"Make the Education of the Youths Our Own Education": Plato's Laches, a Dialogue for Educators

• In Event: Roundtable Session 44
  In Roundtable Session: Narratives of Teachers and Students

Abstract

This paper argues that Plato’s Laches should more widely read in colleges of education because it is exceptionally accessible and transparently illustrates themes that resonate with educators who are not already trained in philosophy. To advance their argument, the authors describe their experience co-teaching the Laches in a masters level philosophy course attended by fifty-five experienced independent-school teachers and leaders. The account provided is supported by data from a survey administered to students specifically about the Laches, which yielded 42 of 55 solicited responses. The authors frame their account around an exegesis of the dialogue anchored by three principal themes, aporia, inquiry, and “mak[ing] the education of youths our own education” (201b), each of which were prominent themes in the course.

Authors

• Brandon Buck

• Rachel Longa, Teachers College, Columbia University