ABSTRACT
There has long been friction surrounding who is better positioned to introduce young minds to the wonder of philosophy and to prepare teachers for this process: academic philosophers for whom philosophy is a habitual way of thinking, but who often lack deep pedagogical understanding; or teachers who have pedagogical expertise, as well as knowledge and skill to connect with their students’ way of thinking and talking, but typically lack preparation in academic philosophy? Teaching and pedagogy are traditionally secondary (at best) to the training of academic philosophers. There are tales of philosophers alienating their audiences, to such an extent that philosophy as a discipline has earned a reputation as inaccessible, despite its direct influence and commentary on life itself, which arguably should be in the reach of every person (Cam 2006; Golding 2006; Splitter 2006; Haynes 2008; Peters 2009). This attitude has direct implications for the ease with which philosophy is introduced in the classroom. Even John Dewey, an academic philosopher who advocated for an inquiry approach to pedagogy, did not contemplate philosophy as either a school subject or a vehicle of inquiry-based pedagogy (Lipman 2004; Gregory & Granger 2014). It was Lipman (also an academic philosopher) who brought philosophy to the classroom with the expectation that teachers would learn sufficient knowledge and skill to engage children in philosophical practice (Freakley & Burgh 2000).
