Monkton hosts first ever Bath Schools Philosothon
Monkton were delighted to host the inaugural Bath Schools Philosothon, bringing together over 90 pupils from nine schools, from both independent and state sectors, across the South West for an evening of discussion about topics such as the nature of personhood, what determines continuity in the universe and the extent to which robots deserve rights. It was wonderful to see our pupils connecting and sharing ideas with others from our wider community, enjoying the experience of some real-life deep conversation!
One of the visiting teachers said of the event:
Our pupils absolutely loved it and it gave them a real chance to shine. I was incredibly impressed with the calibre of discussion. Our House of Commons could learn a thing or two from them.
The focus of our partnerships programmes at Monkton is on developing long-term sustainable and mutual relationships with our community, learning from each other and working together to support the children and young people we serve. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is clear that we need to be creative and proactive about finding opportunities for our students to engage with one another, to develop confidence and rebuild a sense of their place in the world.
The philosothon model is an excellent vehicle for this, with its focus on active listening, problem solving, critical thinking and constructive challenge. There is something really powerful about bringing people together around a problem or an issue, and giving them a chance to learn how to justify their views, disagree with one another respectfully, receive challenge and deepen their understanding. It is a lively antidote to social media soundbites and 'cancel culture' and we are already planning ahead to a programme of smaller scale events and exchanges sparked by this experience.
The philosothon model is an excellent vehicle for this, with its focus on active listening, problem solving, critical thinking and constructive challenge. There is something really powerful about bringing people together around a problem or an issue, and giving them a chance to learn how to justify their views, disagree with one another respectfully, receive challenge and deepen their understanding. It is a lively antidote to social media soundbites and 'cancel culture' and we are already planning ahead to a programme of smaller scale events and exchanges sparked by this experience.
