Disgruntled Teens Deliberate: Critical Thinking Skills and Moral Dilemmas
This class will discuss moral dilemmas ranging from basic to complex, deepening over time from daily life examples to philosophical thought experiments.
Kristin Carter
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(4)
What's included
6 live meetings
4 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursMastery Evaluation
1 hour per week. Mastery will be based on in-class participation.Grading
If your learner has the opportunity to earn credit for this class, please tell me what documentation you will need ahead of time. If your learner needs work samples, I can provide a template for them to summarize each class. They may submit this for feedback (in a timely manner) if needed.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Left or right? Hot or cold? Black, white, or gray? We’ll start with a brief introduction to moral reasoning and development. How do we know right from wrong and are morals variable? We’ll get comfortable deliberating all sides of a conflict with provided scenarios from the daily lives of average people. Whose version of events is accurate? Is one side being unreasonable? Learners will build critical thinking skills by examining multiple perspectives and exploring outcomes. We’ll gradually increase the level of challenge with more complex situations. Does one side hold the moral high ground? Or is the situation more nuanced? What matters more - impact or intent? What evidence do we have for intent and is that reliable? We’ll discuss a classic philosophical thought experiment, The Trolley Problem, including some of the many variations. If time allows, we will discuss other classic philosophical thought experiments. Finally, we will apply the skills developed on moral dilemmas to societal constructs such as financial and educational policies. No special supplies needed. No homework. You’ve got enough on your plate. If you have the option to earn credit for this class and need feedback or a transcript, let me know before the first class begins. I will require cameras to be on during this class. This class is part two of a three part series: 1 Disgruntled Teens Unite: Building Social Skills and Awareness Through Games 2 Disgruntled Teens Deliberate: Building Critical Thinking Skills Through Moral Dilemmas 3 Disgruntled Teens Save the World: Creating Solutions and Models for Social Change Using what they have learned in previous classes, teens will decide on a particular social issue and create a model of a community or agency to solve it. Finances should never stand in the way of meeting a learner’s educational needs. Check out my “Pay What You Can” policy in my teacher bio or message me for details. “Pay What You Can” policy applies to classes with 3+ enrolled learners and you must make arrangements with me before enrolling. I cannot give refunds after the fact.
Learning Goals
Learners will get an introduction to the development of moral reasoningCritical thinking - thought provoking discussions of moral dilemmas will allow learners to gain valuable critical thinking skills and the opportunity to practice applying them “on the spot.”
Syllabus
6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Introduction
1 Class expectations
2 Overview of moral reasoning and how it develops
3 Deliberating our first moral dilemma: The University Acceptance Letter 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Respect
We will discuss moral dilemmas from everyday life that deal with respect.
1 Who pays for the broken phone?
2 Reacting to an interruption at a key moment 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Perspective
How does perspective shape our actions and reactions?
1 Profession and Prestige
2 Form vs Function 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Impact vs Intent
We will deliberate situations with more nuance, examine the evidence, if any, for intent and weigh that against the impact or potential impact of the action in question.
1 Dog Bite
2 Baby Name Disagreement 45 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
This class is designed to support neurodivergent learners. I am good at translating between ND and NT communication and can smooth over rough spots. The moral dilemmas will provide a common focus and structure for communication.
Parental Guidance
We will be discussing some heavy topics and judging the actions and motives of characters within the dilemmas. While I will be presenting specific dilemmas, there is always the potential for learner-led discussion to go out on tangents. So it is possible other topics may arise as well. I will guide discussion back when needed.
Topics:
Parents throwing away a university acceptance letter
Who pays for a broken phone
Reacting to interruption at a key moment
Perceptions of profession and prestige
Form vs function of a coffee maker
Dog bite - who is responsible for the consequences?
Disagreeing on a baby name and potential perceptions thereof
Trolley Problem - conventional and variations
Societal constructs:
- Educational policy such as school funding and/or standardized testing
- Financial policy such as credit scores
I do require cameras on for this class/series.
Disagreement is expected. Bigotry or bullying will not be tolerated. I will mute mics or place learners in the waiting room for a first offense. If a learner wants clarification on why they were muted or placed in the waiting room, they may message me and I will respond at my next opportunity.
Pre-Requisites
Recommended but not required: Disgruntled Teens Unite
Supply List
Optional - learners may want a way to take notes, a way to doodle or sketch, fidgets or other accommodations. These are welcome but not required.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
This class will include a range of dilemmas from social squabbles to philosophical thought experiments. I prefer the learners come to class fresh, without prior knowledge of the moral dilemmas we will be deliberating, so that we can practice reasoning in the moment. Parents may request a list of the moral dilemmas to be covered by messaging me privately, if needed.
Joined July, 2024
5.0
4reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from UC Santa Barbara
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
The idea for this series of classes came to me when I was recently attending a workshop on increasing student engagement in the classroom. It opened with a slide listing challenges teachers face in the classroom and one of the top challenges was “increasing disrespect from students.” I eagerly awaited discussion of how to address this key issue and was disappointed when the next slide jumped right in to ice breakers. Where was the examination of disrespect, its underlying causes, and how to earn respect? How can we increase student engagement if we aren’t striving to earn their respect?
First and foremost, I want learners in this class to feel heard. I want them to gain confidence. I want them to come away feeling empowered.
I have a BS in Psychology and an MA in Education, both with an emphasis on development. I am well versed in how culture shapes our experiences, and our identities. As a former college lecturer and workshop facilitator, I have 3 years of previous experience leading and navigating discussions of heavy topics with teen and adult learners. I am new to outschool, since summer of 2024, and I recently achieved status as an Outschool ACE Educator which requires training in Agency, Community, and Expertise.
I have a lifetime of experience creating accommodations for daily life for myself and others and recently capitalized on that experience by getting formal training and certification as an Executive Function Coach. I’m great at building relevant skills and helping learners find their strengths. As a parent to a teen with a strong sense of social justice and a high level of outrage at the systemic problems in education and society, my evening routine for the past 5 or so years has included deep dives into political, social, and philosophical topics. Most important, I’m excellent at helping teens feel heard and validated.
That’s all academic. What qualifies me on a personal level to teach this topic? I’m a snarky, outspoken malcontent. I will never just accept the way things are. The purpose of my life is to leave this world better than I found it. I cannot say whether I will reach that goal. I can only say I strive towards it every day. I will encourage your learner to strive for a better world too.Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly or $120 for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
3-8 learners per class
