Thinking Skills - Philosophy for Children, P4C Hawaii Style

Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an inclusive strategy that meets the demands of the ASL Act and the 4 capacities within the Curriculum for Excellence. Young people can contribute at their own level regardless of whether they are dyslexic, display challenging behaviour or are more able.

Ann Fisher used the 2006 Page Scholarship to travel to Hawaii to work with one of USA's leading practitioners of Philosophy for Children.

The particular brand of P4C developed by Dr Thomas Jackson in the University of Hawaii employs a less structured format than is usually seen in Scotland.

In this session, it is hoped to incorporate explicitly taught behaviours into the Hawaiian format and, using some of the audience as participants and some as observers, to go through a short P4C session. This is considered the most effective method of showing participants how the strategy can be used to help pupils to listen, analyse and interpret concepts arising from their own interests rather than those handed down to them. The session will conclude with an opportunity for feedback.

Ann Fisher works for the network support service in West Dunbartonshire and is also the EIS Learning Representative for that area.

She is an associate tutor with the Scottish Network for Able Pupils (SNAP) and was awarded the 2006 Page Scholarship which she used to further her study of Philosophy for Children in Hawaii.

She is a Chartered Teacher and an adviser on the APL route.