Bring the Apprentice into your classroom with the Big Pitch questioning activity, or turn your focus to the deeper, more profound aspects of philosophical questioning

The Big Pitch

Divide learners into groups of four.

One of these groups is designated the ‘executive board’.

The rest of the groups, the pitchers, are set a problem for which they must develop a solution.

The groups then work as follows:

Executive Board

They are given background information on the problem which they must read and analyse. They then discuss the problem and talk about what possible solutions they think their peers might put forward.

Next, the group work together to come up with a set of criteria they will use to judge the pitches they receive.

Finally, the group develop a range of questions they will ask to the pitchers.

Pitchers

Each group works together to create a solution to the problem.

The teacher displays a range of things that must be done.

This includes:

Create a solution to the problem.
Prepare a short presentation explaining your solution.
Plan a speech in which you sell the benefits of your solution.
Anticipate what questions you might be asked about your solution and how you will respond to these.

Two further things can happen during the problem-solving phase.

First, you can invite one member from each group to visit the executive board to find out what they are looking for from the solutions.

Second, you can invite the executive board to walk around the room so that they can observe what the groups are doing and ask them questions.

When sufficient time has elapsed, call proceedings to a halt.

At this point, you should ask the executive board to arrange themselves at the front of the room so that they are sat behind two tables.

The tables should be at a forty-five degree angle to the rest of the class.

This will ensure the executive board can be seen and heard, but that they can also talk directly to the group who are presenting.

Each group comes up in turn.

They have two minutes to pitch their solution to the board and two minutes to face questions from the executives.

(If you have time, you can invite members of the class to ask questions as well.)

When each group has delivered their pitch, the executive board are invited to retire to the corner of the room (or the corridor) to evaluate the pitches and to decide which was best and why.

Meanwhile, the teacher asks the groups to reflect on what went well in their presentations and what could have been improved.

The activity concludes with the executive board returning to give their decision.

It is important that they support this with reasons and a detailed explanation that references what was said during the pitches.

Philosophical Questioning

One way to define philosophy is to say it involves ‘thinking about thinking’.

In the context of the classroom, it provides learners with an opportunity to analyse the concepts and categories on which their thinking depends, to enquire as to the nature of knowledge and to think about moral issues.

Five major branches of philosophy can be used as bases for the formation of questions relevant to most subjects.

They are:

Ethics (the study of morality – What is right and wrong? How can we know?)
Epistemology (the study of the nature of knowledge – What can we know for certain? How do we come to know things?)
Metaphysics (the study of the fundamental nature of the world – What is there? What is it like?)
Aesthetics (the study of the nature of beauty and art – What is art? What causes something to be beautiful?)
Political Philosophy (the study of politics, authority, and justice – Why should I be governed? What is just?)

If, as a teacher, you familiarise yourself with these branches, it will be easy for you to spot opportunities during lessons when an activity might be turned in a philosophical direction.

Three major benefits stem from taking advantage of such opportunities:

You will cause learners to think more deeply about the subject and topic. This will help to develop their understanding.
You will help learners to clarify their thinking.
You will cause learners to think critically about the concepts and categories they use, as well as the ideas and arguments they put forward.

For me, personally, philosophical thinking is an end in itself.

You may not feel the same and, should this be the case, these concrete benefits can provide a reason as to why you might promote philosophical thinking during your teaching.