Philosophy in the school curriculum

Philosophy for Children and Philosophy with Children have a lot in common: First, both see the doing of philosophy in a communal atmosphere as essential. Secondly, teachers have a responsibility to be pedagogically strong and philosophically self-effacing. Thirdly, both see the moral dimension of the communal inquiry procedures as important. Fourthly, both are aware of the political dimension of communal inquiry with its commitment to reasonableness, fallibilism, self-correction and democratic procedures of dialogue and inquiry. The products of inquiry are judgments. Serious philosophical inquiry involves the study of a structured philosophy curriculum. Thus, for Philosophy for Children, the sequenced and structured curriculum is very important for pedagogical reasons. Philosophy involves the acquisition of many dispositions that are in conflict with the socialization process, dispositions to question, to be critical, to look for assumptions, to analyze the inherent meanings of practices and to self-correct.