Masterclass: Philosophy with Children – How to have a voice, give a voice, be and feel part of something

‘If there was nothing, how did anything come into being?’ (Nuno, aged 8)
‘Why do we exist?’ (Catarina, aged 7)
‘We have names, but I don’t know who I am; perhaps nothing has a name.’ (Mariana, aged 8)
‘How did the first person in the family come into the world with dark skin?’ (Jastina, aged 10)
‘Can we judge someone without knowing them?’ (Artur, aged 8)

To learn to listen to these and other philosophical questions, we need to overcome the well-defined barriers of adult rationality and open ourselves up to the new, the unexpected and the unpredictable that are characteristic of childhood. Children, with all their metaphysical, ontological, ethical and aesthetic questions (i.e. fundamental human questions), invite us to enter the realm of philosophical wonder, which arises because there is something rather than nothing.

This masterclass, led by Rita Pedro, aims to prepare adults for the encounter between Philosophy, Childhood and Pedagogy, by providing new insights and tools to help them embrace their inner child, learn to welcome children’s philosophical questions both inside and outside school, and broaden the scope for freedom of expression between adults and children.

Rita Pedro holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the New University of Lisbon, having studied under the supervision of the philosopher José Gil. She is a research associate at the Practical and Applied Philosophy research laboratory at the University of the Aegean. Since 1999, she has been developing Philosophy with Children (PwC) projects and has worked in this field as a trainer and facilitator. She coordinated PwC projects aimed at children and young people in migration contexts at the Moinho da Juventude Association (2006–2010). In Cape Verde, she carried out research into the practice of Philosophy with Children in a community setting (2009–2011). Since 2012, she has been working in partnership with various artists, actors and dancers on the co-creation and facilitation of artistic and philosophical experiences, notably with Sílvia Real in the group 23 Amarelo: Silêncio.

LU.CA/Alípio Padilha