Socratic
Seminars
What does Socratic
mean?
Socratic comes from the name Socrates. Socrates (ca. 470-399 B.C.) was
a Classical Greek philosopher who developed a Theory of Knowledge.
What was Socrates' Theory of
Knowledge?
Socrates was convinced that the surest way to attain reliable knowledge
was through the practice of disciplined conversation. He called this method
dialectic.
What does dialectic mean?
di-a-lec-tic (noun) means the art or practice of examining
opinions or ideas logically, often by the method of question and answer, so as
to determine their validity.
How did Socrates use the
dialectic?
He would begin with a discussion of the obvious aspects of any problem.
Socrates believed that through the process of dialogue, where all parties to the
conversation were forced to clarify their ideas, the final outcome of the
conversation would be a clear statement of what was meant. The technique
appears simple but it is intensely rigorous. Socrates would feign ignorance
about a subject and try to draw out from the other person his fullest possible
knowledge about it. His assumption was that by progressively correcting
incomplete or inaccurate notions, one could coax the truth out of anyone. The
basis for this assumption was an individual's capacity for recognizing lurking
contradictions. If the human mind was incapable of knowing something, Socrates
wanted to demonstrate that, too. Some dialogues, therefore, end inconclusively.
What is a Socratic Seminar?
A Socratic Seminar is method to try to understand information by
creating dialectic in class in regards to a specific text. In a Socratic
Seminar, participants seek deeper understanding of complex ideas in the text
through rigorously thoughtful dialogue, rather than by memorizing bits of
information.
Guidelines for Participants in a Socratic Seminar
1. Refer to the text during the discussion. A seminar is not a test of memory. The goal is to understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in the text.
2. Cite reasons and evidence for your statements.
3. Do not participate if you are not prepared. A seminar should not be a bull session.
4. Do not stay confused; ask for clarification.
5. Stick to the point currently under discussion; make notes about ideas you want to come back to.
6. Take turns speaking; you should not have to raise your hands, but if the need arises you may do so.
7. Listen carefully to all that is being said, and write down the ideas that are expressed.
8. Follow proper speaking techniques (make eye contact, sit up in your chair, speak to the group not the teacher, do not pile your desk with irrelevant materials…).
9. Avoid hostile exchanges. Question each other in a civil manner. Discuss ideas rather than each other's opinions.
10. You are responsible for the seminar, even if you don't know it or admit it.
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Everyone participates in one large group |
There is an inner circle and an outer circle. The inner circle speaks. The outer circle takes notes and works to assist the inner circle |
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4)
Role-play |
What is dialogue?
Dialogue is collaborative: multiple sides work toward shared understanding.
In dialogue, one listens to understand, to make meaning, and to find common ground.
Dialogue creates an openness to being wrong and an openness to change.
In dialogue, one submits one's best thinking, expecting that other people's reflections will help improve it rather than threaten it.
Dialogue calls for temporarily suspending one's beliefs.
In dialogue, one searches for strengths in all positions.
Dialogue respects all the other participants and seeks not to alienate or offend.
Dialogue assumes that many people have pieces of answers and that cooperation can lead to a greater understanding.
Dialogue remains open-ended.
Dialogue is characterized by:
suspending judgment
examining our own work without defensiveness
exposing our reasoning and looking for limits to it
communicating our underlying assumptions
exploring viewpoints more broadly and deeply
being open to disconfirming data
approaching someone who sees a problem differently not as an adversary, but as a colleague in common pursuit of better solution.
Sample questions that demonstrate constructive participation in Socratic Seminars.
Here is my view and how I arrived at it. How
does it sound to you?
Do you see gaps in my reasoning?
Do you have different data?
Do you have different conclusions?
How did you arrive at your view?
Are you taking into account something different from what I have considered?
Generic Socratic Seminar Questions
1. What are the assumptions (explicit or underlying) of this text?
2. Are there contradictions in the text?
3. What events would have changed the story?
4. What would you do (or say) if you were __________________?
5. What might be some other good titles for this?
6. Does this text have a message to covey?
7. If _____________ were writing (composing, painting, etc.) today, what would be different about this work?
8. What does the term _______________________ mean?
9. In what way would _________________________ change, if __________________________ happened differently?
10. How do you think ______________________ was viewed by (would be viewed by) ________________?
11. What part of this work is most useful for dialogue? (Least?)
12. Why do you say that?
13. How do you support that position from this work?
14. To check on listening: Jane, what did Richard just say? What’s your reaction to that idea?
15. Inference. Fill in missing information, based upon a reasonable extrapolation of evidence in the text.
16. Implications. Explain the consequences of information or ideas in the text.
17. Hypothesis. Predict and justify future developments.
18. Reflection. How do you know what you think you know? What are you left not knowing? What are you assuming?
19. Can you think of an example to illustrate this point?
20. Is the writer’s example a good one? Why/why not?
21. How does this idea connect to ______________________________? (Refer to another passage in the text or to another text.)
