USING SOCRATIC SEMINAR AS AN ASSESSMENT FOR

STUDENT LEARNING

Nicole Lusiani ElliottTeacher, San Lorenzo High School

March 3, 2012

Introduction

8th Grade Core U.S. History Economics Government AP Government Women’s Studies Psychology

Goals for TodayToday’s Participants will leave with:

An understanding of the Socratic Seminar method,

Tools for how to teach students to develop Socratic Seminar questions,

Ideas for how to structure and facilitate a Socratic Seminar,

Methods for how to quickly and accurately assess student learning.

Goals for Socratic Seminars

Assess Mastery of Content

Evaluate Understanding of Concepts

Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice Academic Language

Teach Students how to Engage in Civil Discourse

How does Using Seminar Meet those Goals? Assess Mastery of

Content

Evaluate Understanding of Concepts

Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice Academic Language

Teach Students how to Engage in Civil Discourse

Literal Questions and Answers

Interpretive and Applied Questions and Answers

Teaching them the tools and providing them the time and structure to practice

Model and guide appropriate ways to disagree and discuss what can be challenging topics

Seminar Basics: Reasons and Ways

Reasons to Use Seminars

Ways to Structure Seminars

Formal Assessment

Informal Check In (“Do they ‘get’ it?”)

Test or Essay Preparation

Reinforcing understanding of particularly challenging readings or political cartoons.

Whole Class

Small Groups

Fishbowl within a Small Group

Fishbowl within the Whole Class

Seminar Basics:Socratic Seminar Questions Literal Questions

Fact-based questions with one correct answer.

Interpretive QuestionsOpinion-based questions with several possible

answers based on interpretation

Applied QuestionsPersonal-based questions with several possible

answers based on individual experience and how the situation may apply to them and/or people today.

The Ideal Socratic Seminar Provides a structure for the students to work within,

guiding them but not confining them.

Provides opportunities for all students to participate, allowing them the opportunity to shine in the areas of speaking and listening.

Shows clearly who knows the material and who does not.

Provides an opportunity for greater understanding for all students.

Is simple for the teacher to grade.

Before the Seminar:Know Your Intention

What’s Your Intention Set Up Accordingly Why am I doing this? Do I

want an informal check in, a formal assessment, or to review for a test?

Is this new to my students so my intention is to introduce the skill? Or have they done this quite a lot and I want to push them to the next level?

Am I grading for content, communication skills, or both and why?

Who should grade the students and why?

What size groups should the students be in and why?

Before Assigning the Seminar:Prepare Yourself

Have plenty of sample questions at your disposal.

Choose models that are appropriate; ease them in, don’t scare them off.

Include a rubric with the instructions so they know what to expect.

Assigning the Seminar: Prepare Your Students

Set IntentionWhat is a Socratic Seminar and why are we doing

it?

Review QuestionsWhat are the three levels of questions, and what is

the point of each?

Model ProcessUsing a previous unit as an example, what are

sample questions of each type?

Model One: TextSojourner Truth (1797-1883): Ain't I A Woman?Delivered 1851Women's Convention, Akron, Ohio

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth-woman.asp

Model Two: Political Cartoon

http://www.yousaytoo.com/best-political-cartoon-about-health-care/89935

Before the Seminar:Anticipation is Your Friend The Facts:

You know your intention You know your students

The Anticipation: What do they need? How should you set up the room and the groups to meet

those needs?

Prepare Accordingly: Have heterogeneous groups set up before class starts. Have tables set up before class starts. Anticipate the possibility this will be a challenge for some. Anticipate the possibility this is an opportunity to pontificate

for some.

During the Seminar:Assess on the Go

Don’t try to manage 36 papers all at once.

Develop a +/- system of some kind and take notes on the small group lists as you circulate.

After the Seminar: Assess for a Score

As soon as possible after the seminar, fill out a rubric for each student.

By day’s end, you will have assessed your students’ learning in a meaningful way and they will feel so proud of themselves for holding their own in an academic conversation.

Considering how long it takes to grade essays and how little depth of understanding is shown in a multiple choice test, isn’t this an ideal way of assessing student learning?

Seminar Works

“I often find that students come away from seminar appreciating (the content) on a whole new level, or understanding some aspect that they hadn’t considered before.  It also helps them generate ideas for writing - - in a way that feels more meaningful than just brainstorming on paper.”

Beth Daly, Teacher

Seminar Works

“I love how (seminar) develops responsibility and civility; responsibility because I ask students to write questions prior to the discussion, which they always do because the seminars are so fun for them, and civility, because it teaches them to listen to one another actively and extend/make connections to their own ideas.”

Cheryl Morris, Teacher

Seminar Works

“I love seminar because I get to see students interacting with each other and a text in an academic way without me butting in at all. I get to check for understanding but also get to hear some really interesting conversations!”

Vandana Makker, Teacher

Seminar Works

“…everyone is responsible for preparing for the conversation and it is so well-structured that (they all feel safe within the conversation). I love that they are smart, thoughtful young adults…and I get to grade them on that.”

Lisa Sorenson, Teacher

Seminar Works

“Seminars are a totally awesome experience because everyone brings something different to the table. They engage together (in ways that are both academic and personal).”

Mark Schneider, Teacher and Librarian

Seminar Works

“I want desperately to use Socratic Seminar, but I just don’t feel that I have the training to make it work. I so wish I could make it to Garden Grove this weekend. Have a wonderful trip!”

Brian Williams (New) Teacher

Questions?

Thank You

Evaluation

Index Card for E-Copies and Updates

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