Thinkers Toolbox

P4C/Community of Enquiry

“Philosophy is a means of placing thinking firmly at the centre of primary education.”

Professor Philip Cam, University of New South Wales, Australia.

A Community of Enquiry approach encourages children to engage in the social and intellectual practice of thinking together through a collaborative and reflective approach to discussion. It aims to develop:

• A sense of community through co-operation, care, respect and safety
• A sense of enquiry through a search for deeper understanding, meaning, truth and values supported by reasons

In a Community of Enquiry, the discussion is modelled on a Socratic structure and guided by agreed ground rules.  Children are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences, articulate their thinking and play with ideas in a safe environment, and attention is paid to the skills and dispositions of thinking together through:

• Generating and posing questions
• Using the language of dialogue and discussion
• Giving reasons
• Being fair~minded
• Listening carefully to alternative points of view
• Exploring disagreement
• Developing empathy
• Allowing collective wisdom to emerge

Research suggests that children who have learned how to engage in productive dialogue through the Community of Enquiry approach become more effective thinkers and develop socially as well as intellectually. In engaging in discussion about deeper issues such as belonging, family, friendship, freedom, loneliness and love, and probing for the best answers to difficult questions, they become more thoughtful, considerate and reasonable and develop positive concepts, skills and attitudes for lifelong learning.