Resources

Dr. Sara Goering is Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Member of the Program on Values in Society, and Program Director for the Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children at the University of Washington, Seattle. Since graduate school, she has developed programs designed to bring philosophy to K-12 students, including a philosophy summer camp and outreach program at the University of Colorado, Boulder, the Center for the Advancement of Philosophy in Schools at California State University at Long Beach, and a regular UW class that sends undergraduate students into the Seattle public schools to lead weekly philosophy discussions with K-12 students.

This video is just one piece of evidence of the growth in interest in philosophy for children and UW's central role within the movement. This in-depth look at the work of the Center provides a fascinating glimpse into the philosophical discussions of children, the reactions of their parents, and the impact the work has had on the educators involved in it. This latter category includes the regular classroom teachers in the schools, graduate students involved with the Center, and UW faculty. 

A philosophy ball, also known as a community ball, is an essential part of P4C. Through this concise video, Philosophy instructors and students will learn how to assemble a community ball. 

The Center for Philosophy for Children in University Washington is one advancing program. A growing cadre of faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, teachers, and volunteers made possible the involvement of Philosophy in the schools' program across many elementary, middle and high school classrooms around Seattle. Over the summer as well, several people working with the Center are leading philosophy sessions at summer camps for young people.  

How We Argue! This is an interactive textbook designed by Harvard philosophers to help you improve your logical reasoning skills. You can think of How We Argue as a “boot camp for arguments” because you will work through many practice exercises to help you improve your “logic muscles.” 

This Library collection aids research about and use of philosophical inquiry with children's books and other curriculum-based materials. The Philosophy for Children (P4C) model encourages children to answer big questions and engage in critical thinking, and through this curated library, the students are supported in that. 

Author: Gareth Matthews 

Year Published: 1992 

Description: Every week for a year, a professional philosopher and eight children at a school in Edinburgh met to craft stories reflecting philosophical problems. The philosopher, Gareth B. Matthews, believes that children are far more able and eager to think abstractly than adults generally recognize. This engaging book has profound implications for education and for our understating of the range of relationships between adults and children. With the example of these dialogues Matthews invites parents, teachers, and all adults to be open to those moments when they can share with children the pleasures of joint philosophical discovery. 

Author: Scott Hershovitz  

Year Published: 2023 

Description: Some of the best philosophers in the world gather in surprising places— preschools and playgrounds. They debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they’ve never heard those words and can’t tie their shoes. They’re kids. And as University of Michigan professor of philosophy and law Scott Hershovitz shows, they can help grown-ups solve some of life’s greatest mysteries.

Author: Arthur L. Costa & Benna Kallick

Year Published: 2019 

In the first years of life, as children observe, imitate, and interact with people and their environment, the brain is structuring a foundation for vocabulary, values, cognitive processes, and social skills. Educators, you can help influence that development by teaching the skills and dispositions of intelligent, creative, effective decision-makers and problem solvers.