Exploring Philosophy with the Good Place: Season 1 (Spring 2025)

What does it mean to be a good friend? Is it ever okay to tell a lie? How do you make a decision? What makes someone a good person?

Exploring ethical philosophy is an age-old tradition that has left us with a lot of questions and not a lot of consensus on the answers.

The Good Place takes all of these questions and wraps them up in a hilarious and heartwarming sitcom.

In this class, we'll watch The Good Place and use it as a way to dive deeper into philosophy.

Whether you are a fan of The Good Place or have never seen it before, this class is set up to be enjoyable and informational for all.

Meet Live Weekly

This is a live class, which means we meet weekly to discuss the reading and explore writing tips. Learners can also interact with each other and the instructor between class meetings on our class discussion boards.

Class Details

Age Range: 13-18

Class Size: 3-10 Learners

Schedule:

Class is from February 3-March 23, 2025 with live meetings on Thursdays from 11-11:45pm Eastern/10-10:45am Central/9-9:45am Mountain/8-8:45am Pacific

Supplies

To participate successfully in class, learners will need the following:

Access to Season 1 of The Good Place (available for rent at many libraries and streaming services)
Microphone and camera for in-class participation
PDF Reader
Zoom (free account)
Learners will submit work through Google Drive (a Google (Gmail) account can be acquired for free)
Tools (of learner’s choice) to create final project (such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, YouTube, etc.)

Time Commitment

Class meets for 45 minutes each week for 4 weeks. Learners can expect to spend 2-3 hours each week watching the show and completing viewing guides.

How much additional time students spend outside of class is really up to them!

Our final project in the class is intentionally open-ended so that it can meet a variety of schedule, interest, and experience needs.

Learners who are taking this class as a casual addition to their primary subjects can choose to create a less intensive final project that fits their schedule and needs.

Learners who would like to produce a more academic final project and count this class toward an ELA or philosophy credit will have the opportunity to do so with a more rigorous final project.

Note on Rigor and Academic Expectations

Because of the flexibility built into this class, learners will be asked to choose whether or not they want formal feedback on their final project.

Families are encouraged to discuss academic goals and expectations so they can make choices that fit their individual needs.

Select a pricing plan and sign up

$87

Market Rate +25%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$77

Market Rate +10%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$70

Market Rate

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$56

Market Rate -20%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$35

Market Rate -50%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

Meet Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason is the founder of Dayla Learning. She has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a passion for helping students find their writing voice, and two homeschooling children of her own.

Michelle has taught in a wide variety of settings including six years as a full-time college professor. She has been teaching virtual and in-person homeschool writing and humanities classes for more than five years.

Michelle believes in meeting students where they are and — as any of her previous students will tell you — believes deeply that there is no such thing as a bad rough draft!

Is this the right fit for your learner?

This class is designed to be accessible to a range of learners with flexibility in academic rigor to meet a variety of needs.

Skills Gained

Learners will gain presentation skills, discussion experience, analytical/critical thinking skills, and deeper understanding of foundational philosophical concepts and terminology.

Content Note

The Good Place is rated TV-PG with recommendation for parental guidance for those under 14.

The show contains suggested profanity ("bullshirt" and "fork this"), several jokes about sex, and references to drugs/alcohol. It originally aired on network television and contains no direct displays of sexual interactions or nudity.

Families should also know that the show touches on themes of grief, death (almost all of the characters are dead), the afterlife (with no specific real religious dogma endorsed), and existentialism.

Families who have any concerns about content are encouraged to pre-screen the show before enrolling.

Select a pricing plan and sign up

$87

Market Rate +25%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$77

Market Rate +10%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience. This option allows us to build a more accessible and equitable community of learners by offering discounted pricing options.

$70

Market Rate

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$56

Market Rate -20%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.

$35

Market Rate -50%

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities. You can read more about the plan and its goals here, but all options give access to the same classroom experience.