MATH, HISTORY, SCIENCE AND...PHILOSOPHY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN?
Education Desk
October 09, 2008
AUTHOR EXPLORES THE REASONS WHY PHILOSOPHY IS CRITICAL SUBJECT MATTER MISSING FROM YOUR CHILD´S LESSON PLAN.
It is easy to identify the importance of the "basic" studies that characterize children´s everyday class load, particularly in the pre-adolescent years, where they are most impressionable. Mathematics supply necessary skills applicable to everyday life, history enriches knowledge of the past and science teaches children what exactly makes the world go round.
However, can any of these disciplines truly teach children what it all really means?
This is where author Kimberly Wickham points out a glaring void in a child´s education. Philosophy, she explains, allows children to go beyond understanding the sheer mechanics of how one plus one equals two to embrace how it all fits into the world around them. In her new books, Angels and Horses and Summer of Magic Horses, Wickham entices children to activate parts of their brains that go further than processing logical objectives.
"In school, pre-adolescent children are only taught courses that explain the technicalities of the world around them," Wickham explains. "What´s lacking is encouragement to enlighten themselves on a level where they can process emotional and personal equations in their life as well."
Many may question the ability of pre-adolescent children to digest the subjective nature of philosophy. On the contrary, it is at this time when children display a "natural tendency for philosophical thought," as Wickham puts it. Just as the brain at this stage in life is more compliant to absorbing and retaining a foreign language, the same principal applies to philosophy.
"Developing these skills has shown long-term positive effects," says Wickham. "Philosophy aides in the development of critical thinking skills, but also raising emotional maturity, heightening a child´s sense of security in the world."
Wickham´s books chronicle the life of Tina, a young girl plagued by circumstances to which typical children can relate – such as challenging friendships – set in a world of metaphysics. She hopes the story will inspire children to take control of their own lives.
"Of course, children most confront their own obstacles through life experience to acquire meaning in their life," Wickham notes. "However, there is no harm in providing children an ´edge´ early on to at least soften life´s blows down the road."
It is easy to identify the importance of the "basic" studies that characterize children´s everyday class load, particularly in the pre-adolescent years, where they are most impressionable. Mathematics supply necessary skills applicable to everyday life, history enriches knowledge of the past and science teaches children what exactly makes the world go round.
However, can any of these disciplines truly teach children what it all really means?
This is where author Kimberly Wickham points out a glaring void in a child´s education. Philosophy, she explains, allows children to go beyond understanding the sheer mechanics of how one plus one equals two to embrace how it all fits into the world around them. In her new books, Angels and Horses and Summer of Magic Horses, Wickham entices children to activate parts of their brains that go further than processing logical objectives.
"In school, pre-adolescent children are only taught courses that explain the technicalities of the world around them," Wickham explains. "What´s lacking is encouragement to enlighten themselves on a level where they can process emotional and personal equations in their life as well."
Many may question the ability of pre-adolescent children to digest the subjective nature of philosophy. On the contrary, it is at this time when children display a "natural tendency for philosophical thought," as Wickham puts it. Just as the brain at this stage in life is more compliant to absorbing and retaining a foreign language, the same principal applies to philosophy.
"Developing these skills has shown long-term positive effects," says Wickham. "Philosophy aides in the development of critical thinking skills, but also raising emotional maturity, heightening a child´s sense of security in the world."
Wickham´s books chronicle the life of Tina, a young girl plagued by circumstances to which typical children can relate – such as challenging friendships – set in a world of metaphysics. She hopes the story will inspire children to take control of their own lives.
"Of course, children most confront their own obstacles through life experience to acquire meaning in their life," Wickham notes. "However, there is no harm in providing children an ´edge´ early on to at least soften life´s blows down the road."