At Newton British Academy we strive to help our students develop 21st Century Skills. We aim to instill a sense of collaboration, caring attitude, critical thinking skills and creative approach to problem-solving in our students.
By providing enquiry-based activities and Philosophy for Children (P4C) where students are encouraged to ask questions and find solutions through discussion. P4C strengthens children’s listening and speaking skills, reasoning skills and enhances their self-esteem. During P4C lessons and mini-enquires, we aim to create an environment where children have the freedom to ask questions and explore different views.
Our aim is to develop the 4C’s in our students:
Caring:
listening (concentrating) and valuing (appreciating) e.g. showing interest in, and sensitivity to, others’ experiences and values
Collaborative:
responding (communicating) and supporting (conciliating) e.g. building on each other’s ideas, shaping common understandings and purposes.
Critical:
questioning (interrogating) and reasoning (evaluating) e.g. seeking meaning, evidence, reasons, distinctions, and good judgements
Creative:
connecting (relating) and suggesting (speculating) e.g. providing comparisons, examples, criteria, alternative explanations or conceptions
We also aim to use P4C lessons to teach, both explicitly and implicitly, our Values, Attitude and Attributes.
The key ingredient in a P4C Enquiry is the desire to go beyond pursuing information by seeking understanding. Once students have engaged in this process and have shared their views, listened to others and considered the 4C’s of P4C, they are to reflect. The key practice of reflection enables students to reevaluate their own views whilst considering opposing beliefs. Our aim is to make them think and develop the verbal skills to share their opinions.
