Important Rules During the Management of Children's Philosophy Session (Lipman)

  • Create a space that encourages discussion among children: arrange them in a circle, for example, so they can look at each other when they speak.

  • Ask children what goes through their minds when they hear the word "philosophy".

  • Clearly display the rules to the children before starting: the person leading the workshop is not in the teacher's position, we raise our hand to ask for permission to participate, we avoid presenting an argument that has already been presented, one listens attentively to others without judgment or ridicule, etc.

  • Carefully choose the starting point for the discussion: it could be an excerpt from a book or movie, a quote, a single word ("love" or "friendship"), or a question ("Do you always need to have more to be happy?").

  • Maintain neutrality when defining certain concepts: we should avoid expressing our own opinion, even if the children ask us to.

  • Use children's responses to relaunch the discussion.

  • Masterfully rephrase the discussion - don't leave the subject or get bogged down in details.

  • Engage everyone.

  • Collect the responses and rephrase them: this allows you to better preserve what was thought collectively.

  • Keep a written record of the discussion.