I was delighted to join the podcast “The Power of Curious Inquiry,” hosted by Christian Ace Stettler alongside guest Dr. Benjamin Lukey. Dr. Lukey, a professor of philosophy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is at the forefront of Philosophy for Children (P4C) in Hawaii and collaborates with public schools to integrate talking circles into education. Join us on an insightful journey into the transformative impact of curious inquiry with Dr. Benjamin Lukey as we explore how philosophy is revolutionizing education and fostering dynamic dialogues.
In this insightful episode, Dr. Lukey and the hosts delve into the impact of curious inquiry and philosophical education on the broader educational landscape. They emphasize the importance of nurturing critical thinking and embracing diverse perspectives in educational settings and share personal anecdotes illustrating the role of media in sparking philosophical conversations among children. Dr. Lukey discusses his journey into dialogic education, highlighting the crucial role of wonder, the beginner’s mind, and the process of implementing Philosophy for Children (P4C) in schools. The conversation covers the entire P4C inquiry process, including creating a focused community and reflecting on adaptable approaches for different community needs and readiness levels. Listeners gain insight into the positive development of students involved in P4C and the challenges of addressing sensitive topics in educational settings, making this episode essential for educators, parents, and anyone interested in the potential of philosophy to shape young minds and transform educational practices.
Guest Bio: Dr. Benjamin Lukey
Dr. Benjamin Lukey is a pioneering force in Philosophy for Children (P4C) in Hawaii, driven by a profound zeal for fostering critical thinking and dialogue in educational settings. His lifelong dedication has been to revolutionizing educational paradigms through the transformative influence of philosophical inquiry. At the core of his efforts is creating inclusive environments that encourage deep conversations and celebrate diverse perspectives within the realm of learning. Benjamin Lukey earned his doctorate in comparative philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His research interests extend to philosophy of disability, comparative philosophy, and philosophy for children (P4C), all stemming from his overarching mission to amplify different voices in philosophical discussions. Since 2007, he has been actively involved in the P4C Hawaii initiative at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, spearheading the Philosopher in Residence project at Hawaii’s public high schools. Dr. Lukey remains a steadfast supporter of P4C Hawaii teachers and students across various educational institutions, including Waimanalo Elementary & Intermediate School, Kailua High School, Waikiki Elementary, Ka’elepulu Elementary, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Presently, he is the Associate Director for the UH Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education.
The Impact of P4C on Education
Dr. Benjamin Lukey highlights the significant impact of Philosophy for Children (P4C) on students and educators through fostering critical thinking and dialogue, thereby inviting diverse perspectives and enriching educational discourse. The transformative potential of philosophical inquiry in shaping young minds is illustrated through real-world examples. Collaborating with students and teachers in public schools, the initiative strives to create a more thoughtful, compassionate, and ethical educational experience. With three P4C Hawaii “model schools” and dedicated individual teachers, the vision is cultivating a K-12 philosophical schooling environment that encourages collaborative thinking on meaningful topics and questions.
Cultivating Inclusive and Creative Learning Spaces
Dr. Lukey emphasizes the importance of inclusive communication spaces and collaborative approaches in fostering students’ creativity in education. He encourages deep conversations and proactive book previews, advocating for broadening students’ perspectives and cultivating a culture of lifelong dialogue engagement from a young age. Dr. Lukey also underscores the significance of creating intellectually safe environments that encourage open dialogues and view confusion as a pathway to learning.
Enhancing Inclusive Learning through Interactive Classroom Activities
Dr. Lukey shared insights on classroom dynamics by illustrating the application of the community ball exercise, emphasizing how collective thinking and inclusive dialogues enhance participants’ reflective skills and promote inclusivity through collaborative inquiry. Through this activity, students contribute topics for discussion, followed by a voting process to determine the focus. The student-led discussions resemble a talking circle, where the ball symbolizes speaking turns. The ball enables students to ask questions and share thoughts freely, fostering an environment of open exploration without fear of judgment.
Thoughts and Inspiration
During the podcast discussion, I expressed my admiration for the philosophy underpinning the teaching style presented. Coming from a background in special education within the formal education system, I have often encountered challenges with conventional teaching methods and the overall educational system. Inquiring about potential pushback from parents or colleagues, Dr. Lukey shared that if educators encounter difficulties with certain topics, if the learning process is student-led, backlash tends to be minimal. Visitors also inquired about the impact on students with special needs, to which it was noted that this particular approach did not pose issues, as students actively engaged and participated.
The podcast featuring Dr. Lukey offered a thought-provoking and enlightening dialogue. I am optimistic that the philosophy for children will further expand throughout our education system. By enabling children to explore and be open, we can revolutionize their learning experiences and enhance their capacity for engaging in open dialogues as adults. In conclusion, immerse yourself in the deep impact of curious inquiry in education, from nurturing inclusive discussions to embracing various perspectives. Dr. Benjamin Lukey’s perspectives shed light on the profound transformation that philosophy can bring in shaping young minds and fostering intellectual growth.
https://p4chawaii.org/resources/planning-teaching-and-assesing/
Michelle Dunham
Critical thinking skills have been neglected, and in many cases, ‘weeded’ out of our society. Each successive generation asks fewer questions. Being told “not to question your leaders,” when that is exactly what they should be doing. Asking the question “why” is not just for 2-year-olds. We must question. But we also must not be so stuck in our mindsets that we won’t allow other perspectives.
The P4C program reminded me of some specialized education I was lucky to receive one year. Basically, we played with clay to demonstrate abstract ideas or concepts; and used a variety of odd items to use in demonstrating meaning within our text, or even just demonstrating the meaning of one word. It was an incredible experience that opened me up broadly to perceiving the bigger picture.
Now I want to go play with clay!
Maren Chaffee
Hey Michelle! I completely agree with your thoughts on the importance of encouraging children to ask questions and fostering open communication in the classroom. It’s disheartening to see students feeling confused and embarrassed when they’re not given the opportunity to engage in healthy dialogue. Your recollection of specialized instruction with clay resonates with me, and I also see the parallels between P4C and this kind of innovative teaching. I firmly believe that learning how to engage in healthy dialogue and understand differing perspectives at a young age sets a solid foundation for navigating such situations in the future.
Josh Fine
Dr. Lukey’s multiple mentions of teacher being afraid to approach tough subjects, made me think back to my 7th grade social studies class. My teacher had us act out many controversial moments in American history, like the Greensboro sit-ins and life aboard a trans-Atlantic slave trade ship. I remember it caused a lot of uproar from parents that felt the content was too mature for 7th graders. I believe it even led to administrative action being taken against the teacher. The other thing that I remember was that it was the single best learning experience I had in middle school. I can see why a teacher might be afraid to facilitate tough conversations like that, but the outcomes can be so positive. I agree with Dr. Lukey in that regard. If we avoid these tough subjects in schools and snuff out conversation, it can really hamper the growth of children.
Maren Chaffee
Hi Josh, I love to hear that this was one of the best learning experiences you had in middle school. Middle school is such a tough time for kids, but it is also a time when they seek to learn more, and this often pushes them outside their comfort zone. I taught in middle school, and we had parents remove children from certain topics in Social Studies. I am surprised this is still happening in the world with information at our fingertips, but it still happens. I also agree that avoiding the tough subjects can hamper growth but also can create the same pattern to happen.
Christine Ryan
Thank you, Maren, for your take on the podcast you did a wonderful job. The philosophy itself on P4C is very creative and inspiring. Giving children the opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts in a safe space is a wonderful gift. I love that Dr. Lukey expressed how children catch on quickly. They spoke of a girl in fourth grade who would hold the ball for five-plus minutes and relay it all in her head, in return others realized this and she started getting the ball less and less and having that self-awareness chat with the teacher and the student after class to help him figure out why she wasn’t receiving the ball often. Her first thought is she wasn’t like, but a little self-awareness and she realized she was taking time from other students by oversharing.
Maren Chaffee
Hi Christine, Yes, they spoke about the girl who spoke too much, and the experience was a learning opportunity for the young girl. It sounds like the space was healthy for the girl and was a learning opportunity to think of others and be more aware.
Ben Woods
Hi there Maren, great post! I think teaching styles like this will change the path of education in this day and age. I remember the classes I looked forward to were those where the teacher made the environment safe for those to share their opinions and perspectives. The classes I didn’t look forward to were those where the teacher was jaded and often got frustrated with us when we didn’t understand the content. I feel that implementing the P4C type of teaching will improve our education system and make school actually worth going to. It’s insanely difficult to teach children a subject that they don’t have an interest in and get upset with them when they don’t perform well. I understand that there are the “core” classes and skills they HAVE to learn but for the rest of the courses, I feel we should let them choose what they want to learn about. We should encourage children to be curious and expand their knowledge under their own control and with our guidance.
Maren Chaffee
Hi Ben! Yes, I hope different teaching styles continue to expand and evolve. We need a teacher who can harness every child’s growth in learning. Core teaching: yes, I understand the concept, but I know I was the teacher who did not agree with “teaching to the test” as it takes away the ability to teach. I hope that one day, our public school system will change and expand to teaching and learning in different ways.
Annalee White
Hi Maren (and everyone in the comments)!
I think that especially with the pandemic, different options when it comes to schooling your children have certainly come to light. While some options have been available for years, they have recently become more normal as parents find other ways to school their children. While the public school systems try the approach of one-size-fits-all, that does to work for every student and every family. For me personally, I have never thrived in the math and science aspects of school and was always drawn to the arts. However, that is not the focus of many schooling institutions.
There were beautiful ideas mentioned in this blog, and I hope we can continue to foster the thoughts and dreams of providing the best for our children.
Maren Chaffee
Hi Annalee, I agree that one of the positive things that came out of the pandemic was learning to teach children differently. Unfortunately, many of the issues of teaching come from the top down, but not all. The system has taken so long to even get to where it is today. I look at other countries and wonder why America is so far behind in our education systems. Thank you and everyone else as well. I agree there are many beautiful ideas mentioned, and I think many of us are ready to foster thoughts and dreams for our children.