This article explores a democratic school, where the author studied the application of Philosophy for/with Children (P4C) in Irish Educate Together schools via in-depth study and discussions with teachers and students. I explain how teachers in these environments try to strike a compromise between their own beliefs about democracy and education and how they implement P4C. Through a "lived enquiry" study, in which the researcher and P4C practitioner fully immersed themselves in a school's everyday operations, several points of view were uncovered. Democratic processes are taught to pupils in classrooms where teachers have made an effort to strike a balance between their ideas and actions, resulting in an environment where democracy is not only demanded but also accepted as a way of life. It is my contention that there exists a "rough ground" of practice where different and unique points of view may be revealed when genuine, completely immersive, and compassionate approaches are used toward practitioners and their communities. I base my assertion on portions of data from teacher interviews that I used for my doctoral study. With an emphasis on the concepts of child-centeredness, conversation, and philosophical inquiry with young learners, the ways in which the P4C and Educate Together philosophies of education are connected are investigated. Expanding upon Biesta and Fielding's democratic educational concepts, I argue that there is a compelling philosophical and contextual relationship between P4C educators, the environment in which discussions with children can occur, and the possibility that students will learn about democracy in a different way as a result of their education.

Democratic education, democratic education in Ireland, philosophy for children, philosophy with children, P4C, philosophy in schools