Exploring the connections between Philosophy for Children and character education: Some implications for moral education?

Andrew Peterson,Brendan Bentley

doi:10.21913/jps.v2i2.1271

Andrew Peterson, Brendan Bentley

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21913/jps.v2i2.1271

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Abstract

In this paper we are interested in the connections between Philosophy for Children and character education. In sketching these connections we suggest some areas where the relationship is potentially fruitful, particularly in light of research which suggests that in practice schools and teachers often adopt and mix different approaches to values education. We outline some implications of drawing connections between the two fields for moral education. The arguments made in this article are done so in the hope of encouraging further critical reflection on the potential relationship between Philosophy for Children and character education.

Highlights

Understood Philosophy for Children and character education may seem essentially different in nature and approach
While there have been some analyses which have sought to explore the connections between philosophy for children and character education, there is a need for further explorations given recent research in both fields pointing to their respective positive outcomes for students (Arthur, Kristjánsson, Walker, Sanderse, Jones, Thoma, Curran & Roberts 2015; Fair, Haas, Gardosik, Johnson, Price & Leipnik 2015; Gorard, Siddiqui & Huat See 2015) and recent work in character education focusing on intellectual or epistemic virtues (Baehr 2013a, 2013b; Kotzee 2013; Pritchard 2013)
While maintaining the central role of cognition within students’ moral learning, we argue here that moral development requires more than the development of reason, and should be concerned with the affective and active domains. It is the recognition of the importance of developing cognition, affection and action that lies at the heart of possible areas of confluence between Philosophy for Children and character education that we explore throughout the present analysis

Summary

Introduction

Understood Philosophy for Children and character education may seem essentially different in nature and approach. The internationally significant Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education (known commonly and hereafter as SAPERE) identifies, as one of the two key principles of Philosophy for Children, that reflection is a ‘key practice that results in significant changes of thought and action’ (www.sapere.org.uk) It could be argued, that the sorts of capacities to which we have given emphasis here—namely, good judgement or the relationship between thought and action—should be properly conceived as purely cognitive in nature. While maintaining the central role of cognition within students’ moral learning, we argue here that moral development requires more than the development of reason, and should be concerned with the affective and active domains It is the recognition of the importance of developing cognition, affection and action that lies at the heart of possible areas of confluence between Philosophy for Children and character education that we explore throughout the present analysis. In the final section we draw some starting points for further considerations regarding the implications for practice in moral education

Philosophy for Children

Character education

Cultivating intellectual virtues

Moral action

Conclusion