WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS

Philosophy with children

For children aged 6 to 11, workshops to learn to argue, to listen, to change one’s mind and to think for oneself — in the classroom, in libraries, or at a stop along the Philomobile’s route.

Ages 6–11 primary schoolsIn class or in librariesA single session or a year-long programmeQuoted according to the institution

Learning to think together

Workshops start from a question or a story, opening a dialogue in which every child is invited to put forward an argument, examine it, and set it against those of others. They have taken place in village schools in the Haut-Jura, at the Emilie Brandt school in Levallois-Perret, and in schools in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods — the method stays the same, Socratic, whatever the setting.

In philosophy workshops with children, the hardest part is not learning to argue, but the relation to oneself: fear of being judged, the need to shine, the refusal of effort.

What the children work on

Giving an argument and backing it with a valid reason
Asking a philosophical question and turning it into a problem
Accepting criticism, and accepting to change one’s mind
Listening to others, taking an interest in them and in oneself

Beyond argumentative skills, there is work on attitudes: committing oneself by speaking up, accepting the frustration of not saying everything, not letting oneself be overwhelmed by one’s emotions.