Philosophy in Nature - a point of view.

A great day with SAPERE teachers, Jane and Gina, who are passionate exponents of giving children (and adults) the opportunity to talk in greater depth about the things that are key to the human condition and to take time to reflect on the universal questions.


But for outdoor teachers, unused to the approach, it’s not so easy see how an activity can lead to the fruitful thought and dialogue that Jane and Gina are so convinced can happen. But it’s not so difficult, as well as great fun, intellectually stimulating and leaves you with a positive well-being vibe. In this activity each group was told to make a stick frame and place it wherever they agreed to.


The simple act of framing framed many questions, such as, what constitutes a view? How is a frame necessary? and why the frame was placed where it was?


One frame was suspended above a running stream, another on the ground encircled a holly sapling, another was a natural formation of tree branches that you could lie down under and look upwards through.  Each drew out different responses and opened up different avenues of thought and feeling.  


With a school curriculum that focuses on standardised achievement of learning goals there seems little time to take time to think around a subject or concept, of taking turns to really listen to others, seeing their point of view, and increasing depth and range of understanding through discussion rather than the trying to prove a debated point.


I was certainly convinced that the balance of the SAPERE approach offers something special and can't wait to try elements of it out with the next group of kids we have visiting our forest.


(SAPERE, or the Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education, is the UK’s national charity for Philosophy for Children. They were founded in 1992 by a group of teachers and educators with a vision to transform education in the UK and beyond.)