In 2024, I took part in Maria Vladimirovna's philosophy course. The material was presented in a very interesting way, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the teacher was engaging, which made the classes fascinating and made me want to return again and again. If something was unclear, I could ask Maria Vladimirovna for an explanation and receive a clear, easy-to-understand answer that would put everything in its place in the image of the creation of the world. Throughout the course, I became more and more interested and gained a lot of new knowledge in the field of philosophy, which still helps me today. I definitely recommend Maria Vladimirovna as an excellent, patient, and knowledgeable professional teacher, and the philosophy course as an opportunity to study the basic and most important aspects of the spiritual realm, which should not be missed under any circumstances.

I started studying philosophy in ninth grade and attended classes until the middle of tenth grade. To say that I gained a lot of new knowledge would be an understatement. In addition to learning how to look at things from different angles and find something surprising and unexpected in the familiar, I also developed qualities such as critical thinking and the ability to express my thoughts confidently. The classes themselves felt like gatherings with old friends, with whom it was interesting even to sit in silence. The atmosphere is so comfortable that even the most shy and silent person will want to participate in the discussion. This is where I see the special value of the course — the ability to turn every opinion, even the most modest, into a meaningful element of the overall dialogue. And first and foremost, this is, of course, the merit of the teacher, who is ready to pay attention to each student, break down a complex topic into simple terms, and simply answer any question. Personally, I had the opportunity to be in the teacher's place a couple of times. It was a valuable experience that helped me overcome my fear of expressing my thoughts in front of other people, which is undoubtedly a necessary skill for everyone. In addition, this is another feature of the course — the opportunity to be not only a listener, but also someone who shares their knowledge. For me, philosophy is not just an experience, but memories that still warm my heart. I am glad that I was able to become part of this team and gain so much knowledge, which still remains the foundation for many of my views. This course is open to everyone, regardless of whether you want to master the Socratic method of discussion or delve deeper into the philosophy of the Enlightenment. You will learn and discuss all this and more with like-minded people who are just as passionate as you are.

When I first saw the name of the course, I was skeptical: “Philosophy and teenagers? Yeah, right.” It took Masha just one class to turn my whole idea of philosophy upside down. And in the following classes, it turned out that the depth of philosophy does not contradict interest, that all these philosophical treatises are more relevant than ever, that something incredibly alive and necessary for all of us is hidden in dusty folios. Of course, one could say that I am an adult who is already capable of understanding and appreciating, but let's be honest: I was the only adult in this group, everyone else was a teenager, and, as we know, children cannot be fooled. You can't slip something to them and say: “This is wonderful, admire it!” Just remember how you try to teach them to clean up the apartment: what could be more beautiful than a clean room, but no matter how you enter, it's a mess. And here they walk, listen, read, discuss, write — and all of their own free will. It is a great pleasure to see how they have grown over the past year. Their reasoning and the depth of their thinking are difficult to even assess.

I joined the philosophy course halfway through and at first I was afraid that I wouldn't understand anything. Not only was philosophy synonymous with complexity for me, but I had also missed the first part of the lectures. Nevertheless, everything was clear almost from the very first class, and I received detailed answers to all my questions. Philosophy turned out to be not something abstruse and distant, but a completely understandable and useful tool in life. With its help, it became much easier for me to understand people and the world around me; philosophy shed light on many questions, helped me deal with my personal experiences, and change my attitude toward things I cannot change. In addition, during the course I met wonderful new people with whom it was very interesting to communicate and discuss the topics at hand. Masha is a wonderful teacher whom I was lucky enough to study with back in school. She is very interesting to listen to, her assignments are enjoyable to complete, and I don't want to miss a single lecture. Therefore, I highly recommend the philosophy course — it is an invaluable experience.

In the 2023-2024 academic year, I was fortunate enough to be a student of Masha Ismailova twice — first, she taught us history and social studies, and then I enrolled in a special course on philosophy. To be honest, before joining Masha's course, I had no idea what philosophy was. I was interested, but at the same time a little scared. But Masha teaches this subject with such love, and from the very first lessons, everything became completely clear and incredibly interesting. There were children of different ages in my group, and I can say that thanks to Masha, philosophy became a favorite subject for all of us. The philosophy course taught me to think critically, always analyze information, and form my own opinion, which made it easier for me to find solutions in difficult life situations.

Philosophy helps you take a calmer approach to life and the events happening around you. It helps you understand how to live your life better (in a broad sense) and determine your values. You don't need to be a genius to understand the material — you just need to think carefully about what you have said, read, or seen.

In 2023, both of my daughters had the wonderful opportunity to experience the depth of thought of the talented teacher Masha Ismailova — they attended a philosophy course created by Masha. How our family evenings came alive and our topics for discussion were enriched! Kant and Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, the theme of religion in human life. The girls shared new thoughts that arose in their minds after class. They learned to formulate their thoughts clearly and reasonably, to defend their position unambiguously, but at the same time diplomatically. In my opinion, the course will be useful to any thinking person who wants to develop, train their mental abilities, and hone the art of public speaking.

I worked with Masha Ismailova at the same school. She is an excellent teacher who knows not only how to teach children, but also how to engage them, motivate them, and develop their desire to learn and discover new things. Her philosophy course always received extremely positive reviews, and those who attended her class at least once stayed in the program until the very end.

When my two daughters started taking philosophy classes with Masha Ismailova, I honestly expected it to be just another teenage hobby, “another after-school club.” But after a few classes, it became clear that this was on a completely different level: questions about the meaning of actions, responsibility, and values suddenly appeared in our family conversations, rather than just discussions about school and the news. I realized that the girls were asking deeper questions, sometimes requiring thoughtful answers, and were explaining why they saw a situation in a certain way in a more mature way. I would especially like to note how the children's manner of communication has changed: they have finally learned to listen to (i.e., understand) other people's points of view, not to interrupt, to construct arguments, and not just to argue “on principle,” as is typical for teenagers. Discussions of films, books, and events now resemble small-scale debates at home: each child formulates a position, gives examples, and looks for counterarguments. It is clear that this is the result of systematic work in class, rather than one-off “conversations about life.” Masha knows how to explain complex things in simple language, but without simplifying them to the point of banality. I have never heard my girls say that they were bored, found it difficult, or got tired of it. On the contrary, they talked with interest about what they had learned in class. For me, as a parent, this is the best indicator: philosophy has ceased to be something abstract for them (and, perhaps, in a sense, for me) and has become a living tool that helps them understand themselves, other people, and what is happening around them. I am sincerely grateful to Masha for this course and am happy to recommend her classes to teenagers who want to learn to think more deeply and express their opinions with confidence.

It was a revelation to me that philosophy could be so fascinating to a modern teenager. In our family, the emphasis has always been on the natural sciences, so such a fundamental philosophy program gave me a completely new perspective on these subjects. My son often brings home interesting topics for discussion. I believe that children's genuine interest is the best indicator of a teacher's talent and engagement.

I have been studying philosophy for three years now, and during this time, it is not so much my views that have changed as my way of thinking. I began to look for reasons rather than quick answers, and this made it easier and calmer to reflect. Over time, I began to better distinguish between facts and interpretations, to understand where argument ends and emotion begins, and to pay more attention to how we speak and think. My speech became more precise, and my thoughts clearer. At some point, I realized that science does not answer all questions and should not do so. This helped me look at the topics of morality, responsibility, and human freedom differently — without extremes or simplifications. Classes with the teacher felt like constant work on my thinking. Questions and clarifications helped me stay on track and follow my thoughts through to the end. Philosophy takes thinking and communication to a new level, allowing you to be more precise, and therefore more confident in your thoughts and words. In conclusion, I would like to say that philosophy is necessary for everyone, from schoolchildren to academics. It is useful in any sphere of life, from studying to talking with a friend.

My daughter Elizabeth completed the philosophy program in grades 9 and 10. Teacher Masha Ismailova managed to win Lisa over to herself and the subject in a relaxed and easy manner. She builds communication and presents the material in such a way that Lisa felt equal and was not afraid to immerse herself in knowledge, ask questions, and engage in discussions. These skills have become firmly established in other areas of life as well. This is a valuable experience. The child's emotions and feedback are unambiguous — she liked it, found it interesting, and would gladly take the course again. This course is about expanding boundaries and knowledge, about openness to the world. It seems to be the perfect combination of subject and teacher. I higly recommend attending.

Philosophy sessions brought a lot of new things into my life. In addition to meeting new and interesting people, I realized that someone else had already faced my problems. Different branches of philosophy dealt with them in different ways, so I can find the path that suits me best.