Possible Structure for a Philosophy Session

Set up:
Children sitting in a circle - teacher part of the circle. Usually sitting on chairs. Rules for the ensuing discussion are set and known.

Stimulus:
We usually use a picture/story book or a section from a longer story. Sometimes we use a story on video (channel 4 have a good collection - http://www.channel4.com/ ). Other suggestions are pieces of artwork, sculpture, artefacts, and purpose written stories etc.... The story is read to the children (or older children may take it in turns to round around the circle).

Questions:
Children are invited, after sufficient "thinking time" to ask questions about the story e.g.: "What would you really like to know/ask about this story?" "What does this story make you wonder about?" "What do you think?" They have time to talk in two's or three's. Sometimes they will be given the opportunity to draw or write their questions or responses first (according to age). Children then relay their questions - sometimes these are written on paper taped to the board (these are kept as a record of the session) with the questioner's name written beside.

Connections:
We don't always do this bit! This part of the procedure is done as an aspect of progression to draw children's attention to how connections can be made. Children are invited to study the questions and look for similarities or connections between them. Connections are marked in another colour and questions are linked up or "chunked". A brief note of the similarity/connection is made on the chart.

Discussion:
One question (or one "chunk") is chosen to discuss, either by voting, general consensus or direct choice. If the teacher wants to promote a particular point for discussion she/he may select the question. More often than not a question rises to the surface naturally.

The person who initiated the question is invited to say a bit more about their thinking, to start off the discussion. Children then follow the thought up. Part of progression is to encourage the children to use the terms "I agree..." or "I disagree...", but these terms are not insisted on and are generally phased out as the children move through the school.

One of the elements that form a philosophical dialogue is the building of thoughts upon thoughts - a journey of enquiry. Children are encouraged to direct the discussion towards each other and not through the teacher. Active listening is encouraged throughout and respect for the views of others. There is an emphasis on the process, rather than on an "end product".

The dialogue more often than not departs from the text. Although the discussion might start from some quite small point they very often expand and lead to quite deep - philosophical - issues.