Philosophy in the daycare, early education online

Philosophy in the daycare, early education online

Early Education Online

Philosophize with children

Philosophize in the daycare

Children regularly marvel at things that are common for us. They often ask questions that cannot be answered in a few sentences. Philosophizing together in the daycare helps children to become aware of some things.

The ritual is well known: Every week the “wobbly tooth children” – in other words, all preschool children of the BMW FIZ Strolche day care center – gather in front of the philosophy room.

The educators Raphaela Zwießler and Katrin Fischer brought a book with them. A creepy book, it says "Always these monsters". Two wobbly tooth children do not want to philosophize, all the others follow the two teachers in the room and sit in a circle on pillows.

The BMW FIZ Strolchen in Munich has been philosophizing for 10 years. In the beginning, the team under the leadership of Margit Knapp tried a lot:
Where and when should the conversation take place? Who is the offer aimed at? Should the whole thing be voluntary or mandatory? Margit Knapp and her team decided to volunteer. “When I talk about the free spirit, I can’t say, ‘Now you’re thinking about God, now you’re thinking about justice. I believe that only the children who come voluntarily really open up to the whole, ”says Knapp.

At the beginning of the kindergarten year, the philosophy lesson is mandatory and the children should get to know the concept. After that, the children can decide each time whether they want to participate or not. Mostly everyone joins in.

Kindergarten teacher Raphaela Zwießler remembers: “At the beginning we thought we would philosophize if it fits. But it never fit. Then we said we’ll do it in the afternoon. Our children soon didn’t feel like it anymore because they knew that the other children were allowed to play outside and they "had to" philosophize inside. "

Meanwhile, the preschool children philosophize at lunchtime and thus also come to rest. Today is about monsters, so about fear. Little Svenja doesn’t know them from the book “Always these monsters”. At least not as long as there are any monsters trying to scare her. Raphaela Zwießler reads the picture book, but the end is not yet revealed. Then she asks the first question:

Zwießler: "Why is there fear? What do you all mean?"
Max: "There is fear because people know that there are dangerous things in the world and people are afraid of them."
Lea: "Because people don’t know that sometimes these can be completely natural things."
Zwießler: "And that’s why if they’re not sure, they’re scared at first, or?
Who has another idea? Why is there fear at all? "
Olivia: "I think that people know that there is fear in the world and sometimes they are afraid or scream very loudly or run away or hide and then a creepy thing comes and then they startle. And then they startle again when it comes again. "
Zwießler: "Do you always get frightened?"
Olivia: "Yes."
Zwießler: "And, are all people afraid?"
Anton: "Ne."
Zwießler: "Who is not afraid?"
Anton: "People who don’t know fear."
Zwießler: "Ah, where can you find them?"
Anton: "I do not know."
Max: "I know people who are not afraid."
Zwießler: "Who is not afraid?"
Max: "Night watchman, because they always stand there at night."
Zwießler: "Why don’t they have one?"
Max: "Because they don’t run away."

This is how the philosophical conversation among the preschool children on the subject of fear begins. Kindergarten teacher Zwießler investigates difficulties in understanding, asks for examples and reasons or illuminates new perspectives: How do you make sure that you are no longer afraid? What if there would be no more fear from tomorrow?

With her own opinion, however, she holds back and does not provide any answers herself. The children do that when philosophizing. But that also means that the units cannot be fully prepared. Rather, it is about trusting the children and getting involved on their path.

Raphaela Zwießler initially explains a changeover: “During your apprenticeship you learn that when you make an offer, there is an introduction, a main part and a conclusion. You are the one who knows how to do it and work out the right answer to a question with the children.
This is not possible with philosophizing, it is often freestyle – you do not know what answers come from the children. ”That is one reason why Raphaela and Kathrin are two. While Zwießler is leading the conversation, her colleague writes it down and gives her a short feedback afterwards: Where could she have asked again instead of changing direction to take the conversation in more depth? At what point did she go along well with the children’s thoughts, where would it have needed more restraint?

Fear is just one of the topics that have been philosophized by the FIZ villains, and many are still pending. The educators collect the children’s questions in a mason jar: where does the universe come from? Why isn’t time running backwards? Why are there people? What is the nothing Why are there stones? There is nothing the educators do not philosophize with the children about. With one exception: “We don’t question God. If the children talk about it themselves, then yes, but we don’t make it an issue. Also in order not to take away this security from the children. "

At the end of each session there is a brief reflection on the conversation with the children. Philosophizing is not just about independent thinking, but also about developing a common culture of conversation: did you like the creepy monster story today? Did you all listen carefully today? The children stretch out their thumbs – up, down, to the side. Anna and Max add: Were you all able to sit well today? Were you all nice and quiet??

Margit Knapp and her team no longer want to give up philosophizing: “We notice amazing developments in our children. The culture of conversation continues to develop and the children engage in actual dialogues with one another: they listen to one another and respond specifically to questions, ideas or thoughts of the other children. This respectful approach increases self-confidence and also the vocabulary and fluency become greater. "

Which, by the way, according to Margit Knapp, applies to all children, not only to those who speak German, because when philosophizing everyone finds their place and can express themselves according to their possibilities. And what does philosophizing do for educators? “I would like everyone to philosophize because you get a different perspective on the children. They honestly give you something if you tell us your thoughts, ”says Raphaela Zwießler. And Katrin Fischer adds: “It often happens that we take home the children’s thoughts, but also our own, or that we both philosophize again and think about the topic.

The BMW FIZ Strolche participated in the pilot project "Philosophize children" in Bavaria in 2006. The resulting Academy for Philosophizing Children has since been offering advanced training in philosophical discussions with children and young people.

The "Small Minds, Big Thoughts" project offers educational professionals
Training for the introduction and further development of philosophizing as educational and
Educational prince. Teams from day care centers in Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt who are interested in the four-part additional training can still apply. The costs are borne by the 4C FOOTSTEPS Foundation. Further information on the project and the training at www.kinder-philosophieren.de

The topic of the week is philosophy. This week you can look forward to more practical tips and philosophy games.

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