Philosopher Prof. Dr. Mathew Lipman observed at Columbia University that even high-performing students could not think critically or creatively and therefore had limited questioning skills. His research showed that thinking habits not developed early in life decline further in later years. Therefore, he proposed that philosophical thinking should be introduced to children early to cultivate critical, creative, and inquiry-based thinking. He demonstrated this through the Children’s Philosophy (P4C) education program, which he developed over many years.
The P4C program, which began abroad, has recently been implemented in our country through various training programs. Bursa Uludağ University Continuous Education Center has also started teaching this method.
Those who implement the P4C method are called “Facilitators.” Instead of classical teaching, the facilitator helps children think and express their own original ideas. Following Socratic methods, the facilitator focuses not on giving knowledge, but on guiding children in the process of reaching knowledge themselves.
Through P4C training, children develop the following thinking habits:
- Creative Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Collaborative Thinking
- Careful Thinking
- Respect for Others’ Thinking
P4C uses a circle setting where each child can see others’ faces, engage in dialogue, present new ideas, justify opinions, understand different arguments, reach conclusions collectively, negotiate, collaborate, and develop tolerance. Children become sensitive to fallacies and practice valid reasoning habits.
Each child in the circle has the opportunity to freely express themselves and encounter new perspectives. The P4C method enhances the ability to reach knowledge and is a must-learn method for teachers. Teachers who learn this method can implement it in their classrooms or any teaching process.
This training is designed for individuals with a 4-year bachelor's degree. The 56-hour program focuses not on subject content but on methods for teaching concepts, topics, or problems to children. The aim is to share a method that develops creative, participatory, collaborative, and critical thinking from an early age. Successful participants will receive a P4C instructor certificate.