Highlights
FCSH-UAc student and NICA researcher wins first prize at the Global Teacher Prize Portugal for her work in the area of Philosophy for Children.
Elsa Cerqueira , Master's student in Philosophy for Children at the University of the Azores and collaborating member of NICA: Interdisciplinary Center for Children and Adolescents, from the same University, won the first prize of the Global Teacher Prize Portugal.
This recognition rewards teachers from different countries, from pre-school, basic or secondary education, with the aim of valuing reference projects in schools and in their respective communities.
Dr. Elsa Cerqueira is a Philosophy teacher at Escola Secundária de Amarante, where she created the project “Philosophy with Cinema”, which aims to “develop the philosophical thinking of each student, inside and outside the film”, she says. Within the scope of NICA he has participated in several activities developed by the Nucleus, having been responsible for promoting (H)À Conversa sobre... Animation Cinema, Childhood(s) and Philosophy.
Student at FCSH-UAc and researcher at NICA wins International Prize de Excellence in Research in Philosophy for Children.
Paula Vieira , teacher at Escola Básica e Secundária Armando Cortês-Rodrigues, in Vila Franca do Campo, student of the Masters in Philosophy for Children, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, and researcher at NICA: Interdisciplinary Center for Children and Adolescents, University of the Azores, won the “Biennial Award for Excellence in Interpreting Philosophy for Children”.
This distinction has been awarded since 2002 by the ICPIC (International Council of Philosophical Inquiry with Children), the largest international body of specialists and practitioners of Philosophy for Children, and aims to reward research that significantly contributes to the promotion of the area of Philosophy for Children.
There were essays from different countries (Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy, Philippines, Scotland and Portugal) focused on theoretical and practical aspects of philosophical work with children and adolescents. Philosophy for Children (internationally recognized as P4C, Philosophy with Children) began as a curricular project in the 1970s, in the USA, having been established in the following decades as an educational movement and philosophical area. In this sense, the importance of this award is imposed by the contributions that the awarded work brings to the area itself, constituting itself as an original work of excellence that reports practices and theoretical perspectives of relevance to the advancement of the area.
The prize consists of the publication of the essay in the ICPIC journal childhood & philosophy, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, as well as the presentation of the essay in a special session of the Conference that ICPIC will organize in Bogotá (Colombia) next July and as well as financial compensation.
In addition to being a Master's student at FCSH-UAc, Paula Vieira coordinates a Philosophy for Children project at Escola Armando Cortês-Rodrigues covering around 500 children.
This award is, therefore, a distinction that the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of the Azores, is very proud of, for the recognition of the quality of the training provided at the Azorean Academy.