A COURSE OF ONE'S OWN

At SO WHAT...? PHILOSOPHY Every course is "A Course of One's Own," where all horizons expand.

How it works: 

During the Initial Free Trial Meeting, we will discuss your interests, goals and questions. From our discussion a preliminary study plan is developed. You do not need to prepare anything for this meeting.

All learning is connected. Most educational structures begin with general subjects focusing on specific topics and areas of specialization, yet often this approach is a mistake. Traditional subjects are not primary, they are secondary. What is primary to all learning is your own curiosity, your questions and your objectives.

The first step in developing A Course of Your Own, therefore, is not to select from a list of pre-packaged areas and subjects, but rather to identify what your interests actually are, what your goals are, what questions they imply or that you already have. From there we determine together what topics, materials and branches of knowledge we will focus on. This seemingly simple but effective process has led to many diverse and otherwise unpredictable paths of learning.

 Some Examples: 

- We have learners who are focused on workplace strategies for increasing efficiency and reduction of stress, and whose questions have involved studying neuro-scientific theories of brain hemispheres as well as flaws in personality-based psychology and related management 'techniques'. 

- Another learner is reading the Game of Thrones books after having watched the series, and seeks to better grasp critical and literary reading skills in order to better understand the stories themselves, better enjoy them, and see how they apply to his own daily experiences. 

- One learner with a wide interest in philosophy has combined her background in Meteorology with a study of ancient sources and is working on an original creative writing project inspired by this research. 

- Two separate learners, one working in Media Relations, and another in the field of AI and Software Engineering, have both discovered meaningful applications of Presocratic philosophers and subsequent contemporary sources; they are both discovering ways to apply these ideas in their own professional work. 

- Among our younger learners, one is focused on essay writing and research that goes beyond his high school curriculum, but his primary interests are in cosmology; he is exploring different ways of studying and writing about that and related subjects across different genres and styles (and we are helping him submit some of his writing to international contests). 

There are many other examples, from the relationship between video games and Hindu theology, Military Intelligence and the history of aviation, to the T-shirt market and notions of personal identity, the list goes on...

(It is worth noting that the majority of our learners DO NOT have English as a first language, and currently come from regions all over the world. Being CELTA Certified, we are happy to help ALL learners improve their English skills as well!) 

There is no limit to what you can study in a focused and meaningful way. 

There is also no telling where your interests will actually lead, but we will be there each step of the way, always helping to hone your personal critical and creative skills, your ability to do research, develop your methods of inquiry and ways of achieving what you want to achieve, no matter what the subjects might be. 

In fact, you will rediscover why the traditional subjects and branches of knowledge even exist in the first place, and you will be able to navigate your way through all of them according to your own interests, aspirations, and imaginative curiosity.

SO WHAT will your "A Course of One's Own" be? Let's find out together!