Philosophy and Mythology: The If Odyssey

This month and probably next, our online classes are using The If Odyssey by Peter Worley, a philosophy-mythology fusion mining the exploits of Odysseus with the Trojan Horse, the Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops and so on for compelling questions. 

The book both “give you some fish” in the form of sessions an experienced P4Cer can just pick up and run with and “teaches you how to fish” with advice on facilitation. There’s also some stuff going deeper still on a companion website

You can hear a podcast of The Sirens plus children and philosophers discussing freedom. If you buy the book direct you will be supporting the admirable work of the Philosophy Foundation, or buy it or the e-book on Hive  or The All Devouring Website That Shall Not Be Named. 

I actually spent the first week entirely on prequels to the story that seemed too good to miss, which I’ll share next week. But heartily recommend buying the book: the sessions really do work with the full 8-16 age range and, speaking as someone who is usually rubbish at using other people’s material, I find them easy to work with. Deploy when busy! 

Best wishes, 

Jason 

P.S. The next few months are filling up with end-of-year, celebratory, enrichment stuff live in schools. First overnight camp since 2019 on Thursday, on school grounds with a Hampshire Yr 6 class – can’t wait! If you would like some outdoor learning, teambuilding, philosophy, Argumentag Wrestling (debate) or improv workshops to have something special towards the end of a difficult year, get in touch. Getting rather booked out but will do my best! 

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