By Sasha Himeno-Price, Dr. Chad Miller, and Dr. Amber Makaiau

“...no thought, no idea, can possibly be conveyed as an idea from one person to another...Only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem first hand, seeking and finding [his or her] own way out, does [a person] think.” 

John Dewey (1916, p. 188). 

The spirit of Dewey is alive and well as we enter the sixth week of the University of Hawaiʻi’s  Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy program! Engaged in coursework, which requires participants to generate their own questions as a starting point for inquiry and learning--the thinking that has emerged from this first cohort of students has brought to the surface some of the biggest problems facing education in our time and have provided an incredible window into the ways progressive educators are well-poised to engage in tough work to address each issue. In this blog post we share and reflect on a number of the questions the cohort has been asking and wrestling with over the past five weeks, and the way in which a pedagogy centered around philosophical inquiry has supported their growth as learners and educators.

To cultivate a culture of inquiry and stimulate learner-centered questions during the first week of class, students and professors in the program engaged in a Plain Vanilla philosophical inquiry. This strategy and structured inquiry process is grounded in the “questions and interests of the [students] and move[s] in the direction that the [students] indicate” (Jackson, 2001, p. 462). Unlike a traditional classroom “discussion,” where the topic is often only centered around the specifics of a text or the interests of the professor, the Plain Vanilla process values the classroom community’s sense of wonder, as well as our experiences and beliefs, all of which become the center of gravity for inquiry.

For this particular inquiry, questions were generated from any reading, video, or topic from the first week of classes that we were interested in exploring more closely with our peers and professors. Once we created our questions, we shared it on a virtual “whiteboard” and every student read their question out loud and provided a brief rationale to explain the nature of their wondering. (It was amazing to hear the diversity and thoughtfulness put into each question and this was only our first Plain Vanilla!). Then we democratically voted to determine which question our classroom community of inquiry was most interested in exploring. 

After hearing all 12 questions, here is the question the group selected: 

“If the Plain Vanilla strategy is a learning tool which serves to support individuals in developing deep listening skills, increased tolerance of new ideas/perspectives, and the expression of authentic feelings/thoughts in a responsible way, then can I infer that implementing the Plain Vanilla strategy in prison systems will help to rehabilitate inmates so that they are ready to re-engage with society?” 

We used our “community ball,” which we made together in the first week of class, to facilitate turn-taking in our discussion. Despite the online setting, the rights of the community ball remained the same as they would be if we were in person; the person with the community ball was the designated speaker, and once finished, would invite the next speaker by virtually “passing” the ball to them. If you had the ball but were not ready to share, you always have the right to ask for “more time to think.” 

For Sasha, someone who is new to p4c, this was one of her first Plain Vanilla experiences. She reflected that it was interesting the group chose a question about the prison system in a program centered on progressive philosophy and education. As she engaged in the inquiry, the questions and ideas from her peers caused her to think more deeply about the relationship between education and other aspects of society. She wondered what society might be like if all schools embraced progressive approaches to teaching and learning? She also reflected on the efficacy of the Plain Vanilla process in an online setting. Sometimes in large groups on Zoom, there is a tendency for long pauses, however, she observed how the process of inviting the next speaker with the community ball, rather than waiting for a volunteer, kept the momentum of the conversation alive. In addition, she appreciated how balanced the conversation was-- no one person dominated the discussion and everyone participated and shared their thoughts. She was impressed with the level of engagement and listening, and was particularly inspired by the way in which people added to others’ ideas. At the inquiry’s close, she observed herself leaving with more confusion and questions than she had when the class started. At first, this felt a little unsettling and she wished the conversation could have lasted for hours. She was much more accustomed to leaving a class discussion with a clearer understanding of the subject, typically summarized by the teacher. However, the feelings of intellectual discomfort experienced after the group’s first Plain Vanilla actually led to reflection and wondering post-class. She realized that she thought a lot more about what rehabilitation in society even means and how p4c and progressive education can be applied in broader community settings. Ultimately she expressed excitement over having such a lively discussion for the cohort’s first Plain Vanilla philosophical inquiry.

To grow their capacity as thinkers and members of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy community of inquiry, the group reflected on the process. They appreciated how thinking together nurtured the development of meaningful relationships with their peers and teachers. They also expressed an overwhelming sense of love and connection, as well as respect for exposure to new perspectives and points of view. Together, they wondered how they might keep a better focus on the question they selected as they engaged in future inquires while continuing to remain open to new paths for exploration. They also committed to applying the Good Thinker’s Tool Kit to their next Plain Vanilla session.

Plain Vanilla, the term used to describe this inquiry strategy, was originally coined by the philosopher Thomas Jackson (2001). The purpose of his approach was to create pedagogical opportunities for philosophy to become the “living and reliable educational option” (Lipman,  (1988, p. vii). This was also the goal of Matthew Lipman, the father of the Philosophy for Children movement, who explained:

...the craft of philosophy contains itself a pedagogy — the need for dialogue, the need for questioning and a method of inquiry — which are essential characteristics of education in general. This is why education cannot be divorced from philosophy and philosophy cannot be divorced from education. (Lipman & Sharp, 1978, p. 259). 

As the members of this initial Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy cohort are experiencing first hand, the connection between philosophy, questioning, thinking, community, and reflection are critical to a meaningful and useful education. After all, life will provide us with many problems to wrestle with and along the way it will be important to have the tools we need to find our way out! 

At the end of this Master’s program, candidates will submit a final portfolio that includes a scholarly research paper, theory to practice exemplar, public presentation, social justice project, reflections on experiences, a gallery, and annotated bibliography. In this portfolio they will not only demonstrate how their thinking has evolved over time and all that they have accomplished, but they will also identify a question or professional line of inquiry that they intend to pursue well-beyond the two years of the program.

In closing, we leave you with their emergent questions:

• What are the characteristics of educational peak experiences that help young people to overcome limiting beliefs?

• Why is it a challenge to talk about our bodies in school?

• What would progressive subject standards for Ethnic Studies look like in Hawaiʻi?

• How does the progressive education approach help develop studentsʻ sense of belonging?

• What happens when we center aesthetic experience as progressive educators? 

• What does a school culture of inquiry look like for teachers and students?

• What can I learn from students about what it means to “belong” in school during the Covid-19 pandemic recovery? 

• Why is Spiritual Intelligence critical to the modern progressive education movement? 

• In what ways might schools make children feel safe and secure in their world?

• How can we reimagine new spaces for education centered in love through dialogic, co-created socially engaged, action-based curricula that explore intersections of traditional academic subjects with different disciplines?

Though these questions will most likely change and shift directions throughout the journey in this program, it is exciting to see where everyone is starting off and where their interests lie. Jana Mohr Lone (2012) writes, “To do philosophy means examining your own questions and ideas in a reflective and open way, without being constrained by the views of the ‘experts’” (8). This quote encompasses what we are doing in this program by checking our own assumptions, asking questions, reflecting, and expanding our perspectives. Therefore, the very nature of our experience in the program is in “doing” philosophy. 

We are looking forward to sharing candidates’ work and final portfolios, so subscribe to this blog to stay updated. In addition, follow us on Twitter for updates. 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Sasha Himeno-Price is currently a Masters of Public Policy candidate at the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Her focus is in Child and Family policy, specifically education policy and increasing access to high-quality education. Outside of classes, Sasha enjoys spending time with her friends and family and walking Biskit, her recently adopted dog from the Humane Society.

Dr. Chad Miller is the 2012 Hawaiʻi Teacher of the Year, a National Board Certified teacher, and is currently a Specialist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Education. Dr. Miller also serves as the Director of Teacher Development at the University’s Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education and is the Co-Director of both the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy and National Board Certification Teacher Leader Curriculum Studies MEd programs. He also serves as a “Philosopher in Residence” at several public schools, where he supports K-12 teachers as they incorporate the activity of philosophy into their classroom practice. Dr. Miller and his ‘ohana live in Honolulu and love listening to punk rock, watching sports, and, most of all, being at the beach. 

Dr. Amber Strong Makaiau is a Specialist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Director of Curriculum and Research at the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, Director of the Hanahau’oli School Professional Development Center, and Co-Director of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy MEd Interdisciplinary Education, Curriculum Studies program. A former Hawai‘i State Department of Education high school social studies teacher, her work in education is focused around promoting a more just and equitable democracy for today’s children. Dr. Makaiau lives in Honolulu where she enjoys spending time in the ocean with her husband and two children.

Citations 

Jackson, T. (2001). The art and craft of “gently Socratic” inquiry. In A. Costa (Ed.), Developing minds: A resource book for teaching thinking (3rd Ed). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Lipman, M. (1988). Philosophy goes to school. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Lone, J.M. (2012): The Philosophical Child. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (pp. 1-20).