Philosophy

I heard it, too, GracesGran.
I am always being asked how I know by my grandson. "Are you sure?" is another of his favourite phrases, so I have to explain how and why I am sure, using the computer's support when I cannot find it in a book.

And there I was thinking it was the one-to-one teaching that was improving his maths, reading and writing skills.

theconversation.com/philosophy-for-children-boosts-their-progress-at-school-44261

Same thing with more detail.

I tried to introduce something similar but had to stop because there was no time allocated for it on the timetable. Apparently targets and hoop jumping do not require children to learn how to think and question.

I think it is the sort of things children from disadvantaged households may well miss out on and anything that helps them must be good. As you say though vampirequeen the timetable is so full that you wonder how they fit it in.

I can see exactly how it could help those children who do not get shown any of these skills during normal and perhaps often very limited parental interaction. Which tends to fit my concept of "disadvantaged."

It's nothing to do with poverty as in "financially poor households", although there is a statisical correlation in that.
As many GNnrs from poor working class homes who had parents with aspirations for their children to improve their lot can attest.
Thanks to R.A. Butlers 1944 education bill!

It is referred to as Philosophy which it is, but to simplfy that concept into the term thinking skills is probably much more helpful.
It is just about getting children to think critically about their views and their behaviour. A Good Thing!

I had a similar experience vampirequeen . I think it was partly because the subject was optional but largely because the head was frightened by the word 'philosophy' and didn't really understand what we proposed to do.

The children very much enjoyed the activities which also included problem-solving (in
non-maths contexts) and logic puzzles as well as building vocabulary and simple debating. No mention of Plato, Aristotle et al!!

Since then, Scottish schools are working within different and less rigid curriculum guidelines.

I worry that we're turning out young people with no critical thinking skills. Surely that undermines our society by leaving them open to the power of charismatic rhetoric such as that used by many political and religious extremist groups.