The effect of narratives on philosophizing

and questioning skills of children

Hossein Eskandari (Ph.D)

Zhaleh Kiani

Abstract

This paper was aimed at exploring the capability and relevance of

the program of Philosophy for Children in developing essential

skills including reasoning, research, and interpretation skills among

Iranian children and adolescents.

To this end, using analytical method, the underpinning assumptions,

structure and components of the program of Philosophy for Children

were examined. Further, findings of some related research projects

conducted in Fars province were considered.

This paper addressed three main questions and accordingly,

results suggested that the program of Philosophy for Children is

capable enough to develop reasoning skills among Iranian children.

Secondly, the program is able to promote moral character among

students through research skills. Thirdly, the program is able to

reasonably develop interpretation skills in order to achieve the

values and behaviors on which it is based.

The impact of courses of Philosophy for

Children on the development of moral

character of children

Ja’far Jahani (Ph.D)

Abstract

Philosophizing has been considered for decades in the world as a

way of development of mental faculty whereas in Iran it has captured

attention only in the very last decade. The so-called program of

Philosophy for Children has initially emerged in US and then, spread

over the world. The program has had great achievements during

such a short period of time. Nevertheless, it has been subject to some

theoretical challenges notably the possibility of teaching philosophy

as it really is to children. This paper reviewed the background of

such challenges and through the juxtaposition of philosophizing

and philosophy as an academic discipline along with arguments for

and against the program, concluded with some suggestions as to the

way of teaching philosophy to children, mainly based on relevant

experiences in Iran.

The possibility of teaching philosophy to

children: a challenge to the concept of

philosophy

Yahya Ghaedi (Ph.D)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of Philosophy

for Children courses on the development of reasoning and thinking

skills among children and adolescents. In this study, qualitative

methods were mainly used, including case study and observation

made by teachers, tutors and parents along with a survey completed

by participants and their parents. The course consisted of eleven

consecutive sessions using Sharp-Lipman inquiry cycle and modified

version of Philip Cam’s stories. Results showed the improvement

and enhancement of thinking skills among children, including

reasoning, differentiation between apparently similar issues, sound

evaluation and judgment, and critical thinking.

The impact of the community of inquiry

approach on the development of reasoning

skills among Y8 students

Seyed Mansoor Marashi (Ph.D)

Jamal Haghighi (Ph.D)

Zahra Banabi Mobaraki

Qumars Bashlideh

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of Philosophy

for Children courses on the development of reasoning and thinking

skills among children and adolescents. In this study, qualitative

methods were mainly used, including case study and observation

made by teachers, tutors and parents along with a survey completed

by participants and their parents. The course consisted of eleven

consecutive sessions using Sharp-Lipman inquiry cycle and modified

version of Philip Cam’s stories. Results showed the improvement

and enhancement of thinking skills among children, including

reasoning, differentiation between apparently similar issues, sound

evaluation and judgment, and critical thinking.

The impact of Philosophy for Children

courses on thinking skills and behavioral

performance of children

Saeed Naji

Parvaneh Ghazinezhad

Abstract

‘Philosophy for Children’ program that Mathew Lipman and

hid colleagues have developed is now known in our society and has

led to thinking and research in this regard. Thus, to consider the

challenges that are in front of this program can lead to the richness

of these researches. Three challenges are in front of this program:

philosophical, psychological, and educational. The philosophical

challenge is due to the point that philosophy is mainly dependent on

the history of philosophy and thoughts of preceding philosophers. This

dependence should of course be along with critique, but this dependence

cannot be denied anyway. Hence, philosophizing cannot be reduced

to the methods of thinking. Psychological challenge is rooted in the

*Professor of University of Tehran

** Ph. D Student at University of Sorbonne

Challenges in Front of 'Philosophy for

Children'

Dr.Khosrow Bagheri*- Ehsaneh Bagheri**

approaches of developmental psychology that emphasize on phases

in human thinking. Accordingly, abstract methods of philosophizing

cannot be used in the period of childhood. Educational challenge is

related to basic cultural values that might be shaken in the process

of philosophical interrogations. The philosophical challenge requires

that teaching philosophy to children emphasize on an amalgamation

of method and content. The psychological challenge makes us cautious

as to looking for more investigations on the periodical characteristic of

thinking. And finally, the educational challenge requires that criticizing

cultural values, being necessary in active education, is not started from

foundational issues of culture. The period of childhood can only be

fitted to interrogation of low level cultural issues and values and leave

the foundational cultural issues to philosophizing in higher ages.

Key words: Philosophy, Children, Philosophical challenge, Psychological

challenge, Educational challenge, Method, Content, Lipman.