How to Teach Philosophy to Kids With Fairy Tales
Everyday conversations with children can often contain penetrating questions that resemble those asked by philosophers. Their eagerness to challenge adults' thoughts and actions may not look like the deep questioning of philosophers. Yet the way children embrace questions of a philosophical nature brings to mind Aristotle's description of philosophy as questions that begin in wonder. The philosopher Gareth Matthews said that puzzlement and wonder are closely related, and the world of fairy tales is one of puzzlement that can be used to motivate children and challenge their thinking.
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Instructions
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Preparation of Material
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Select a fairy tale and study the story. For a philosophical discussion with children, it is important to select a fairy tale that has a theme to which they can relate. Modern-day versions of fairy tales can provide just such a framework
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Write down notes and thoughts about the fairy tale. Ask yourself what questions related to living and being human are raised in the fairy tale. The ugly duckling raises questions about how to treat someone who looks different and if you can tell what someone is like by looking at their outside appearance.
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Decide a suitable theme for discussing the book. Use the notes you take as a guide to structuring the discussion.
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Use search engines to see examples of questions that invite children to discuss books in a philosophical way. The questions should encourage further thinking and understanding of the motives and actions of different characters.
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Prepare questions that can be used for discussing the fairy tale. Use questions that invite children to think about and discuss the material rather than prompt a short answer. For example, why does Cinderella think the fairy godmother is real rather than a figment of her imagination? Can you give an example of how Cinderella knows that the fairy godmother is real? How do you know that there are no fairy godmothers?
Philosophical Discussion
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Introduce the story. If you are addressing a group of children, divide them into smaller groups. It is easier to conduct philosophical discussions in smaller groups.
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Read the story to the children. Speak clearly and at a comfortable pace to make sure that your audience follows the plot and character development.
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Begin your discussion. Emphasize that no one should be afraid to ask questions or state their opinions. A philosophical discussion explores a subject from different perspectives.
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Ask the children what they thought about the story. Gently prompt them if necessary, but try to let their ideas lead the discussion. Sometimes the discussion can lead in a different direction and you need to make a judgment about the relevance of the idea. Asking children to explain their ideas helps them to develop their thinking skills and gives you ideas for how to develop the discussion in greater detail.
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Use your prepared questions to continue to discuss the fairy tale. Ask suitable follow-up questions to encourage children to elaborate on their answers.
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Re-read sections of the book if necessary to help jog the memory of the children about what characters said and did.
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Tips & Warnings
Return to the same book and discuss it from a different angle. Many fairy tales contain material that can be discussed in several different ways. Use the questions raised in your initial discussion to guide future conversations.
References
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