About The Project: Young Thinkers

THE MAIN IDEA OF THE PROJECT

            The aim of this Project is to support the children's abilities of thinking about the important subjects for  them.Also, this project aims at teaching  children to think about the causes and effects of the situation they involve.

            Philosophy for children basically aims to teach children thinking, brainstorming and mind-opening activities.

           Our basic purpose is to teach how to think instead of what to think. Besides,children can do philosophy and we demonstrate it by making it funny for all children in all ages.

           Children can improve their thinking skills in early childhood,they will think more flexible and effective in the future. Children can learn to explore by reading poems and stories which are funny for  them.

          According to this aim, we are going to teach how to think creatively  with the intercultural communication to the philosophers of the future.

WHY DO WE DO THIS PROJECT?

              In the research of  the philosophy for children, the effectiveness of  this program shows us that this is supported to the critical thinking skills and maths,development of language skills,and creativity.The philosophical experiences of children, mostly includes vices like telling the truth, beauty, being good, being fair.

THE VISION OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CHILDREN PROJECT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF THE ASPECTS BELOW:

• The children will be aware  of their own problems

• The exploring of children , by thinking significant topics

• The improving of the thinking skills

• They create new ideas by thinking about situations with the different point of views.

JUNIOR PHILOSOPHERS -APPLICATION STAGE

            The presentation of the Stimulant:  In the field training of the philosophical activities, the educator presents a stimulant.  The aim is to draw attention  of the children.  This stimulant can be a story, a memory, a picture or a photograph.  However, reading a story can be more beneficial, but only if the story is short. The focusing and analyzing of the main point can be difficult for the community if the story is long and if it includes a lot of pictures.  To sum up, children can communicate better if the seating plan is in a circle.

                                  

  THE IDENTIFICATION OF IMPORTANT SUBJECTS  

           After telling the story  to the kids, the kids identify the highlights of the story according to their     view, and start asking questions related with the story. For example,a story  about a kid who is lying to a friend can make the kids think:why do people lie? This focuses on the  aim of the generalizations that take part beyond the story. The educator's general aim has to be encouraging kids to ask their questions, instead of asking himself.
         The teacher shouldn't judge the student's questions, and also more importantly shouldn't label any of the questions as right or wrong. As needed, the teacher is to ask questions in regard of directing them.
            Kids who encounter such an occasion at first sight  can have difficulties of asking questions. The teacher has to be patient and  the teacher should do question-answer activities while reading the stories. The wh-questions (who/when/what/where) asked by the teacher in the first round can be a helpful drill, and then the students can be encouraged to do so.  As the philosophical activities start to take place more often, the children start to ask more  meaningful questions.

INTERROGATIVE GROUP

           The philosophical practices for the children , the children think about the questions, they interact with each other and they search for answers of  their qustions, and they discuss about the answers.  In the interrogation group, the children produce their own hypothesis, such an example: “Mothers know the best, do the best”.  Then, they discuss the pro and cons , they qustion their friends’ ideas, and they finally come to state a result, and they watch  all the stated brainstorming process written above.
        The interrogation group also has an advantage of gaining some social assets.  The children here learn to share their ideas, participate in their ideas, listen to their friends  patiently.  The children  set up their own ideas.

EVALUATION 

 

           The aim in the philosophical activities of children isn’t to find accurate answers.  However, the main aim is to make children get better when asking qustions and answering them.  And also, supporting them on the social skills and cognitive development.  At the end of the discussion, the members of the group should evaluate themselves by asking these questions:

•          Did we listen to each other?

•          Did all of us speak?

•          Did we think today?

•          Are we interested in what we thought?

•          How did we treat to each other today?

•          Did we ask any question?

CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITIES

       The consolidation activities include activities such as painting, playing games, discussing with the family members and sharing their ideas with their  friends the other day.

•          THE STEPS OF EVALUATION

1.  The content, method and time
2.  Interrogating the person  himself and the group he is in.
3. The thinking abilities: creativity, critical point of view, logic, the interest to daily events,   freedom, the ability to state the point of view clearly.
4. The manners: being helpful, empathy, pairwork, self esteem, personal  manners

•          THE IMPORTMANT ASPECTS OF EVALUATION

1.  The children’s own evaluation of themselves (by writing,speaking,drawing etc.)
2.  The person who does the job evaluates himself
3. The evaluation of the person who does the job by the participants
4. Vice versa

•          MATERIALS OF EVALUATION

1.   Written/ drawn/ daily feedback
2. Video scenes/ adapting/ analysis
3. Group discussion
4. Interrogation
5. Different point of views
6. Creative homework

                         THE AIMS OF THE PROJECT          

•  It  improves  the social skills such as listening, speaking, playing which are based on reading and writing.
•  To encourage the kids to show their feelings
•  To improve the knowledge of words
•  To improve the self esteem of the kid and the learning abilities
•  To improve the decission making skills
•  To gain the ability to understand  the world around them

THE DUTY DISTRIBUTION

       All the partners will be directly involved in the Project. There will be two kinds of activities: In the first group, we will work together with the partner; in the second phase we will share the activities that we seperately held on our own schools.As the coordinator country , Turkey, will give information about the Project periodand sending  e-mails.  The meetings will be held which we discuss the project’s process.  Each country will hold the meetings.  Only the teachers visit the other countries.  Each partner school will prepare Project corner or room to share the materials. 
      The materials about the Project will be shared vith the  internet site of our school.  In this website we will continue to share the activities.  You can also send and share your activities from our website.

COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION

        The partner schools can use the online internet/telephone or fax.  The partners can visit each other, and they can prepare surveys and brochurs.
      As stated above the website is being prepared by the coordinator, by that way the teachers can share the knowledge.  In the website, you can share  new games, and give information about the new methods. If necessary you can contact online.