PLATO - Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization

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PLATO - Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization

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PLATO (Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization) nurtures young people’s curiosity, critical th

10/20/2026

📣 Call for Proposals: PLATO's 8th Biennial Conference!

📚 The Future of Education

Join us June 25–26, 2027, at Oberlin College in Ohio!

We invite educators, researchers, students, and practitioners to share their research, innovative practices, and ideas.

📅 Proposal Deadline: January 15, 2027

Learn more about the conference and submission process in the comments!

🔗 Link in bio!

10/19/2026

📅 Coming Up at PLATO!

📚 Advanced Course
Tuesday, October 20 | 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
Registration Required

🍎 Fall Middle School Class
Tuesday, October 20 | 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
Registration Required

🎓 Fall High School Class
Wednesday, October 21 | 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
Registration Required

📖 Looking Ahead!

Book for the Year: First Meeting
Tuesday, October 27 | 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
There's still time to register for this 30th Anniversary Initiative Event. See more details in the comment below.

🔗 Link in bio!

10/15/2026

🎉 30 Years of PLATO. 30 Events. One Enduring Question.

What are the purposes of education — historically, now, and in the decades ahead?

The conversations have begun! Join us for PLATO's 30th Anniversary Initiative.

Explore upcoming events and opportunities to participate. Details in the comments!

🔗 Link in bio!

10/14/2026

💭 Wondering Wednesday

What can emotions know?

Wondering Wednesday is an opportunity for the PLATO community to think together, share perspectives, and explore philosophical questions.

Join the conversation! Share your thoughts in the comments, respond to others, and see where the discussion takes us.

10/12/2026

COMING UP AT PLATO!

Here's what's happening this week and what's coming soon!

📚 Fall Seminar: The Role of the Teacher in Education | October 13

The first in our series of fall seminars for teachers takes place Tuesday, October 13. TODAY is the last day to register! Teachers can track their attendance and receive credit for professional development.

🎓 Fall Seminars for Students | October 13–14

Our fall seminars for middle school and high school students continue this week place this week! A reminder that these sessions are open only to registered participants.

📖 Book for the Year | October 27

Our first Book for the Year meeting is coming up! Watch your inbox for more information later this week.

Registration is required. Link in bio.

10/08/2026

Wondering Wednesday: Why do people sometimes see the same thing differently? 🤔

Two people can experience the same event, look at the same picture, or hear the same story—and come away with very different interpretations. Why is that?

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments! Let's explore this question together as a community.

Each Wednesday, we'll introduce a question that invites curiosity, challenges assumptions, and opens the door to philosophical dialogue. We hope you'll join the conversation!

Want to explore this question with your students? 🍎

PLATO's Philosophy Toolkit features more than 200 lesson plans that help bring philosophical inquiry into the classroom. This week's question connects to the lesson plan "The Little Prince, Chapter One" by PLATO Board member and Florida State University instructor Mary Marcous.

Find the lesson plan for this Big Question in the comments!

10/05/2026

This Week at PLATO

PLATO’s exploration of The Purposes of Education continues this week as two student courses connected to our 2026–2027 Initiative get underway!

📚 Why Go to School? begins Tuesday, October 6. We’re excited to welcome our registered middle school students as they explore big questions about school, learning, and the purposes of education.

💭 Power, Knowledge, and the Purpose of Education begins Wednesday, October 7. Our registered high school students will explore the relationships between education, knowledge, and power and consider how those forces shape what education is—and what it should be.

🍂 Coming up next week: The conversation continues with our Fall Seminar for Teachers on Tuesday, October 13. Registration is required and is available on the PLATO website.

Students, educators, and the broader PLATO community are all joining the conversation from different perspectives as we consider one central question: What are the purposes of education?

10/01/2026

PLATO kicked off our 2026–2027 Initiative events on Tuesday with The History and Future of Education, bringing together our community for an engaging conversation about the purposes of education—where we’ve been, where we are, and where we might be headed.

The discussion featured Dr. Jaime Grinberg, Dr. David Labaree, Dr. Meira Levinson, and Dr. William J. Reese and sparked thoughtful conversation among participants.

One attendee shared:

“Thank you for hosting this program. It was tremendous. All great presenters. A lot to think about.”

If you weren’t able to join us Tuesday—or if the topic simply has you curious—you can now watch the full webinar on PLATO’s YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=abKv1xzZKeE

And this is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more 2026–2027 Initiative events as we continue exploring the purposes of education together.

07/23/2026

What does PLATO mean to the people in our community? Through 30 Voices, we’re hearing stories of curiosity, connection, and the power of philosophy in young people’s lives. 🎥 Watch more! Find the link to our YouTube channel below.

07/15/2026

💭 What does it mean to bring philosophy into schools?

It means inviting students to ask better questions, listen to one another, and practice thinking together about ideas that matter.

At PLATO, we believe philosophical inquiry isn't about teaching students what to think—it's about creating spaces where curiosity, dialogue, and thoughtful reasoning can flourish.

In our latest Wondering Aloud blog post, Dr. Anne van Leeuwen shares how a philosophy club at an elementary school in Virginia is helping young students explore big ideas through stories, creative activities, and genuine conversation. From bravery and friendship to infinity and imagination, these students demonstrate that children are capable of engaging deeply with philosophical questions.

✨ It's a wonderful example of what philosophy for young people can look like in practice.

Visit the link in our bio to read the full story.

Address

Seattle, WA
98195

Website

https://www.plato-philosophy.org/, https://plato-philosophy.org/initiative/, https://plato-philosophy.org/newsletters/

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