English. It’s been lovely to hear from pupils and teachers about some really positive experiences.
Using prompt cards to raise the level of spoken language as well as written language.