Teachers

Information About Philosophy
“There is a need for pupils to develop lively inquiring minds, the ability to argue rationally, to encourage a measure of autonomy...” HMI Report The Curriculum from 5-16
Philosophy for Children was introduced to Manorbier School in 1992 for children with Special Needs, in order to develop their self esteem and enable them to confront and take responsibility for their own learning. It was hoped that the process would help these children to become
more active (rather than passive) in the way in which they engaged with their own particular learning difficulties, giving them the belief that they could make a difference. Preference
was given to this approach to developing children’s thinking because of its particular
emphasis on discussion and dialogue.
The success of the initial sessions led staff to believe that all the children would benefit from taking part in a Community of Inquiry. In particular, it was felt that the unusual level of conflict between children, which was prevalent in the school at the time, might be addressed by engaging in philosophical dialogue. By being able to think better for themselves it was hoped that children would be less prone to prejudice and indoctrination, would develop empathy and sensitivity to the needs of others and that relationships generally in the school would improve.
It is tempting, with the constraints and workload of the National Curriculum, to feel that teaching Philosophy is an additional burden which cannot be fitted in. The teaching of thinking is not an addition to the curriculum. It is an emphasis that we have chosen to place within the curriculum, and as such is introduced and developed in a ‘slot’ os its own. It is very easy to see within each Philosophy lesson, there is English: Speaking and Listening, Literature, the study of Language, Reading; the thinking skills developed through Philosophy will affect Science.
Mathematics and all areas of the curriculum.
Philosophy is unlike any other subject in two important respects. First, although the fact is much neglected in our education system, philosophical questions and issues can take us to the very heart of other subjects. They make us really think about our subject matter. Secondly, Philosophy is specifically concerned with good thinking. Its procedures are effective intellectual operations and its tools are a means to that end.
We aim to teach Ethics, Logic, Mind and Aesthetics.
We can, most profitably, nurture good thinking in the classroom by encouraging children to inquire and reason together about things of significance. We acknowledge that there are many different ways of stimulating creative, reflective, critical thinking and we have chosen narrative as the main stimulus in Manorbier School.