Socratic SeminarsSocratic Seminars

What is a Socratic What is a Socratic Seminar?Seminar?

A Socratic seminar is a A Socratic seminar is a way of teaching way of teaching founded by the Greek founded by the Greek philosopher Socrates. philosopher Socrates.

Socrates believed that:Socrates believed that:

students learn best by students learn best by asking questionsasking questions. .

It is the It is the teacher’s job to teacher’s job to moderate the moderate the discussion instead of discussion instead of leading the discussion.leading the discussion.

Why do we have Socratic Why do we have Socratic SeminarsSeminars

• Socratic Seminars Socratic Seminars help us help us engage a engage a text in class. text in class.

• The thought The thought process is when process is when we we work together to work together to understandunderstand a text a text it will it will help help everyone’s everyone’s understanding.understanding.

How do we prepare for a How do we prepare for a Socratic Seminar?Socratic Seminar?

• The The day prior to the day prior to the seminar you will be seminar you will be given a Socratic given a Socratic Seminar prep sheet.Seminar prep sheet. Your job is to Your job is to complete complete steps 1 – 4steps 1 – 4 for homework. for homework.

• It is essential It is essential you you read the text and read the text and prepare yourself prepare yourself with important with important questions and questions and quotations.quotations.

What type of questions What type of questions should I ask during the should I ask during the

seminar?seminar?• There are There are

threethree levels of levels of questions. questions.

• You should You should come up with come up with a a minimum minimum of of 1 question per 1 question per level.level.

Level 1 (Knowledge Level 1 (Knowledge Questions):Questions):

• KnowledgeKnowledge means being means being able able to show to show understanding by talking, understanding by talking, writing, signing, drawing.writing, signing, drawing.

Please Please use the following use the following stemsstems in creating your in creating your Knowledge Questions:Knowledge Questions:

• Can you state, Can you state, in your own words?

• Can you Can you describe?• Can you defend your your

position?position?• Can you summarize the the

information?information?

Level II (Application Level II (Application Questions):Questions):

ApplicationApplication means means supporting your ideas supporting your ideas with evidence.with evidence.

Please Please use the following use the following stemsstems in creating your in creating your Application Questions:Application Questions:

• Explain how …• Explain why …• InterpretInterpret the reasons

……• Compare and contrast

…• Connect and explain …

Level III (Synthesis Level III (Synthesis Questions):Questions):

Synthesis means combining or connecting two different elements.

In terms of the Socratic Seminar you will be connecting two texts with each other OR connecting a text to the outside world.

Level III (Synthesis Level III (Synthesis Questions) ContinuedQuestions) Continued

Please Please use the following use the following stemsstems in creating your in creating your Synthesis Questions:Synthesis Questions:

• Imagine …Imagine …• What would happen What would happen

if …?if …?• Hypothesize …Hypothesize …• Theorize …Theorize …• Speculate…Speculate…• How is How is TextText similar similar

to to Outside World?Outside World?

What will the seminar What will the seminar look like?look like?

• The classroom will be The classroom will be arranged in a arranged in a two two concentric circles.concentric circles.

• You will be assigned to You will be assigned to either either seminar A or seminar A or seminar B. seminar B.

• You will be assigned a You will be assigned a partner in the opposite partner in the opposite seminar.seminar.

FOR EXAMPLE:FOR EXAMPLE:If I am in seminar A my If I am in seminar A my

partner will be in seminar partner will be in seminar BB

Mr. Sun-K will be facilitatingMr. Sun-K will be facilitating, , but NOT participating in but NOT participating in the seminar.the seminar.

What’s the deal with What’s the deal with partners?partners?

If I am in If I am in Seminar BSeminar B, I , I will be sitting in the will be sitting in the outside circle taking outside circle taking notesnotes for for my partner my partner who is in the inner who is in the inner circle participating in circle participating in the Seminar A.the Seminar A.

Then we will switch.Then we will switch. I will I will participate in the participate in the seminar and my partner seminar and my partner will take notes for me.will take notes for me.

We will be We will be switching switching notes at the end of each notes at the end of each seminarseminar to be used for to be used for Step 5Step 5 of the Socratic of the Socratic Seminar Prep Sheet. Seminar Prep Sheet.

How does the discussion How does the discussion work in a seminar?work in a seminar?

• The seminar is to The seminar is to serve as a serve as a discussion, not a discussion, not a lecture.lecture. Just like in Just like in a casual a casual conversation, no conversation, no one begins the one begins the conversation, a conversation, a conversation conversation begins naturally. begins naturally.

Seminar GuidelinesSeminar Guidelines• Please Please listen and look at listen and look at

each othereach other when you when you speak.speak.

• One person speaks at a One person speaks at a timetime..

• Each person will have a Each person will have a chance to chance to ask a ask a question.question.

• Respond Respond to theto the person person who who asks the question.asks the question.

• Use Use evidence from the evidence from the texttext to support yourself. to support yourself.

• Always Always treat each other treat each other with mutual respect. with mutual respect.

How will I be assessed on How will I be assessed on the seminar?the seminar?

• By By completing the seminar prep sheetcompleting the seminar prep sheet. . (30 pts). (30 pts).

• By By contributing to the conversation contributing to the conversation following these guidelines:following these guidelines:- Ask- Ask a question.a question.– RespondRespond to a question.to a question.– Cite evidenceCite evidence from the text. from the text.

• All All threethree requirements requirements: : 30 points30 points..• TwoTwo requirements requirements: : 20 points.20 points.• 11 requirement requirement:: 10 points.10 points.• NoNo requirements requirements:: 0 points.0 points.

What do we need to do after What do we need to do after the seminar?the seminar?

• The The last 5 - 10 last 5 - 10 minutes of classminutes of class on on the day of a seminar:the day of a seminar:

• Please completePlease complete step step 5 of the prep sheet 5 of the prep sheet using your notes from using your notes from your partner as a your partner as a reference.reference. Please Please staple your partner’s staple your partner’s notes to the back of notes to the back of your prep sheet your prep sheet and and turn it in the turn it in the “In-“In-Box.”Box.”

Please stand for Think On Please stand for Think On Your FeetYour Feet