Programs for Educators

PLATO Professional Development Program

Description

PLATO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

PLATO offers an online professional development program in philosophy for children for educators. The program includes three components:

  • The Introductory Course is an interactive synchronous course in philosophical pedagogy that focuses on developing the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate communities of philosophical inquiry in K-12 classrooms. Participants come from around the world and meet weekly each spring for 11 weeks. The course includes topics such as fostering a community of philosophical inquiry, choosing prompts, the nature of philosophical questioning, philosophical sensitivity, epistemic injustice, and philosophical recognition of young people. See the Introductory Course tab for more details.

  • The Advanced Course is is an interactive synchronous course that is offered to educators in any country who have training and experience in philosophy in schools. The course further develops the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully lead philosophy sessions with young people. Participants do not need to have completed the Introductory Course in order to enroll in the Advanced Course, but must have completed training in philosophy for children run by PLATO or another organization offering comparable programs. See the Advanced Course tab for more details.

  • The Certificate of Mastery is offered to educators who are enrolled in or have completed the Advanced Course. Certificate candidates meet with mentors monthly, from September through June, at mutually convenient times, to evaluate and refine each participant’s developing facilitation skills. Candidates must have regular access to a group of young people to hold philosophy sessions, either online or in person, in classrooms or other settings, and be able to record some of these sessions for evaluation and discussion. See the Certificate of Mastery tab for more details.

Introductory Course

Introductory Professional Development Course

PLATO’s Introductory Course is an interactive synchronous course in philosophical pedagogy that focuses on developing the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate communities of philosophical inquiry in K-12 classrooms. The course runs each spring for 11 weeks and includes such topics as fostering a community of philosophical inquiry, choosing prompts, the nature of philosophical questioning, philosophical sensitivity, epistemic injustice, and philosophical recognition of young people.
The course is designed to be relevant for all levels of K-12 education. 

Introductory Course participants will leave the course with the following:

  • An understanding of the founding principles of P4C practice
  • A beginning awareness of how to recognize and ways to cultivate philosophical thinking in children
  • The ability to identify a philosophical question versus a non-philosophical question
  • Experience participating in a community of philosophical inquiry, modeled by experts in the field, and an understanding of how to form and maintain such a community
  • Basic skills in choosing appropriate philosophical prompts for the classroom
  • Experience formulating a philosophical lesson plan
  • Connection to a cohort of other practitioners

After the course, PLATO provides ongoing resources and mentorship for all participants. 

 

Schedule
The Introductory Course involves synchronous 2.5-hour weekly Zoom meetings (with a 15-minute break in the middle) on Wednesdays from 6:30-9 pm ET. There is an asynchronous forum for further interaction among participants and an online Capstone event at the course’s conclusion on May 21. 

The course involves 25 hours of professional development training. At the conclusion of the Introductory Course, participants receive a Certificate of Completion for 25 hours of professional development. Certificates may be submitted for a school’s or district’s approval towards professional development credits, the requirements for which vary by state. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their school, organization, and/or state.

 

Fees
The cost for the Introductory Course is $1,700.00 US for PLATO members, $2,000 US for non-members (donate to become a member here).
PLATO has a generous scholarship policy. We offer financial assistance upon request. See the Registration & Payment tab for more details.


Registration
Registration for the 2025 Introductory Course is now closed.

 

Faculty
The 2025 Introductory Course is taught by Dr. Jana Mohr Lone and Debi Talukdar, along with guest instructors Maughn Gregory, Scott Hershovitz, and Thomas Wartenberg.

Dr. Jana Mohr Lone is the Executive Director of PLATO and Affiliate Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. She is the author of the books Seen and Not Heard (2021) and The Philosophical Child (2012); co-author of the textbook Philosophy in Education: Questioning and Dialogue in Schools (2016); co-editor of Philosophy and Education: Introducing Philosophy to Young People (2012); author of dozens of articles about children’s philosophical thinking; and, most recently, author of a series of six picture books – entitled What Would You Do? – focusing on moral issues facing children.. Since 1995 Jana has leading philosophy sessions with students from preschool to college, as well as working with educators, administrators, and parents around the world. 

Debi Talukdar is PLATO’s Program Director. She has been facilitating K-12 philosophy classes since 2014 and was the Philosopher-in-Residence at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Seattle, from 2018-2021. She also facilitates educator workshops about philosophy with young people. Debi was previously the Program Director at the University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children before it merged with PLATO in 2022. Debi is a former instructor at the University of Washington College of Education and former ensemble member at Theater for Change UW.

“PLATO’s classes have enriched my teaching repertoire and my personal intellectual life.
In the classroom, I’ve become a more skilled facilitator and my class discussions, whether we are explicitly discussing philosophy or not, have become deeper and more focused but also much more creative.”
— 2023 Introductory Course Participant


Questions? Please contact Education Director Karen Emmerman at karen@philosophy-plato.org.

Advanced Course

Advanced Professional Development Course

Description. PLATO’s Advanced Course is an interactive synchronous course, involving two-hour monthly Zoom meetings, offered to educators from any country who have training and experience in philosophy in schools. The course entails advanced training in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully lead philosophy sessions with young people in K-12 classrooms and in other contexts, and it includes discussions of theoretical and pedagogical readings and the use of prompts appropriate for K-12 classrooms. 

Eligibility. Participants do not need to have completed PLATO’s Introductory Professional Development Course in order to enroll in the Advanced Course but must have completed training in philosophy for children run by PLATO or another organization offering comparable programs.

Introduction to Philosophy. For practitioners without a university degree or other training in philosophy, there is an optional additional 60-minute meeting each month offering an introduction to philosophical topics and theories, at no additional cost. 

Certificate of Completion. The Advanced Course runs from August through May and involves 20 hours of professional development training (30 hours for students who complete the optional introductory philosophy course). At the conclusion of the course, participants receive Certificates of Completion. Certificates may be submitted for a school’s or district’s approval towards professional development credits, the requirements for which vary by state. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their school, organization, and/or state. 

Advanced Course Participants leave the course with the following:

  • An understanding of some of the deeper theoretical and pedagogical challenges of P4C practice
  • Familiarity with the primary fields of philosophy, including aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, philosophy of science, and social/political philosophy
  • Confidence in navigating the practical challenges that emerge in P4C facilitation
  • Increased skills and experience in philosophical lesson planning
  • The ability to model the cognitive and social moves expected of the students
  • Skill in identifying and modeling the philosophical moves that enhance progress in a community of philosophical inquiry (when to ask questions, how to make connections and challenge assumptions, etc.)
  • The ability to recognize and tease out the philosophical content of student questions and comments

After the course, PLATO provides ongoing resources and mentorship for all participants. 

 

Schedule
The Advanced Course involves synchronous 2-hour monthly Zoom meetings (with a break in the middle) on the third Tuesday of each month from August through May, from 7-9 pm ET. The 2025-2026 Advanced Course will begin on August 19.
PLEASE NOTE: The September 2025 Advanced Course session will take place on September 30 instead of September 16.

 

Fees
The cost for the 2025-2026 Advanced Course is $1,200.00 US for PLATO members, $1,400 US for non-members (donate to become a member here). 
PLATO has a generous scholarship policy. We offer financial assistance upon request. See the Registration & Payment tab for more details.


Registration
See the Registration & Payment tab. The deadline for registration for the 2025-2026 Advanced Course is August 10, 2025.


Faculty
The 2025-2026 Advanced Course will be led by Dr. Jana Mohr Lone. Jana is the Executive Director of PLATO and Affiliate Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. She is the author of the books Seen and Not Heard (2021) and The Philosophical Child (2012); co-author of the textbook Philosophy in Education: Questioning and Dialogue in Schools (2016); co-editor of Philosophy and Education: Introducing Philosophy to Young People (2012); author of dozens of articles about children’s philosophical thinking; and, most recently, author of a series of six picture books – entitled What Would You Do? – focusing on moral issues facing children.. Since 1995 Jana has leading philosophy sessions with students from preschool to college, as well as working with educators, administrators, and parents around the United States and internationally. She is the founding editor-in-chief of PLATO’s journal Questions: Philosophy for Young People.

Questions? Please contact Education Director Karen Emmerman at karen@philosophy-plato.org.

Certificate of Mastery

Certificate of Mastery

PLATO offers a Certificate of Mastery Program to educators who are enrolled in or have completed the Advanced Course. Certificate candidates meet with mentors for 90 minutes each month, from September through June, at mutually convenient times, to evaluate and refine each participant’s developing facilitation skills. This might include a variety of settings, such as videos or audio recordings of you teaching in a live K-12 classroom or in an online class for young people. Participants must have regular access to a group of young people to hold philosophy sessions, either online or in person, in classrooms or other settings, and be able to record some of these sessions. Monthly mentor meetings will be scheduled by the participants and mentors at times convenient to them.

To earn the Certificate of Mastery, participants must document a minimum of 40 hours in K-12 classrooms, online settings, or other settings serving young people, in which participants have observed, assisted with, and/or facilitated philosophy sessions. At least 20 of the 40 hours should involve facilitating philosophy sessions as the lead instructor, and a reasonable number of these sessions recorded (video or audio) for use at the mentor meetings.

Upon fulfillment of all of the above requirements, the participant’s skills and progress are evaluated by the mentor. The mentor determines if the participant has reached a mastery skill level and is now equipped to lead philosophy sessions independently with young people, entitling the participant to the PLATO Certificate of Mastery. The Certificate confirms the participant’s expertise and completion of a total of 100 hours of combined training and classroom experience. Participants are not required to complete the Certificate requirements or to have reached a mastery skill level by the end of the regular mentorship sessions in June. Mentors and participants can at that point create a plan for future meetings and evaluations necessary for earning the Certificate.

Participants completing the Certificate of Mastery Program will leave the program with the following:

  • Expertise in facilitating K-12 philosophy sessions 
  • Skill in following a philosophical discussion and asking questions that lead to progress in the inquiry
  • The ability to cultivate a philosophically curious approach in students
  • Skill in creating an environment that encourages philosophical collaboration and civil disagreement
  • Personalized feedback from mentors in identifying and working through problems of practice specific to each participant’s teaching and learning context
  • Expertise in identifying age-appropriate prompts and developing age-appropriate lesson plans
  • A certificate confirming that the participant has reached a mastery skill level and is now fully equipped to lead philosophy sessions independently with young people

If you would like more information about the Certificate of Mastery Program, please contact Executive Director Jana Mohr Lone at jana@plato-philosophy.org.


Fees
The cost for the 2025-2026 Certificate of Mastery Program is $750.00 US for PLATO members, $850 US for non-members (donate to become a member here). 
PLATO has a generous scholarship policy. We offer financial assistance upon request. See the Registration & Payment tab for more details.


Registration
See the Registration & Payment tab. The deadline for registration for the 2025-2026 Certificate of Mastery Program  is September 15, 2025.

Registration & Payment

Introductory Professional Development Course
The cost for the 2025 Introductory Course is $1,700.00 US for PLATO members, $2,000 US for non-members (donate to become a member here). Registration for the 2025 Introductory Course is now closed.

Advanced Professional Development Course
The cost for the 2025-2026 Advanced Course is $1,200.00 US for PLATO members, $1,400 US for non-members (donate to become a member here). Participants do not need to have completed PLATO’s Introductory Professional Development Course in order to enroll in the Advanced Course but must have completed training in philosophy for children run by PLATO or another organization offering comparable programs.
The deadline for registration and payment for the 2025-2026 Advanced Course is August 10, 2025. Please register by using the form to the right (below on mobile). 

Certificate of Mastery Program
The cost for the Certificate of Mastery Program is $750.00 US for PLATO members, $850 US for non-members (donate to become a member here).
The deadline for registration and payment for the 2025-2026 Certificate of Mastery Program is September 15, 2025. Please register by using the form to the right (below on mobile). 

Financial Assistance
PLATO values the experience and expertise of its instructors and is committed to compensating them for their work.
PLATO has a generous scholarship policy. If you require financial assistance, before you register please send an email detailing your request, including the amount of assistance you will need, to info@plato-philosophy.org.

Questions? Please contact Education Director Karen Emmerman at karen@philosophy-plato.org.

Register Now

Gerler Fellowships

Description

In 2013, a fellowship program for graduate students involved in introducing philosophy into K-12 schools was established at the University of Washington. In 2024 PLATO expanded the program to create national fellowships, open to US graduate students.

This year the program has been renamed the Gerler Fellowship Program, to honor Dan Gerler, cherished friend and steadfast PLATO champion, who died on April 15, 2024, from pancreatic cancer. Dan’s substantial bequest to PLATO will support philosophy education for years to come. 

During his life, Dan enthusiastically advocated for bringing philosophy into young people’s lives. He believed wholeheartedly in the power of philosophy to cultivate critical thinking, curiosity, and openness in the youngest among us. A longtime donor, Dan served as an Advisory Board member of the Center for Philosophy for Children before it merged with PLATO in 2022, and as a PLATO Program Committee member until his diagnosis in 2023. He supported the fellowship program from its inception.

Dan judging the Washington State High School Ethics Bowl

“Dan was a treasure — a person of integrity and substance, modest and thoughtful, and with a great sense of humor. I miss him and his counsel, and I hope his legacy can live on through this gift and what it will make possible for thousands of students over the years.” 
Jana Mohr Lone, PLATO Executive Director

We are deeply grateful for Dan’s generosity and commitment to PLATO’s work, and honored to remember him through the Gerler Fellowships.

Fellow Responsibilities

Fellowships are open to any graduate student at a US college or university who is working with a program to bring philosophy into schools. 

Gerler Fellows are expected to play a significant role in helping to develop and/or support the philosophy in the schools program in their communities. 

Gerler Fellows are required to attend online monthly meetings to discuss and support their programs, and are encouraged to attend PLATO’s monthly community of practice meetings of fellows and philosophers-in-residence around the country. Fellows are also required to submit written reports to PLATO in December and May of the fellowship year, detailing the work in which they have been involved.

Other specific responsibilities are determined by the program and the fellow.

For academic year 2025-2026, each Gerler Fellowship is $5,000.

For more information, please contact Education Director Karen Emmerman at karen@philosophy-plato.org.

Application Information

The Gerler Fellowship application process consists of the following:

  1. Statement of Interest. Please submit a statement of no more than 500 words describing your interest in becoming a PLATO Graduate Fellow, including your experience and/or interest in bringing philosophy into K-12 schools. (Limit 500 words)

  2. Description of Intent. Please describe the philosophy in the schools program with which you work. How would the fellowship help to expand or support the work you and/or the program are already doing in the schools? (Limit 500 words)

  3. Letter of Support. Please attach one letter of support from someone who runs or is involved in the philosophy in the schools program at your institution who can describe how this fellowship would enhance the program’s work and the role you have played or will play in the program. 

Deadline
All application materials must be submitted electronically by April 30, 2025. 
Please submit your materials using the form to the right (below on mobile).

Present & Past Fellows

FELLOWS 2024-2025

Marina Perez del Valle

Marina is a fourth-year graduate student in the Philosophy Department at UMass Amherst. For the past two years, she has worked with the UMass Center for Philosophy and Children, teaching a Philosophy in Public Schools course and facilitating P4C sessions in western Massachusetts, as well as helping organize the 2023 edition of Question Everything, a philosophy summer course for high school students. Her other philosophical interests are philosophy of language, cognitive science, and AI and data ethics.

Alaina Gostomski

Alaina is a fourth-year PhD student in the Philosophy and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her academic interests include pre-college philosophy, student activism in K-12 schools, and issues of gender, sexuality, and race in education. Alaina has facilitated P4C sessions since 2014 and is currently a Philosopher in Residence at a local NYC public school, where she works with elementary and middle school students. She worked with Ukrainian students in the international philosophy for/with children group Colour of Peace from 2022 – 2023. She has completed philosophy for children courses with the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children and PLATO.

Shoshana McIntosh 

Shoshana is a third-year PhD student in Philosophy at the University of North Texas. She has been doing philosophy with young people since 2018, including during her four years as an elementary teacher. She was deeply involved in creating an environmental philosophy and art summer camp in 2019 which received a PLATO grant. Shoshana also attended the p4c Summer Symposium with p4c Hawai’i in 2019. She is passionate about bringing philosophy outdoors and incorporating somatic awareness and practices. Her current research in environmental philosophy emerges from the intersection of embodiment and performance, animal studies, and philosophy of education.


PAST FELLOWS

2022-2023
Melissa Diamond
Rotem Landesman
Brian Tauzel

2021-2022
Erica Bigelow
Melissa Diamond

2019-2020
Elina Castellano
Ari Hock
Nic Jones

2018-2019
Natalie Janson
Nic Jones
Jordan Sherry-Wagner
Christina Zaccagnino

2017-2018
Natalie Janson
Jordan Sherry-Wagner
Christina Zaccagnino

2016-2017
Bridget DuRuz
Darcy McCusker
David Phelps

2015-2016
Bridget DuRuz
Joey Miller
Dustin Schmidt
Debi Talukdar

2014-2015
Di’ Anna Duran
Janice Moskalik
Debi Talukdar

2013-2014
Janice Moskalik
Alain Sykes

Apply Now






    Please upload a document that includes a Statement of Interest in this program (500 words) and a Description of Intent (500 words) that describes the philosophy in the schools program with which you work and how the fellowship would help to expand or support the work you and/or the program are already doing in the schools.


    Workshops

    General Information

    Discussion Guidelines

    PLATO Workshops

    PLATO regularly hosts workshops and other programs that offer training and education about philosophical inquiry with young people. Workshops are open to teachers, graduate students, educators of all kinds, and others interested in exploring how introducing philosophy can enrich the lives of young people.

    JUNE 2025 INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP

    This annual three-day introductory online workshop offers an interactive, accessible, and supportive journey through the history of philosophy for children, the diverse settings in which it is practiced, and the major theoretical approaches upon which its practitioners rely. Participants will be introduced to different approaches to engaging in philosophical discussions with young people inside and outside school settings, including picture book philosophy, philosophy using games and activities, discussions using case studies and philosophical thought experiments, and frameworks for developing philosophical questions. 

    Participants should expect to engage using video/audio on Zoom for the entirety of the workshop. There will be about 30 minutes of homework the first two days.

    Participants receive certificates of completion at the end of the workshop, certifying that they have completed 15 hours of professional development training.

    Schedule: Tuesday – Thursday, June 24-26, Noon–5pm ET each day


    We welcome educators and students from any part of the world.

    Space is limited. Registration closes at 5 pm ET on Wednesday June 18, 2025.

     

    Workshop Facilitators

    Aaron Yarmel (Ph.D.) is the Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values at The Ohio State University, where his research interests include philosophy for children, social change, and two-level utilitarianism. In addition to overseeing all CEHV programs, Aaron leads its efforts on dialogue facilitation and skill building, outreach, and the ETHOS Fellows program. 

     

    Ariel Sykes is the Director of Mindbridge Education. She has worked in the philosophy for children community for 18 years and specializes in dialogic teaching strategies, argumentation, and ethics instruction. She received her B.A from Mount Holyoke College and her M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University in the field of Philosophy and Education. Ariel is the co-founder of the New York City High School Ethics Bowl and an endorsed practitioner of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.

     

    “What an educational and engaging P4C workshop! Ariel and Aaron shared an incredible wealth of tools and knowledge about dialogue facilitation and philosophical inquiry. Thank you for offering this amazing course by these skilled facilitators!”
    — 2024 Workshop Participant

    “One of the most mind-bending, practical, and inspiring workshops of my professional career!”
    — 2023 Workshop Participant

    “The workshop allowed me to be part of a real community of inquiry in philosophy.”
    — 2023 Workshop Participant

    “I felt as though I learned so much from each teacher but also from the participants themselves… left feeling very inspired and ready to take on this school year.”
    — 2022 Workshop Participant

    “Your workshop was life changing.”
    — 2021 Workshop Participant

    “This was the best workshop I have ever attended. Thank you for a powerful experience.”
    — 2018 Workshop Participant

    Questions? Please contact Education Director Karen Emmerman at karen@philosophy-plato.org.

    Registration

    The registration fee for the June 2025  online workshop is $250 for non-members, or $200 for PLATO members (become a member here). Registration closes at 5 pm PT June 18, 2025.

    No refunds will be given after June 18, 2025.

    Please register for the workshop using the form on the right (or below on mobile).

    PLATO values the experience and expertise of its instructors and is committed to compensating them for their work.
    PLATO also has a generous scholarship policy. If you require financial assistance, please send an email detailing your request, including the amount of assistance you will need, to info@plato-philosophy.org.

    Customized Programs

    Description

    PLATO offers customized programs around the world for schools, organizations, teachers, administrators, parents and families, and other adults interested in facilitating philosophical inquiry with young people, including one-on-one coaching and training, workshops, public presentations, consulting, demonstration philosophy sessions in K-12 classrooms and other forums, and mentoring.

    Programs are developed to fit the needs of each group or individual, and include whole school programs, individual teacher coaching, and a range of support and resources for the development of philosophy programs. PLATO also serves as an ongoing resource for educators, schools, and organizations interested in building a philosophical culture.

    Past programs have included all or some of the following:

    • Workshops for up to 16 teachers for anywhere from 3-15 hours

    • Individualized coaching programs for teachers or groups of teachers

    • Consultating sessions with individuals and schools

    • Information evening for teachers and/or parents

    • Public lecture (one hour plus, including Q&A)

    • Demonstration classes (two, in different grades or age groups)

    • Ongoing year-long mentorship for a school or organization (10 months), including unlimited email messages and a monthly online seminar for up to 16 participants

    Consulting

    Have the forces of political polarization in our country made you nervous about allowing your students to explore controversial issues in the classroom? Are you someone who would like to guide your students through challenging conversations, but you’re not sure where to start? Are you looking for professional development workshops for your school focused on dialogue? PLATO’s one-on-one consulting services can help.

    We offer consulting services designed to fit your needs, as well as day-long, in-person professional development workshops that include observations and one-on-one feedback.

    Curriculum Design & Development — create new lesson material that meet your students’ interests and needs, or integrate philosophy into a pre-existing curriculum. 

    Coaching & Mentorship — advance your philosophy practice with observations and feedback, custom-tailored training exercises, and/or model demonstrations for individual teachers or school-based teams. This can take place either in person or virtually.

    Assemblies & Events — curated content for one-off events for students of any ages, based on a particular theme that can be executed by our trainers or by someone on your staff. This is a great way to refresh monthly programming that focuses on student interests and enhances student engagement.

    Staff Workshops — introduce the philosophical inquiry techniques at the heart of PLATO’s approach into your organizational context to help tackle big questions and create opportunities for team bonding and dialogue.

    Sample Public Lecture

    Philosophical Children

    Children and youth frequently ask big questions — Can you be happy and sad at the same time? Why do people die? Are thoughts real? Encouraging young people to articulate and discuss their questions opens spaces for them to think critically for themselves about their own experiences and encourages deep and well-reasoned reflection about some of life’s essential questions.

    This talk will examine the importance of philosophical thinking in children and consider how adults can help cultivate young people’s wondering and questioning. The talk will also explore ways that children’s literature can be the perfect vehicle for stimulating discussion and critical thinking about the philosophical questions on young people’s minds.

    Contact

    Please contact us at info@plato-philosophy.org for more information about options and fees for these programs.