Meeting of Minds – held annually in August at Newington College, Stanmore

Meeting of Minds presents an opportunity for like-minded Year 7-8 students from schools across NSW to get together for a day of collaborative inquiry at the Critical Thinking Quarters, Newington College. 

Student comments illustrate the experience of the 2024 Meeting of Minds: Ethics
“It was a really fun day because you get to see what people think about different things in the world.”
“I thought the idea of nowism was very different and interesting, and challenged my thinking.”
“I loved doing performances and judging if things were right or wrong.”

FAPSA-trained facilitators led mixed groups of students in communities of inquiry, with mentorship provided by experienced P4C educators. Thanks to the enthusiastic teachers and students from: Central West Leadership Academy, Domremy College, Emanuel School, Meriden, Newcastle Grammar School, Newington College, North Sydney Girls High School, Redlands, Rosebank & St. Mary’s Cathedral College for a stimulating day of thinking together.

In 2023 students focused on the topic: Character and worked together on a deep dive into the virtue courage before working collaboratively around understanding and application of Aristotle’s theory of the Golden Mean. Communities of inquiry were facilitated by FAPSA-trained facilitators. Thanks to the enthusiastic teachers and students from: Central West Leadership Academy, Domremy College, Emanuel, Meriden, Newcastle Grammar School, Newington College, North Sydney Girls High School, Redlands, Rosebank, and Sydney Boys High School. 

The pictures below show the spirit of the event.

In 2022, to introduce this year’s topic: Identity, Headmaster Mr Michael Parker, presented an interactive Thought Experiment: the Brain Swap. Sessions 2 and 3 involved small group conceptual activities and community of inquiry, led by FAPSA-trained facilitators.

Thanks to the enthusiastic teachers and students from: Central West Leadership Academy, Meriden, Newington College, North Sydney Girls High School, Rosebank, St Patrick’s, and Sydney Boys High School for their participation in this inaugural year.