Hi Angela and others
This is my first blog ever - haven't been able to prioritise it hitherto.
Thank you for setting it up, however, and for encouraging me to have a go.
I certainly think your earlier posts are worth following up, not least the handy pointers to philosophy programmes on the radio.
I'm not sure about the phenomenon of more boys being interested in p4c than you or their teachers expected, but it may have something to do with the fact that in communities of enquiry pupils/persons (and their thoughts) are taken seriously in a way that often, I fear, they are not, especially in secondary school classrooms, with their syllabus-driven lessons. Everyone likes to be taken seriously, of course, but perhaps especially boys who want to 'be someone' in the world!
As to ideas for working/playing with early years, I think you are on the right track with what you have been doing, and I don't want to give the impression that I know so much better. (In fact, I should rather say, with Socrates, that I know I know rather little!) But I have recently had some success introducing teachers to the use of cartoons, especially The Ugly Duckling and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so perhaps that another avenue to go down.
Also, you might contact Sara Stanley (author of 'But Why?') for her latest ideas on practice with this age group.
Well, that's all for now, but thanks again for your initiative, and I do hope all continues well with the Wiser Wales project. I shall not be able to attend the network meeting on May 5th, but I wish you a good turnout (and, meanwhile, a Happy Easter!)
Hello Roger,
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining in with the blog. You've made posted really thought-provoking comments, and it will be interesting to see what teachers think, perhaps at the network meeting later this week. I, too, have been using some cartoons with younger children, but not the classic fairytales yet. Looking forward to giving them a go, though.