“Philosophy with Children” and Motivating Children for Learning

Nastavnik ima ključnu ulogu u motiviranju učenika. O tome govore istraživanja temeljena na McGregorovom shvaćanju o X i Y tipovima ličnosti. Pokazano je da najveći broj učenika pripada mješovitom, XY tipu, kojemu je potrebna i vanjska motivacija. Motiviranje u nastavi efikasno je samo ako se kod učenika pobudi određena potreba. Budući da je filozofija s djecom zasnovana upravo na izazivanju potrebe koja se naziva stimulus, učenici pokazuju visoki stupanj motiviranosti na radionicama provedenima prema ovoj metodi. Prvi korak je ojačavanje učenika za razvijanje funkcionalne autonomije omogućavanjem homeostaze nižih razina potreba (prema Maslowu). Prihvaćenost od strane zajednice i sigurnost omogućuju se putem zajednice istraživača. Tako se prva, emotivna, reakcija na stimulus nadilazi onom racionalnom. Tijekom filozofskog istraživanja treba slijediti sljedeće principe: agenda kao metoda rada; sudionici slobodno iznose svoje ideje i govore o onome što im je nejasno; sudjelovanje svih učenika; sudionici radionice slušaju jedni druge; inzistira se na da/ne odgovorima; sve što se dogodi tijekom radionice postaje predmetom istraživanja; i nastavnik nikada ne dozvoljava da učenici saznaju njegovo stajalište o predmetu rasprave.The teacher plays the crucial role in motivating students. Researches based on McGregor’s understanding on X and Y types of personality serve as a proof of such claim. It is shown that the predominant number of students is a mixed XY type, meaning they require an external motivation. Motivation in teaching is efficient only if a certain need has been induced in a student. Given that the philosophy with children is based exactly on the inducing the need that is called stimulus, students are showing high level of motivation at the workshops organized according to this method. First step is to strengthen the students for the development of a functional autonomy by ensuring the homeostasis of the lower levels (according to Maslow). The community of inquiry enables the feelings of belonging and safety, so the rational reaction to stimulus overcomes the first, emotional one. The principles that have to be followed during the philosophical research are: agenda as the method of work; participants freely represent their ideas and talk about the topics they did not understand; all participants contribute to the work; participants listen to each other; answers should be given in a clear yes/no form; all what happens during the workshop represents the material for a further research; and the teacher never discloses to students his/her own standpoints on the topic of the discussion