One of the most important habits we can nurture in children is the desire to seek the truth. In a world full of information, opinions, and quick answers, learning to question and think deeply is an essential skill that will serve students throughout their lives.
With over 28 years of experience as an educator in both Canada and New Zealand, I have had the privilege of teaching children across a variety of settings and engaging with the Philosophy for Children (P4C) programme in both countries. At Ficino School, we nurture this approach throughout the curriculum, in particular through weekly philosophy lessons. The P4C programme encourages students to think deeply and explore ideas through meaningful questions rather than taking them at face value. Children learn that good thinking often begins with curiosity: Why is this true? How do we know? Could there be another perspective?
During P4C discussions, students sit together as a community of inquiry and examine ideas that arise from stories, quotations, or philosophical prompts. Rather than focusing on finding the quickest answer, the emphasis is on careful thinking, listening to others and following questions wherever they may lead. In doing so, students learn that truth is often uncovered through patient reflection and respectful dialogue. The practice also helps children develop other important habits of mind that extend right across the curriculum including intellectual curiosity, careful reasoning, and respectful listening as they consider the perspectives of others.
When children learn to ask thoughtful questions, they begin to see that truth is not always found in the first answer given. Instead, it is often discovered through wonder, discussion, and reflection. By encouraging students to explore ideas in this way, we as educators are helping to cultivate young people who are not only knowledgeable, but also thoughtful seekers of truth—individuals who approach the world with curiosity, humility, and a desire to understand, something that is greatly needed in today’s society.
Ashley Geddis, Assistant Principal and SENCO
