The current approach to education aims not only for children to access knowledge, but also to question, make sense of, and evaluate it from different perspectives. One of the most effective methods of this approach, P4C – Philosophy for Children, aims to systematically and structurally develop children's thinking skills.

Critical Thinking for Children (P4C) Training Certificate Program is a specialized educational program designed for educators, teachers, school counselors, and parents working with children, focusing on fostering a culture of thinking, questioning, and discussion.

 

What is P4C (Philosophy for Children)?

Through age-appropriate stimuli (stories, visuals, events, texts);

• Asking questions

• Justifying

• Critical thinking

• Creative thinking

• Listening and respectful discussion

is a philosophical educational approach aiming to develop these skills in children.

In this method, children are encouraged not to "find the right answer," but to ask the right questions and deepen the thinking process.

 

Benefits of P4C for Children

P4C-based critical thinking education provides significant contributions to both the academic and social-emotional development of children:

• Ability to express thoughts clearly and coherently

• Respecting different opinions and developing empathy

• Ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships

• Strengthening problem-solving and decision-making skills

• Increasing self-confidence and communication skills

These gains help children become more conscious individuals not only in school but also in their daily lives.

 

Training Content

DAY 1

• Education and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century

• P4C and the Art of Questioning

  • Creating philosophical dialogue through questioning and discussion

  • Collecting questions and building a conceptual background

• P4C and Practitioner Techniques

  • Creating concept maps

  • Facilitator's toolkit

• Is the Facilitator's Role Easy?

  • Who is the facilitator?

  • What is the role of the facilitator?

• Looking at Art through Philosophy

  • Art philosophy and aesthetic concepts

  • What is a work of art?

  • P4C, art, and aesthetic discussion examples

DAY 2

• Arguments and Fallacies

  • Basic logic concepts

  • Logical arguments and their relation to P4C inquiry

• Analytic Philosophy

  • Concepts of Analytic Philosophy

  • Examples

• Questions Google Doesn't Know: How Can We Know?

  • Epistemology

  • Concepts of knowledge, knowing, and understanding

  • Examples

• The Philosophical Anatomy of Changing Reality

  • Ontology and metaphysical concepts

  • Examples for P4C sessions

DAY 3

• Which Ethics? Whose Morality?

  • Ethics and moral philosophy concepts

  • Discussion of ethical and moral concepts through case studies

• Citizenship and Democracy within Limits

  • Basic concepts of political philosophy

  • Discussions on citizenship and democracy

  • P4C and democratic citizenship

• Ecological Crisis in the Anthropocene Era: Sustainability

  • Ecology and philosophy

  • Sustainability

• Artificial or Intelligence? : Digital Selves

  • Philosophy of mind concepts

  • Intelligence, consciousness, reason, and P4C

DAY 4

• Materials that Touch Thinking: Stimulus Design in P4C

  • What is a stimulus?

  • Selection and development of appropriate materials

• Creative Writing and P4C

  • Creating P4C material through creative writing

  • Creative writing activities

• From Material to Deep Thinking: Example Application

  • Example P4C application

• Assessment Methods

DAY 5

• Magical Transformations: The Ontology Game with P4C

  • Ontology concepts

  • Participant application

• Anatomy of an Argument

  • Philosophy of language concepts

  • Logic: Arguments and fallacies

  • Participant application

• Socrates in the Digital Age

  • Epistemology concepts

  • Participant application

DAY 6

• Scientific Controversies

  • Philosophy of science concepts

  • Participant application

• Children of a Global World

  • Political philosophy: concepts of justice and equality

  • Participant application

• Ethics and Morality Lab

  • Ethics and moral philosophy concepts

  • Participant application

DAY 7

• The Aesthetics of Beauty

  • Art philosophy and aesthetic concepts

  • Participant application

• Throne Wars

  • Political philosophy: concepts of power and freedom

  • Participant application

• Social Media Court

  • Social media, knowledge, and ethics concepts

  • Participant application

• Artificial Intelligence and Epistemological Security

  • AI, knowledge, and ethics concepts

  • Participant application

DAY 8

• Preparing and Implementing Sample Content

  • Participant application

DAY 9

• Preparing and Implementing Sample Content

  • Participant application