SOCRATIC SEMINAR:

A student-centered approach to addressing hot questions

“the only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.”

-socrates

LEARNING GOAL & SCALE

4 I successfully implement Socratic Seminars in my classroom and use them to evaluate and critique my students’ understanding of texts, problems, or ideas.

3 * I understand how to organize and manage Socratic Seminars and feel confident about implementing them in my classroom.

2 I have used Socratic Seminar, or some variation of it, in my classroom, but I want more information.

1 I have heard of Socratic Seminar, but I’m not sure what it is or how to implement it in my classroom.

ACTIVITIES:We will discuss the theory behind Socratic Seminar

as well as some management techniques. Then we will participate in a Socratic Seminar.

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE COMMON CORE?

Socratic Seminar provides regular practice with complex text. Socratic Seminars demand rich, complex text.

Socratic Seminar forces students to support what they are saying/communicating with evidence from the text.

Socratic Seminar requires that students create and grapple with HOT questions.

WHAT IS A SOCRATIC SEMINAR? Socrates believed that enabling students to think for

themselves was more important that filling their heads with “right” answers. In a Socratic Seminar, participants seek deeper understanding of complex ideas through rigorously thoughtful dialogue.

A Socratic Seminar fosters active learning as participants explore and evaluate the ideas, issues, and values in a particular text.

A good seminar consists of four interdependent elements: the text, questions, the seminar leader, and the participants.

THE TEXTTexts should be chosen for their richness of

ideas, issues, and values. You must have a text worthy of discussion. The text can come from

any subject area, but it must be one that raises questions that don’t necessarily have right or

wrong answers.

THE QUESTIONThe opening question can be posed by the

teacher or the student leader of the seminar. It should be a question that does not have a

right or wrong answer. Question wheels are a great way to help students practice asking HOT

(Higher Order Thinking) questions.

THE LEADERThe leader plays a duel role as leader and

participant. The leader may be you or one of your students depending on how ready the

class is for the discussion.

THE PARTICIPANTSThe participants are responsible for the quality of the seminar. Ideally, they should have read and annotated the text prior to the discussion.

Additionally, all students should come prepared with questions.

Management, Rules, & Habits of

Mind

ROOM ARRANGEMENT Chairs should be set up in two cocentric

circles. Circles can be chosen using a variety of methods.

* Reading scores* Personalities

* Birthdays* Playing Cards* Sticker Cards* Cat and Dog People

INNER CIRCLE AND OUTER CIRCLE

The inner circle conducts a 7-10 minute discussion while the outer circle silently completes an evaluation form. (See Appendix A).

Allow for 1 minute of evaluation that includes both positive feedback as well as criticism.

Students switch. The discussion can continue, move on, or go back to a previous discussion. There should be another 7-10 minutes allotted for discussion.

Allow for 1 minute of feedback.

THE HOT SEAT!!This is a seat that has been designated for students from the outer circle who have a “burning” question and can’t wait to be in the inner circle to ask it. This is a must once students become accomplished at conducting seminars.

WHAT AM I DOING?

Teachers may serve as leaders in the beginning. But, there is a time to step back.

Allow your students to take control. You will be surprised where they will take each other.

BUT MY STUDENTS ARE NOT READY FOR THIS!

Most students will need to be trained in how to annotate text and how to have a discussion, especially if they are struggling readers. You will need to model both of these skills.

Start in pairs, then go to triads. Students will need to focus on practicing

sustained, on-topic conversations.

MODEL AND PRACTICE DISCUSSION

Model and practice what good readers do as well as annotation. All practice should encourage students to constantly return to the text in order to find evidence for what they believe and think.

Use pictures to get students, especially struggling readers, talking in the early part of the year. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/56682

Turn to Appendix B for a sample lesson.

TRAIN STUDENTS TO CREATE HOT QUESTIONS

Students will not know how to create HOT questions. Model the process.

Turn to Appendix C for a practice lesson on creating questions.

TRAIN THEM TO CONDUCT A SEMINAR

Discuss expectations. Show them examples. Ask students who are

accomplished at seminar to visit your class or show them a video of students conducting a seminar. A great example can be found through the following link:

Walker Middle School Socratic Seminar - YouTube

SOCRATIC SEMINAR“Salvador Late or Early”

Sandra Cisneros

READ AND ANNOTATE THE STORY

Study the list of themes found in Appendix D. As you read “Salvadore Late or Early,” annotate the text. As

good readers do, make note of visualizations, predictions, inferences, and connections that you are thinking about. Also, create HOT discussion questions using the method we practiced.

Select the three themes from the list in Appendix D that you think are the most important in the text. Rank them according to importance and explain why you gave them the ranking you did.

Write an opening question. You may use one of the questions you already generated, create a theme question, or you may use your question wheels to help you formulate questions. Be prepared to answer your own question with evidence from the text.

Example: How is “Salvadore Late or Early” about courage?

SEMINARS IN ALL CONTENT AREAS

Paideia offers texts and free lesson plans for various subjects and grade levels.

http://www.paideia.org/teachers/seminar-lesson-plans/