ABSTRACT
This chapter distinguishes the earlier reflective model, shaped by the pedagogical philosophy of Dewey, from the later reflective model, characterized by Philosophy for Children (P4C). The goal of thinking permeates both phases: both aim at producing thinking students, thinking teachers, thinking schools of education. Both have become sufficiently strong and enduring to see themselves planted in virtually every portion of the globe. All imaginative and creative thinking is inquiry, and all investigation of the ethically or valuationally problematic is inquiry. There is no justification for denying the status of inquiry to philosophy. All the humanities are forms of inquiry, and philosophy is one of the humanities. Children’s literature is a vast, complex and relatively uncharted field of writing and publishing. P4C is specifically aimed at the classroom, where the teacher has been especially prepared for the teaching of philosophy with children.
