Thinking children: children thinking

Although as teachers, social workers, counsellors, community educators and parents we encounter children in a range of settings, very rarely do we think about children in terms of what they essentially are. This paper will reflect upon the notion of ‘child’ and will consider why it is important for society, and not just those who work with children, to reflect upon children and their place and role in society. It will be suggested that we need not only think about children but that to engender children’s participation in society we want thinking children, philosophical children.