PHILOSOPHY FOR COMMUNITY IN PRISON

Dr. Ilaria Lisci

Educator in the Prison and Teacher P4C

C.R. “Is Arenas” Arbus, Sardinia, Italy

“Philosophy for Community: build a community of research”Malta, 24-28 September 2012

The P4C is a philosophical practice, developed by Matthew Lipman in the 70s, originally designed for children, but that went well beyond the boundaries of teaching, becoming a veritable cultural revolution that was reflected in very different from those school. Last, but not least, the prison context, which is being developed in recent years.

The P4C aims to promote a process of personal growth. This is carried out with groups preferably not more than 15 members.

  The organization of space must respond to the instance of democratic openness of discussion: setting circular and equidistant, comfortable and casual.

The presence of a whiteboard allows the facilitator to keep track of the discussion

THE FACILITATOR

Within the research community there is a facilitator.The position of the facilitator is equal: give and you give the "you", enhances each member of the group, raises his hand to ask to speak like the other, silently waiting for the other to speak.After sharing the rules of listening and relating to a speech turn, sessions begin with the reading of a lipmanian text / stimulus or other material specifically designed. (Images-short videos, etc..)

Reading is loud and in turn: every member of the community reads a passage from the story, opening up to a hermeneutic dimension.

The next step is the drafting of the agenda.The facilitator notes on the board of the questions raised by the reading of the story.

Extrapolated from the agenda are the guiding ideas that stand on the basis of the discussion.

THE AGENDA

From the plane of discussion we pass to the discussion proper, during which the facilitator needs to have a directional function and not Directive.

The duration of a session of P4C should not exceed 60 minutes.

The last 10 minutes should be devoted to self-evaluation.

In the perspective of self-correction that inspires the curriculum, now takes on particular importance.

EVALUATION

PURPOSE

The objective of P4C is to create "research community", which identify philosophy as a social practice.

Among the most important features of the curriculum of P4C can be highlighted:

-education for democracy, respect for others and the community through the use of formal logic (which identifies from time to time its logical references based on "good reasons" that are expressed);

-the development of creative and critical thinking;

-the stimulus and the capacity of argument;

• overcoming the egocentric position and individualistic;

• the development of metacognitive reflection that facilitates self-analysis of their behavior and personal ethical positions and values ;

• the acquisition of awareness of the complexity of the thought of;

• attributing to the choices of thought and life meaning;

• embankment of phenomena such as violence.

MY EXPERIENCE OF P4C IN IS ARENAS’ PRISON

As Teacher of P4C I conducted several workshops in primary school classes and then with high school boys.

In prison, I am working on a second laboratory P4C designed for a group of 11 detainees who share the same cell. The group is diverse in terms of nationality (1 Italian, 2 Moroccans, 3 South American, 2 Polish, 1 Spanish, 1 Nigerian, 1 Singaporean) and how to age (the age from 20 to 65 years)

AIMS

After checking the availability of people to participate in this workshop (it is essential self-interest and voluntary) have established specific goals for this group:

-Ability to share a common space that has objective difficulties in management;

- Development of a tolerant and respectful of people of different nationalities and cultural groups;

-Improvement in the climate between the group of prisoners.

THE QUESTIONS

Here are some questions posed by the prisoners which were followed by related discussions:

• Can the mistake characterizes my identity?• Is it possible to live with limits?• Has Happiness no limits?• Is it always better to be yourself?• Do we also live in the cameras?• What is fear?• Will the world will have a better future?• Does the man change the world or does the world change

man?

The lab is still in progress. So far it has been observed:• A high level of participation (all people have participated in

eight meetings);• a good deal of listening;• it seems that the climate inside the cell is improved by as

reported by inmates and those observed by the agents;• The group, in complete autonomy, has several times repeated

in the cell, during other times of the day in the discussion circle, continuing to deepen the analysis that emerged during the workshop.

CONSIDERATIONS

PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS

I consider this an exciting experience. I am glad to feel the desire on the part of the prisoners, to express themselves, get involved, learn to feel the emotions of others. As an educator I felt the pleasure of feeling valued by prisoners in my words, I understood the way that the prisoners had to listen to me.

With great pleasure I listened to the thoughts and values that prisoners put into play. I shared new perspectives I had not considered that before. I saw the window open and saw it sprout seeds of change.

You can find all the information on Philosophy for children / community in Italy in www.filosofare.org and www.icpic.org

You can read:

University of Cagliari, Faculty of Education. Primary Education Sciences. THE P4C: BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF RESEARCH AT SCHOOL AND SOCIETY. Thesis Ilaria Lisci.

For those wishing to contact me: ilarialisci@yahoo.it

THANK YOU!