Philosophy is an inseparable element of life – it shapes us, changes the perception of the surrounding reality, explains the world. Foundations of many scientific disciplines are based on it.
It is extremely important for children to develop critical thinking skills from an early age. This is one of the key competences of the future.
Marta Szymczyk
Education is one of the areas where philosophy has a special place. It is often underestimated, although it is inseparable from the process of teaching, upbringing and education.
Philosophy is for children, I don’t necessarily mean Plato, Descartes and Kant's philosophy. Philosophy can be understood differently. It can be understood as a collection of philosophical problems and answers to these problems, but also as an activity, practice, reflection on the world. It is by referring to this second meaning that we undertake philosophical inquiries with children, and this has been the case since primary school and even kindergarten.
Prof. Aldona Pobojewska.
Objectives of the modern school include:
- developing critical thinking,
- teaching creative problem solving,
- developing emotional and social competences,
- strengthening attitudes based on mutual respect, acceptance and openness to others.
Participation in philosophical inquiries develops intellectually, morally and socially. It encourages reflection, encourages us to ask problematic questions, express our own opinions and formulate judgments. It shows how to adjust the statement to the level of our interlocutor so that they understand us. What's next? It teaches logical reasoning, inferring and arguing to justify a given position. It teaches using all the knowledge we have and that it is permissible to criticise other views, but not a person.
Prof. Aldona Pobojewska
On the occasion of the World Philosophy Day, we would like to invite you to take part in a discussion panel entitled: "Mądrze o filozofii w edukacji". The goal of the meeting will be to draw attention to the need for the presence of philosophy in Polish schools, as well as to indicate areas in which its potential could be used to develop soft skills in students, which are so crucial in the 21st century. The meeting participants will also learn proven methods and ways of working with children and youth in accordance with the thought of Matthew Lipman, who claims that unless teachers teach philosophy and know how to philosophise, there are no greater views on thinking in education.
The panel will feature:
Prof. Aldona Pobojewska – philosophy professor, employed at the Department of Modern Philosophy. She is a scholarship holder of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Walther-Rathenau Foundation. Her main areas of interest include epistemology and philosophy of education. She is the author of numerous texts published in Polish and German scientific journals. Prof. Aldona Pobojewska is an interpreter and translator of Jacob von Uexkuel's concept. She has been awarded the Medal of the National Education Commission. She holds the function of an expert of the Ministry of National Education on school textbooks of philosophy and ethics. She is the originator and coordinator of the international grant Edukacja rodziców. Szkoła komunikacji międzypokoleniowej. Currently, Prof. Aldona Pobojewska is the President of the Philosophy Education Association „Phronesis”, whose aim is to popularise the idea of philosophical inquiry. Inspired by Matthew Lipman's Philosophy with Children programme, she has proposed its modification, the so-called workshops on philosophical inquiry. She develops theory of the workshops and applies them while working with different age groups: elementary and high school students, students, teachers and students of the university of the third age. She tries to show the participants that philosophy is not only a collection of attitudes and directions, but also a reflection on the problems of reality that affect everyone, a reflection that enables them to understand the world better.
Dr Marcin Bogusławski – assistant professor at the Department of Modern Philosophy. His scientific interests include philosophy of the humanities with particular emphasis on the so-called "new humanities", philosophy of politics, historical epistemology, philosophy of music. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Internet Philosophical Magazine Hybris, for whom, together with Prof. Barbara Tuchańska, he has edited an issue entitled Polish Philosophical Revisionists in Marxism financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as part of the National Programme for the Development of Humanities. He is a blogger, publicist (e.g. in The Public Medium) and a reviewer (e.g. opera.info.pl). His hobbies include opera, proper voice emission, cooking, cycling.
mgr Agnieszka Puta – a Polish philologist after graduating from philosophy, a critical thinking trainer for whom working with children and youth is a passion. She is constantly looking for the best methods and forms of work so that her pupils develop their interests and build their self-esteem. She runs her own website dedicated to education "DysPutka – od rozmowy do działania".
mgr Joanna Krzemińska – a graduate of the Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz. She has been associated with MIKRON Schools in Lodz for fifteen years. She is a Polish language teacher and a therapist in the field of pedagogical therapy. Joanna Krzemińska is the originator and coordinator of the Film Competition "Lektury w kadrze" and the National Art Competition "Baśnie, naturalnie!". She is the initiator of projects implemented through the eTwinning platform: "Stworzeni z wyobraźni", "Usłysz legendę", "Tęczowa gramatyka" and other projects developing students' language skills. She is a member of the group bringing together creative teachers "Superbelfrzy", long-time ambassador of the eTwinning programme, co-founder and the president of the Mozaika Edukacyjna Foundation. She is the author of the blog "Zakręcony belfer" (www.zakreconybelfer.pl), who follows the principle: a day without a crazy idea is a lost day.
The meeting will be headed by Marta Szymczyk (Unconventional educator) who is a pedagogue, ethics teacher, educational activist.
After the debate, we encourage you to take part in a discussion with the participation of the audience. The event will also be broadcast online.
Organisers of the event:
- Lodz University Press
- Mądrze o Edukacji
- Culture Zone