Our pedagogy is designed alongside you At wine women and philosophy we treat pedagogy as an ongoing project. We are equally motivated by the question of how women learn best. Recognizing that no two women teach or learn alike, we enjoy seeing how different approaches to teaching and different ways of learning can bring something unique to every philosophy experience. Our goal is to bring out the active participant and contributor in each of us: encouraging those we teach alongside to let others into their passion; leaving spaces for those others to step into, so that they can try out their own ideas and experiment with different ways of seeing. These acts of sharing take courage. But of them comes a sense of full engagement in an environment that stimulates inquiry and ignites new possibilities.

With your help, our aim is to develop a women-centered pedagogy

Since 2005, and through ongoing discussions with past participants and membership friends, we have been shaping a pedagogy that takes the educational needs of women with an inquiring mind seriously.  This means: meeting with, listening to, reflecting upon, and responding to what women - our supporters and critics alike - have to say about their educational experiences and interests tapping into women's existing knowledges, social and professional networks, and passions making wine women and philosophy a place where women of different backgrounds can not only create for themselves more imaginative futures with regards to lifelong learning, but also contribute their own particular talents and energies to the world they live in.   If you want to be part of this discussion please contact us.

Our pedagogy values the personal touch

In order to encourage open and friendly learning relationships and to accommodate different levels of ability and interest, our philosophy experiences are organized with 6 to 10 participants in mind. This number, we feel, is small enough to ensure individual support and large enough to generate a lively exchange of ideas.

The quality of our tuition derives from the richness of the material we cover, and the  input of our  participants

As teachers, we engage with a wide range of philosophical schools and individual thinkers. For example, Linnet brings an understanding of feminist philosophy and a playful appreciation of post-structuralism into most of her sessions. She particularly enjoys creating a dialogue between these newer schools of thought and more classical traditions within Western Philosophy. As for Rona, she is interested in virtue ethics and relational ethics and their application to our characters and our relationships in our everyday lives. Both of us love sharing our creative energies and philosophical expertise with other women and seeing how they, in turn, run with the ideas we introduce. As for our participants, they tend to be outward looking and brave. Wine women and philosophy offers a different kind of learning experience to those we are used to, and it takes a special kind of woman to take the plunge and try us out. Women who are likely to get the most out of our philosophy experiences are curious about life, enthusiastic about learning, generous toward themselves and others, and open to new adventures.

Philosophy is not an exclusive Club. It's for anybody who questions her life and her place in the world

Mention the word 'philosophy' and a lot of women balk. This is too bad, as philosophy can change your life. That's because philosophy is, among other things... An entry into the rich and diverse world of ideas and the philosophers behind them The thrill of feeling your eyes quite literally light up as you suddenly grasp something that has previously eluded you Actively reflecting upon things like friendship, caring, passion, justice, sorrow, trust, and our relationships to others, to activities, and the environment.

Incorporating a reflective practice into an activity can open up new horizons...

There are some good things to say about walking...Walking takes longer, for example, then any other form of locomotion except crawling.  Thus, it stretches time and prolongs life.  Life is already too short to waste on speed...Walking makes the world much bigger and therefore more interesting... You have time to observe the details. E. Abbey

We have found that activities become enhanced when philosophy becomes part of them. For example, our Peripatetic Walking series is not only about walking the walk... It puts a whole new meaning into walking the talk!  As we walk we explore questions such as: What can you tell about a walking body? - both your own and another person's? What is to be gained from Peripatetic Philosophy - that is, a philosophy or teaching method in which discussions are conducted while walking? Do we allow enough time for walking in our lives? Whether you are already an avid walker or whether you are thinking of making walking a bigger part of your life, our Peripatetic Walks in and around the Lachine canal area are sure to give you some refreshing insights into this everyday 'activity' that requires no equipment, is good for you, and provides excellent food for thought.

Join us at wine women and philosophy...the spa that ignites your creative and reflective side.

Did you Know? The ancient Greek term, koinonia [COY-NO-KNEE-A] refers to an approach to building community or fostering teamwork. When koinonia is present, the spirit of sharing and giving becomes tangible. It can point to generosity and the act of giving. Or, it can imply "sharing an opinion" with someone, and therefore agreeing with her, or disagreeing in a congenial way. It remains, however, that only participation as a contributive member gives one the right to share in on what others have. What is shared, received or given becomes the common ground through which koinonia becomes real.