Topeka High students' critical thinking draws visit from Stanford University professor

Stanford University professor Greg Watkins visited Topeka High School to meet students from his online course on philosophy and morality.

Watkins has taught moral philosophy for more than 20 years, said Stanford communications director Jonathan Rabinovitz. This is the second year the course has been provided to Topeka High students.

For the course, Topeka High gifted facilitator Sara Schafer hosts the current 17 students taking the course in her classroom. She assists with providing the readings and helping facilitate the discussions while Topeka High students talk over Zoom with Stanford graduate students selected by Watkins.

Stanford professor commends his students at Topeka High

Watkins said he chose to visit Topeka High this year because of how impressed he was with them the past two years.

"It's just their ability to take the material seriously, to share their own views about it, rather than guess at what I might want to hear or what the undergrads might want to hear," Watkins said during his Thursday visit. "They pay attention in a way that it becomes like a 10-week conversation because that's another goal of this class."

Throughout the course, students read and discussed works from such philosophers as Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and W.E.B Du Bois.

"So one thing I think has been really powerful about this course is that once students figure out that there aren't really wrong answers, they're able to express themselves in ways that they might not feel comfortable expressing themselves in other courses," Schafer said. "Where it's very evident a sort of correct answer, a correct interpretation ... and think about how the course material applies to their own lives.

"So we've just had some really wonderful discussions from kids who maybe are not the strongest writers."

Never too old or young to learn

While discussing a piece of writing about how humans are good in nature, a student surprised Watkins by suggesting an interpretation he had not heard or thought of in the 20 years of teaching the course.

"It's rare that there's something new, but we had a lunchtime discussion and it's that sentence on the board (a gentleman is not a pot), which is from Confucius," Watkins said. "I just never tire of doing something like that with some students because the conversation that happens, even though you cover some of the same territory, is distinctive."

Schafer said she enjoys being the in-person teacher for this and other similar courses because she learns with the class.

"Students always observe things that I don't observe, notice pieces of text that are unnoticed by me and have perspectives that I hadn't considered," Schafer said. "And so one of the pieces that I really enjoy about this course in particular, is there's a chance for me to be a lifelong learner."

Topeka High class gives a chance to think critically

Multiple students said they enjoy the course because the knowledge given is meant to be used mindfully instead of repeating facts.

"I like this course because it challenged me and also allowed me to you know, share my thoughts on stuff like this and just get to think more instead of just regurgitating facts," sophomore Atchison Henderson said.

Other students said the class was a chance to expand their minds in new ways.

"I really enjoyed it, because it's not a very difficult class," sophomore David Erwin said, "but you have to look into yourself and think about answers to very thought-provoking questions that usually you don't get to do in any other class."

Topeka High students learn a new way of thinking

While the students said they took away different things from the course, they all agreed their mindset would be forever changed.

"The class gave me the confidence to look inside of myself for questions and ask other people about their own thoughts about philosophy or deeper questions about life," sophomore Abigail Nichols said.

Another student said she plans to continue her exploration of knowledge.

"Yeah, I think it'll just like make me look more into like the people around me and see just how they are, how they act and continue to ask these kinds of questions and just kind of further my own wisdom or knowledge and be able to share that with other people," junior Keelie Colstrom said.

Students say they enjoy challenging their own beliefs

This year's class size nearly doubled from last year's nine participants. As this year's course is coming to a close, Schafer said she already plans to host the course again next year and hopes other schools follow suit.

Students were asked if they would recommend the class to future students and each asked said yes. Some students said the course is mentally challenging because you'll have to challenge and face your own beliefs and views. They also said not to be afraid.

"I'd say you're not alone," sophomore Ruby Lindsay-Ybarra said. "You have a whole class of people that can help you. You have shapers who can help you. Even if you think you're scared because of the course load, don't be, because you have people who can help."