Investigation of Preschool Teacher Candidates’ and Philosophy Department Students’ Metaphors on the Concept of Philosophy for Children

Authors : Merve Öztürer, Özge Özel, Prof. Dr. Perihan Ünüvar

Pages : 68-94

View : 106 | Download : 77

Publication Date : 2025-03-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Children learn to express their ideas clearly, support their thoughts with valid reasons, and engage in discussions with different people through the philosophy education they receive. This introduction to philosophy and philosophy education during early childhood is essential for their development. However, the concept of \\\"Philosophy for Children\\\" has not yet become widespread in Türkiye. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the metaphors used by pre-service preschool teachers and students in the philosophy department regarding \\\"Philosophy for Children.\\\" The research was designed as a phenomenological study, which is a type of qualitative research. The study group consisted of 100 fourth-year university students from the 2023-2024 academic year, and data were collected using a form with three open-ended questions. The content analysis method was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the metaphors of prospective preschool teachers included categories such as mental processes, play and fun, creativity and imagination, meaninglessness and abstract thought, personal discovery and curiosity, perspective and future, as well as importance. In contrast, the metaphors identified by philosophy students included mental processes, metaphysics, difficulty and meaninglessness, education and training, communication and expression, development and flexibility, and importance. Overall, the concept of \\\"Philosophy for Children\\\" was primarily associated with the category of \\\"mental processes.\\\" Both groups recognized \\\"importance\\\" and \\\"mental processes\\\" as common metaphors. Prospective preschool teachers emphasized the connection between early childhood and play, interpreting \\\"Philosophy for Children\\\" through the lenses of \\\"play\\\" and \\\"fun.\\\" On the other hand, philosophy department students primarily interpreted and explained the concept through the category of \\\"metaphysics.\\\"
Keywords : Çocuklar için felsefe, Metafor, Öğretmen adayları, Felsefe