“IS IT OK TO PEE IN THE OCEAN?” – A Philosopher in Residence Explains
Jack Flesher (he/they) is a PhD Candidate in Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. In his free time, he enjoys making music, spending time with friends in nature, and things that get his hands dirty like cooking and ceramics.
When asked to describe my experience as a Philosopher-in-Residence at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School (and trust me, with a title like this, I get asked a lot!), I often find myself saying that it is one of most inspiring and rewarding opportunities I’ve had in my career. This may sound hyperbolic, but facilitating philosophy classes for K-5 students in Seattle Public Schools has not only sparked my passion for Philosophy with Children but also helped me to better understand and appreciate the value of centering students in education, regardless of their age.
Student-centered learning (or student-driven learning) models of education share a few basic goals: 1) the sessions arise from students’ own beliefs, feelings, interests, ideas, and lived experiences; 2) adults are decentered, allowing students to step forward and actively lead their own learning; and 3) spaces are created in which students feel safe and empowered to share and to take risks while thinking and learning. Philosophy with Children excels in meeting these goals.
To illustrate a philosophy session in action, here are some exchanges that took place in a fourth-grade class.
K-5 Philosophy sessions often begin with prompts from literature, films, games, thought experiments, or artistic exercises. Some of the best recommendations have come from my students. Recently, after one of our sessions, fourth-grade student approached me and asked, “Have you seen Inner Workings? I think it would be a really good video for philosophy.”
“Let me write that down!” I said excitedly. Sure enough, this short, animated film (Disney, 2016) was funny, developmentally appropriate, and philosophically rich. It explored the tensions “between” the mind and the body: how do we find and balance time for to fulfill our responsibilities and relax – especially when it feels as if parts of the world (and maybe even ourselves) might be working against us?
We watched Inner Workings during a subsequent session. The class then generated several philosophical questions for discussion, mostly focusing on the choices the protagonist faced. However, when students voted to choose the discussion question, two questions were tied. Instead of revoting, as we often do, the students suggested that we discuss both. Naturally, I let them take the reins.
The first question – Why was [the protagonist’s] brain always trying to scare him? – sparked a conversation about the larger biological and social purposes of anxiety. Students began by saying that protagonist’s brain scared him to keep him safe. Then they began asking questions about why our brains try to protect us. How do you know when your brain is doing its job, and how do you know when it’s going too far? When are risks worth taking, and how do you know if they’re worth taking? Offering examples from their own lives, from their families, and from the film we had watched, this conversation was both philosophically robust and socially-emotionally expressive. Many students spoke with sensitivity and care about topics adults struggle to discuss.
The second question – Why did he pee in the ocean? – generated lots of giggles and silliness at first, signaling the students’ vulnerability and embarrassment. But once they got over the “Are -we-seriously-talking-about-peeing- during-school?” moment, a thoughtful conversation began. Is there something wrong with peeing in the ocean? What effects do our actions have on the environment and on other people? How can we find out if it doesn’t affect other people or the environment? What reasons are more or less important when trying to decide if it is okay to pee in the ocean? Do we know if it actually harms the ecosystem or humans? How would we measure the effects of peeing in the ocean in the first place? Don’t many animals already pee in the ocean? The answer to this last question was yes! So why not humans too?
What began as a seeming silly, off-the-cuff question blossomed into a meaningful and enriching conversation, during which students leaned into their embarrassment, gave voice to their intellectual curiosity ,and came away with new perspectives.
As you can see, this was clearly a student-centered session. The materials we focused on were suggested by a student rather than the philosopher in residence. Students themselves defined the scope of their interests by composing their own questions and narrowing down these choices through a democratic process. As well, students themselves suggested that we didn’t have to talk about only one question; we could consider both, splitting the time so that everyone would be included (even those who didn’t vote for the second question, fearing that the subject of peeing was too silly or gross for school). In the end, no philosophical stone went unturned. The students made a pedagogical decision that they led and that I was more than happy to accommodate. Finally, students were able to entertain playful yet serious discussions about issues they found important, regardless of whether “the philosopher” felt these were worth our time.
Students may encounter experiences like this in other classrooms, but in all likelihood, not frequently. In PLATO’s Philosopher-in-Residence Program at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, however, these experiences are not simply common but encouraged and supported. For this reason and many others, I remain grateful for the opportunity to get to work with such thoughtful and creative students.
Noice!