Continuity and change in Philosophy for Children

Now that the original Philosophy for Children curriculum materials devised by Matthew Lipman, Ann Margaret Sharp, and their colleagues have entered the digital commons, it is timely to look back at them, in terms of the history of both theory and practice in Philosophy for Children and what we may still learn from them going forward. [1] Looking back, we can see the influence of John Dewey on the model of inquiry-based learning embedded in these materials, how Lipman seeded philosophy into his novels, how he and his colleagues sought to structure classroom discussion, and how and why they placed so much emphasis on developing a range of skills and abilities. Looking forward, there are lessons in all this about what to look for in stimulus materials, the role of questions and questioning in conducting discussion, the emphasis on combining social and intellectual skills, and what we should aim for by way of educational outcomes.