University of Washington Courses in Philosophy for Children
Philosophy for Children
Our relationship with the University of Washington Department of Philosophy allows us to offer courses for University of Washington graduate and undergraduate students in which students learn to lead philosophy sessions in K-12 classrooms, with supervision and mentoring from experienced instructors. Each year, we offer an introductory class in the fall and then a more advanced seminar for undergraduates, combined with a graduate seminar, each winter.
These classes focus on ways to establish classroom “communities of philosophical inquiry,” and university students develop an understanding of how to inspire philosophical discussions with K-12 students. The emphasis is on learning by doing, and each class session operates as a community of philosophical inquiry.
Sample Syllabi
Click the following links to view samples:
What Students Say
Our work was highlighted in the 2014 University of Washington Provost’s Report on innovative teaching approaches. Involvement in philosophy for children classes has inspired hundreds of undergraduates over the years.
Here’s what students say about the courses:
“During my time in this class I have had many realizations, one of them being that asking a question is the answer to all questions. I’ve taken away so much from this class much more than any other course I have taken at the University of Washington. I say this because this class encouraged me to be an individual and I felt that I was always pushed to think differently, as opposed to the usual classes here where you are graded by your ability to be smarter at something than someone else in this class. The class encouraged us not to be the same and we are embraced for our individuality. This class has taught me to ask questions and to realize that there are so many answers to one question, but the answers we seek are not to fulfill our need to know what’s right or wrong but to fulfill our curiosity about the nature of things.”
“This class has allowed me to chisel away at the cover that has hardened over my curiosity and imagination. I don’t know how I could possibly go about living ‘real life’ without using what I have learned in this class.”
“I think a new perspective on the very real ability of children to be philosophical, a deeper understanding of my own beliefs on subjects like life, death, compassion, time, and right and wrong, as well as new thoughts and perspectives about those same subjects generated by my classmates are some of the most valuable things I learned in the class.”
“If I had to choose absolutely one take away from this class, it is to try my best to completely listen to the points of others.”
Melissa Diamond is a first year M.Ed student in the College of Education’s Social and Cultural Foundations program. In 2020, she graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in philosophy and a B.S. in computer science. She intends to use her background in philosophy to study education, with a focus on the ethical questions surrounding environmental education in the context of global climate change. As an undergraduate, a highlight of her experience was her work as a tutor for the UW Department of Philosophy’s Writing Center, and she is thrilled to continue doing philosophy with students through her Philosophy for Children fellowship. In her free time, Melissa loves to cook and bake, go backpacking, and work on improving her film photography.
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