BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

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PLATO is proud to announce its 8th Biennial Conference, which will be held at Oberlin College on June 25-26, 2027. Building upon our 30th Anniversary Initiative exploring the purposes of education, we invite educators, researchers, students, and practitioners to share research, innovative practices, and ideas on the theme The Future of Education.

We seek proposals exploring how the theory and practice of philosophy for children can reshape classrooms, shift student-teacher dynamics, modernize content delivery and assessment, and challenge traditional views on what is worth learning and teaching. We welcome proposals that connect philosophizing with K-12 students (P4C) with the conference theme.

Suggested sub-topics include but are not limited to:

• What is worth learning today, and what will be worth learning in the future?
• How should innovation and change be built into philosophy education?
• Is P4C a genuinely transformative educational practice?
• What practices lead to question-centered rather than answer-centered education, and what is the value of such practices?
• What conditions are necessary for genuine dialogue?
• How should we respond to the rapidly accelerating pace of change and the uncertainty that comes along with it?
• What is failure and what attitude(s) should we take towards it?
• What is the relationship between student agency and philosophical learning?
• What matters most in education?
• Can we effectively assess philosophical dispositions, inquiry, and/or discussions? 
• How can philosophical inquiry actively foster intellectual virtues such as intellectual humility, resilience, openness, and curiosity?
• What can students teach us about the future of education?

Submission Guidelines

For the 2027 PLATO Conference, we are accepting three types of submissions: Presentations, Workshops, and Facilitated Dialogues. Please review the category descriptions below carefully to ensure your proposal aligns with the primary goal of your session.

Category	Goal	Leader’s Role	Leader’s Expertise	Attendees’ Role	Attendees’ Takeaway
Presentation	Information sharing	Presenting information (from the leader’s research or experience) and/or leads the audience through activities and/or discussions	Knowledgeable about the topic/activities and skilled at making it accessible to audiences	Listening, asking questions, and participating in activities and/or discussions	Information shared by a speaker or learned from other attendees
Workshop	Skills training	Teaching a skill and/or approach and coaches attendees as they practice it	Executing and teaching a skill and/or approach	Learning and practicing skills and/or new approaches	A new skill or approach
Facilitated Dialogue	New knowledge or understanding	Helping attendees search for knowledge and understanding through dialogue	Facilitating dialogue	Engaging in dialogue with others	Knowledge and understanding that goes beyond what any individual participant brought into the session

See detailed descriptions: Presentations, Workshops, and Facilitated Dialogues.

Key Dates & Deadlines

• Submission Deadline: January 15, 2027 (11:59 PM EST).
• Notification of Acceptance: Notifications will be emailed by February 28, 2027.
• Conference Dates: June 25-26, 2027 (Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH).

Submission Process: Please submit your proposal using the online form below.

Questions? Contact us at info@plato-philosophy.org

 

PLATO’s 7th Biennial Conference was held at Tufts University near Boston in June 2025.

2025 CONFERENCE PRESENTERS                                    CONFERENCE PROGRAM PDF

 

Josh Benjamin teaches a diverse class of kindergarteners at Winship Elementary School in Boston, MA. He is passionate about oral language in the classroom, receiving a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching to study oracy in England in 2015 and developing city-wide training on oracy for Boston teachers. Josh has also written about education and classroom life for a number of publications, including The Boston Globe, The Hechinger Report, and TES (UK).

Jacob Blitz is a PhD student at the University of Arizona studying ethics (and related areas in social philosophy, philosophy of language, aesthetics…), focusing on normative phenomena and what they reveal about our interpersonal and intrapersonal lives. He also works on pedagogy and public philosophy outreach, incorporating active learning and student choice into classic philosophical teaching methods—including through games.

Claire Cassidy is a full Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. Her research and publications coalesce around three main topics: philosophy with children; children’s rights, and human rights education; and childhood studies. She has practised philosophy with children and adults for over thirty years, and trains others, including teachers, nationally and internationally in facilitating Community of Philosophical Inquiry. She leads the Philosophy with Children and Communities Network Scotland.

Alexandra Chang is a PhD student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she studies the relationship between philosophy and teacher education, particularly around questions of how teachers and students mutually develop as moral agents. Alex previously taught middle school ELA and Social Studies for six years, first in the Boston Public Schools and then in a range of educational settings in Michigan. She holds an M.Ed. from the Boston Teacher Residency and a BA in philosophy from Carleton College. Alex has been developing curricula and facilitating philosophical discussions with young people since 2015, most recently as an organizer of the New England Middle School Ethics Bowl. Alex also serves on PLATO’s Research Committee and Academic Advisory Board.

Allison Cohen is an Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Philosophy teacher at Langley High School in McLean, VA. She is the current President of the Board of Directors for PLATO and also serves on the Board Directors for Street Law, a national nonprofit committed to preserving and enhancing civics education in our schools. She is dedicated to bringing quality philosophy curricula to high schools across the nation and expanding opportunities for students to engage in philosophical questioning and reasoning.

Daniel Conway is Professor of Philosophy and Humanities, Affiliate Professor of Religious Studies and Film Studies, and Professor, by courtesy, in the TAMU School of Law and the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University (USA). He is the Co-Director of P4C Texas, and part of the founding faculty facilitators for the Aggie School of Athens Philosophy Camp.

Katy Connolly is the education program coordinator at the Right Question Institute, where she manages relationships with teachers and designs content for RQI’s professional development offerings. Connolly has presented to educators across the country, including to the National Council of History Education, the University of Notre Dame, and the Maine Department of Education. Connolly earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Boston University, where she spent her time teaching and tutoring high school students.

Melissa Diamond is a Ph.D. student at the University of Washington studying philosophy of education. Her research generally focuses on the ethics of education in the context of climate change. She served as a PLATO Graduate Fellow from 2021-2023, and leads 4th and 5th grade philosophy classes in a Seattle public school through PLATO’s Philosopher-in-Residence Program.

Marisa Diaz-Waian is a community philosopher and generalist by nature, training, and practice. She has an MA in Philosophy and an interest in ethics, ancient philosophy, humor, and “fuzzy” topics at the intersection of philosophy and psychology. As founder & director of Merlin CCC — a public philosophy non-profit — her work focuses on philosophy in the community, frequently with an interdisciplinary, environmental, and intergenerational bent. Marisa is on the academic advisory board for PLATO, a speaker for Humanities Montana, and a facilitator/organizer for numerous activities in her community.

Manzoor Elahee, Ph.D is a Professor of Philosophy at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, and a former department chairman. With over three decades of academic experience across Asia, Europe, and North America, his research focuses on applied ethics, philosophy of education, and philosophy for children. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Sofia, Bulgaria, and has been a visiting scholar at Montclair State University, USA. Prof. Elahee is a member of several international philosophical bodies, including ICPIC . He is also a member of Bangladesh Philosophical Society (BPS) and remains active in advancing philosophical education in Bangladesh and beyond.

Karen S. Emmerman is PLATO’s Education Director. She has worked as the Philosopher-in-Residence at John Muir Elementary in Seattle since 2013, has taught a high school philosophy class, and has facilitated teacher trainings for many years. Karen teaches a course in philosophy for children at the University of Washington and mentors graduate and undergraduate students. She is part-time faculty in the philosophy department at the University of Washington and writes in ecofeminism, animal ethics, and philosophy for children, as well as serving as senior associate editor of PLATO’s journal Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice.

Dan Fouts has taught high school social studies since 1993 in the Chicago suburbs. He holds degrees in philosophy and political science from Bradley University and a MS in education from Northwestern University. As co-founder of Teach Different, he promotes a neuroscience-backed conversation method fostering critical thinking, empathy, and civil dialogue. Dan serves on PLATO’s academic advisory board and has collaborated with the APA to bring philosophy into K-12 classrooms.

Steven Goldberg currently leads philosophy and history adult education seminars at Northwestern University. He taught philosophy at Harper College, history and philosophy over three decades at Oak Park River Forest High School, and A-Level philosophy at an English state school. He also developed a summer philosophy program for high school students at Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development, led workshops on teaching philosophy at University of Chicago’s Graham School, and co-led joint PLATO/AAPT summer workshops for high school teachers. Goldberg served on the PLATO Board and the APA’s CPIP Committee. He is the author of Two Patterns of Rationality in Freud’s Writings (University of Alabama Press, 1988) and co-editor of Technological Change and the Transformation of America (Southern Illinois University Press, 1987). Goldberg also has written for magazines and journals in philosophy, education, and history. In 2005 he received the National Council on Social Studies Award for Global Understanding. Goldberg holds a doctorate in philosophy from DePaul University.

Ricardo Gómez is the Founder and CEO of Hope Seed, a platform dedicated to teaching critical thinking and philosophy to children through interactive, engaging content. With a background in creative direction and marketing, Ricardo combines innovation with a passion for education, empowering families to foster meaningful connections and civic engagement. His work bridges creativity and learning, making philosophy accessible and impactful for young minds in today’s digital world.

Timothy Ignaffo received a BA from the University of Scranton; an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University; and an MPhil and PhD, both from Columbia University where he co-founded and coordinated the Columbia University Philosophy Outreach. Timothy is an Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) of Philosophy at Raritan Valley College and also teaches in the Department of Philosophy at John Jay College and Baruch College (CUNY). Timothy’s interests include pre-college philosophy, public philosophy, ethics, technology, philosophy of education, and philosophy of comedy.

Roberta Israeloff, executive director of the Squire Family Foundation, is PLATO Board Secretary. She was a professional writer for 30 years and has many publications including books, short stories, articles and essays.

Erik Kenyon teaches middle-school Latin and Humanities at Friends Academy, Dartmouth MA. He is a member of PLATO’s Academic Advisory Board and an organizer of the New England Middle School Ethics Bowl. He is author of Augustine and the Dialogue (Cambridge, 2018), Philosophy at the Gymnasium (Cornell, 2024) and co-author of Ethics for the Very Young (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Erik is currently translating a collection of Greek and Latin philosophical texts for young readers.

Arpy Khatchirian is a Philosophy Core Instructor at Stanford Online High School. Courses taught include History and Philosophy of Science, Critical Reading and Argumentation, an Advanced Topics course on Transformative Experience, and Study of the Mind. She earned a BA in Math and Philosophy from Rutgers University and a PhD in Philosophy from UC Berkeley.

Claire Katz is professor of philosophy and education and associate provost for faculty advocacy. Her research and teaching interests follow two distinct lines of inquiry: the intersection of Contemporary French philosophy, gender, Jewish philosophy, and education, and preK-12 philosophy, with a focus on the philosophy for children program. She is the founder of P4C Texas and the Aggie School of Athens Philosophy Summer Camp for Teens and Tweens.

Gabriel Lane is a University of Guam undergraduate currently studying English and Philosophy. Gabe focuses on decolonial philosophy and education and how those can be used to further the goal of Guam’s decolonial project. Gabe has written two publications: A P4C teachers guide based on the values of the 4-H kids club, as well as a short story published in Gypsum Sound Tales: Yabblins 2. Past this Gabe enjoys spending time with family. Biba Guåhan!

Justin Lader is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at Pacific Lutheran University. He has taught music to all ages from toddlers to elders. He researches how musicians form motor memories but is devoted to including philosophy for young people in music education. He holds a PhD in Music and Human Learning from UT Austin, a master’s degree in viola performance from the University of Oregon, and bachelor’s degrees from Oberlin College/Conservatory of Music.

Brianna Larson is a PhD student in the Philosophy Department at the University of Cincinnati (UC). Her research interests are in social-political philosophy, the philosophy of education, feminist philosophy, and the philosophy of science. She’s currently thinking about civic empowerment, pedagogy, and rural education, and trust in science. Brianna is also the Lab Coordinator at UC’s Philosophy for Children Group, where she builds curriculum for 5th and 6th grade classrooms and facilitates P4C activities.

Audrey Ledbetter is a PhD student in philosophy at Duke University. She was formerly an Ethics Bowl coach as an MA student at Tufts University and a PLATO Philosopher-in-Residence at Medford High School.

Jillian Lee Meyer earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and communication at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. As an intern at The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics, she realized her passion for moral psychology and ethics education. She is currently a doctoral student at Indiana University Bloomington, where she is earning a dual degree in social psychology and cognitive science. Her specific research interests include measures of morality and K-12 ethics education research.

Ariel Liberman is Assistant Professor in Law and Legal Studies in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University, where he teaches courses in its undergraduate ‘Law and Justice’ program. An interdisciplinary scholar of law, religion, and education, his work considers schooling and learning through legal, political, philosophical, and religious perspectives. He is the author of two forthcoming books entitled Law as Civic Education (Routledge, 2025) and Implementing Law as Civic Education (Palgrave Macmillan, 2026).

Jana Mohr Lone is PLATO’s Executive Director and holds affiliate appointments in philosophy at the University of Washington and the University of Maine. She is the author of many books and articles about young people’s philosophical thinking, including Seen and Not Heard (2021), The Philosophical Child (2012), and most recently What Would You Do? (2024) (six picture books about ethics). Jana has led philosophy classes with students from preschool to graduate school for over 25 years.

Nick Machado teaches 8th grade ELA at Normandin Middle School, New Bedford, MA. He is a founding member of the New England regional bowl, has coached a team for three years and serves on the case writing committee.

Scott MacLeod earned an AB cum laude in Philosophy from Harvard University and an MAT from University of San Francisco, where his master’s thesis was titled “Philosophical Inquiry in the High School English Classroom.” After careers in advertising and nonprofit management, Scott pursued his lifelong passion for education as an award-winning teacher at San Marin High School, where he taught AP Language & Composition and Journalism and coached the Ethics Bowl team.

Alejandro Marx has been teaching Introduction to Philosophy & Ethics at a NYC public high school since 2000. In 2018 through a partnership with SUNY-ESF we were able to add an Advanced Ethics & Environmental Ethics course that includes a college credit component. He also coaches the school’s Ethics Bowl team, and partners with local universities to facilitate connections between high school and college philosophy students.

Shoshana McIntosh is a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow in Environmental Philosophy at the University of North Texas. Currently writing a dissertation on critical ecopedagogy, her research interests include ecofeminism, feminist new materialism, decolonial theory, and multispecies justice. She is a 2024-2025 PLATO fellow and has been teaching philosophy in schools since 2018.

Stephen Kekoa Miller, Humanities Department chair at Oakwood Friends School and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, has taught philosophy for the past 20 years in Poughkeepsie NY. Stephen has developed a wide range of courses from middle school philosophy through upper-level college courses, and a philosophy series for parents and community members. Stephen’s research interests lately have included pre-college philosophy, philosophy of education, virtue ethics and philosophy of emotion. Stephen is also the Chair of the APA’s Committee on Precollege Instruction in Philosophy. Stephen served on the Teachers Advisory Council of the National Humanities Center. He is the editor of Intentional Disruptions (Vernon, 2021).

Paula Moses is an experienced teacher and school leader from the UK. Most recently Paula has completed a PhD in response to the undefined use of the term ‘success in life’ by policy-makers and curriculum designers. Her research worked with pupils, parents and teachers to examine this concept and how it can effectively be an aim of a school curriculum. Her findings highlight the importance of happiness, emotional well-being and skilful, applied knowledge. Paula also runs Permanent Education CIC which trains school teachers in enquiry-led teaching and learning as well as whole school sustainability through permaculture.

Andy Norman is the award-winning author of Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think. His scholarship delves into the nature of critical thinking, the evolutionary origins of human reasoning, the root causes of defensive reasoning, and the logic of collaborative inquiry. For decades, he has studied, practiced, and promoted the art of resolution-oriented dialogue.

Luned Palmer (she/her) has been an educator at the Noguchi Museum since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Swarthmore College and a Master of Science in Museum Education from Bank Street College. She has worked at numerous NYC cultural and art institutions including The Jewish Museum, The Morgan Library and Museum, The Cooper Hewitt, The Japan Society and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She has also worked as a high school and elementary school teacher, graphic designer and curriculum designer.

Grey Peters is a rising college freshman pursuing a Philosophy and Neuroscience double-major. As a graduate of Stanford Online High School (SOHS), she was introduced to philosophy from middle school onwards and experienced first-hand the benefits of precollegiate philosophy. Grey has recently pursued further education through Yale University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, applying philosophy and ethics to real-world applications. She hopes to draw on her passion for philosophy while introducing it to younger students.

Susan Russinoff is Distinguished Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Tufts University. She runs the Tufts Ethics Bowl Program and regularly teaches courses on logic, philosophy for children, and pre-college philosophy.

Mohamad Reza Vaez Shahrestani is a researcher in philosophy at the University of Bonn and an experienced facilitator specializing in Philosophy for Children (P4C). He holds a PhD in Philosophy of Science from the University of Bonn and the Iranian Institute of Philosophy, with a thesis titled “Kant and Davidson on Conceptual Schemes.” He is the founder of Yara: The Iranian Center for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children and Youth (ICAPCY) and the head of the Institute for Humanities Studies (Rooyeshedigar). He has presented at numerous international conferences, including the XXV World Congress of Philosophy in Rome, 2024, and led workshops such as “Art Education through the Community of Philosophical Inquiry” in Naples, 2024. Mohamad Reza is also a member of the Scientific/Editorial Committee of the “Childhood & Philosophy” journal.

Jane Rutstein Shay has been an educator for nearly 20 years and is presently a 5th-grade teacher and the Lead Middle School Debate Coach at the Evergreen School in Shoreline, WA. Jane received her bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Tufts University and her master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University. She spearheaded the creation of an Ethics Bowl for middle school students in the Seattle area in 2024. She has been involved in PLATO (formerly The Center for Philosophy for Children) since 2014, currently serving on its Academic Advisory Board.

David Shapiro teaches Philosophy at Cascadia College, one of Washington State’s 34 Community and Technical Colleges. He is a Board Member of PLATO and has been doing Philosophy with young people in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools in and around Seattle for about thirty years.

Scott Sumrall teaches middle- and high-school Spanish and French and is the faculty advisor to Medford’s Middle School Ethics Club.  He is interested in the application of philosophical reasoning to world language education and school culture. 

Ariel Sykes is a freelance consultant specializing in philosophy for children practices and dialogic teaching strategies. She has worked in the philosophy for children community for 17 years and draws heavily from her experience as a philosopher in K-12 schools. 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 previously organized the NYC High School Ethics Bowl and was a founding member of the Middle School Ethics Bowl in NY and NJ. She is an endorsed practitioner of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children, and currently teaches at Montclair State University as an adjunct professor.

Sarah Vitale is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where she teaches classes on philosophy with children, critical theories, existentialism, and social institutions. Her research focuses on Marx and post-Marxism, as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is co-chair of the Radical Philosophy Association and the director of the Philosophy Outreach Project, which promotes philosophy in high schools.

Ati Waldman, Senior Education & Training Specialist at Street Law, develops curriculum and trains educators to support young people in productively discussing controversial issues and learning to improve their communities. She received her B.A. from Tufts University and a master’s in international education policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has worked with communities around the world to develop programs focusing on legal literacy, intergroup dialogue across conflict, and supporting advocacy and activism.

Oliver Walker is an alum of Friends Academy, Dartmouth, MA, where he competed in MSEB for three years. Now a Junior at Dartmouth High School, Oliver has judged for the New England MSEB and served on the case writing committee.

Aaron Yarmel 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. He is also the Founding Director of Philosophy Counseling and Consulting, an organization that offers philosophical counseling. He has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside his academic work, Aaron has been an animal rights activist and a vegan since 2011.

2025 CONFERENCE SPONSORS:
Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School
Merlin CCC
Philosophy for Children at Texas A&M University
Philosophy House, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning
The American Association of Philosophy Teachers
The Center for Public Philosophy
The Cincinnati Ethics Center
Tufts University Department of Philosophy
Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics
University of Washington Department of Philosophy