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Socratic Seminars

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Socratic Seminar:  Participant Rubric

Background:

Socrates, a Classical Greek philosopher, was convinced that the surest way to attain reliable knowledge was through the practice of disciplined conversation.  He called this method dialectic, meaning the art or practice of examining opinions or ideas logically, often by the method of question and answer, so as to determine their validity.

The Socratic method of teaching is based on Socrates' theory that it is more important to enable students to think for themselves than to merely fill their heads with "right" answers.  A Socratic Seminar is a method to try to understand information by creating a dialect 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.  This process encourages divergent (different & varied) thinking rather than convergent.

Students are given opportunities to "examine" a common piece of text, whether it is in the form of a novel, poem, art print, or piece of music.  After "reading" the common text "like a love letter", several questions are posed -- primarily open-ended, world connection, universal theme, and literary analysis questions.  Such questions allow students to think critically, analyze multiple meanings in text, and express ideas with clarity and confidence.  After all, a certain degree of emotional safety is felt by participants when they understand that this format is based on dialogue and not discussion/debate.

Dialogue is exploratory and involves the suspension of biases and prejudices.  Discussion/debate is a transfer of information designed to win an argument and bring closure.  Americans are great at discussion/debate. We do not dialogue well.  However, once teachers and students learn to dialogue, they find that the ability to ask meaningful questions that stimulate thoughtful interchanges of ideas is more important than "the answer."

Participants in a Socratic Seminar respond to one another with respect by carefully listening instead of interrupting.  Students are encouraged to "paraphrase" essential elements of another's ideas before responding, either in support of or in disagreement.  Members of the dialogue look each other in the "eyes" and use each other's names.  This simple act of socialization reinforces appropriate behaviors and promotes team building.

Dialogue and Debate-- What is the Difference?

• Dialogue is collaborative: multiple sides work toward shared understanding.
  Debate is oppositional: two opposing sides try to prove each other wrong.

• In dialogue, one listens to understand, to make meaning, and to find common ground.
  In debate, one listens to find flaws, to spot differences, and to counter arguments.

• Dialogue enlarges and possibly changes a participant's point of view.
  Debate defends assumptions as truth.

• Dialogue creates an open-minded attitude: an openness to being wrong and an openness to change.
  Debate creates a close-minded attitude, a determination to be right.

• In dialogue, one submits one's best thinking, expecting that other people's reflections will help improve it rather than threaten it.
  In debate, one submits one's best thinking and defends it against challenge to show that it is right.

• Dialogue calls for temporarily suspending one's beliefs.
  Debate calls for investing wholeheartedly in one's beliefs.

• In dialogue, one searches for strengths in all positions.
  In debate, one searches for weaknesses in the other position.

• Dialogue respects all the other participants and seeks not to alienate or offend.
  Debate rebuts contrary positions and may belittle or deprecate other participants.

• Dialogue assumes that many people have pieces of answers and that cooperation can lead to a greater understanding.
  Debate assumes a single right answer that somebody already has.

• Dialogue remains open-ended.
  Debate demands a conclusion.

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.

Participant Preparations -- What do we all do before we come to a Socratic Seminar? 

• Read the "text" thoroughly, marking (or using post-it) tags to highlight key passages.
• Familiarize ourselves with unique vocabulary (and vocabulary unique to the genre).
• Re-read the "text" independently, considering preparatory questions that may have been raised.
• Brainstorm themes relevant to the text.
• Brainstorm character traits of key figures in the text.
• Create questions.

PRE-SOCRATIC SEMINAR QUESTION-WRITING

Before you come to a Socratic Seminar class, please read the assigned text and write at least three questions.  Your questions should include no more than one from each of the categories (question types) described below.  Note that all of the examples which follow are based on the specific text your class will read.

• CLOSE-ENDED QUESTION:

        Write a question about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text.  This question usually has a "correct" answer.

Example:  What items were on Myrtle’s “shopping list”?

• OPEN-ENDED QUESTION:

         Write an insightful question about the text that will require proof, insights, and group discussion to discover or explore the answer to the question.

Example: Why does Nick terminate his relationship with Jordan?

• WORLD CONNECTION QUESTION:

        Write a question connecting the text to the real world. 

Example:  In the 21^st century, is it still necessary for people to create personas?

• UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTION:

          Write a question dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.

Example: How has the concept of the American Dream changed over time?

• LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTION:

Write a question dealing with the author’s style.  Your question may focus on how the author manipulates point of view, characterization, syntax, diction, or archetypal patterns.

Example: Is Nick a reliable narrator?

Leader Preparations -- What special preparations (in addition to Participant Preparations) should we do before our Socratic Seminar?

Pre-seminar activity:

Before engaging in a Socratic Seminar, a leader should:

• Generate several questions that allow participants to take a position.  This opportunity to "take a stand" serves the purpose of quickly "reeling in" other students by asking them to focus on a question that is ironically more convergent than divergent.  Sample questions (for All Quiet on the Western Front, for example) could include the following:

1. What is the author's attitude toward war? (open-ended question)

2. Why is this a good "war story"? (universal theme question)

3. Is the lead character a hero (or does he represent the anti-hero)? (literary analysis question)

Following the seminar, the leader may wish to return to these questions to determine if any ideas have changed based on the discussion.

• Prepare a Major Works Data Sheet or Book Talk indicating that he or she has explored various features of the text.  This should be typed and turned in the day of the seminar.  It is part of the leader's grade. Your instructor will advise you as to which is necessary.
• Prepare a handout or some type of visual depicting specific portions of the leader's text that he or she expects to discuss with the class.  The handout can take the form of an overhead transparency (secure from me in advance) or the form of Power Point slides (IBM format only).

The Seminar Itself:

• The leader will first want to introduce himself or herself (if several members are conducting the seminar, all members should be introduced).

·         Present a brief book talk, which should include (for works of fiction):
o the title of the book
o the author and his/her background
o a description of the setting(s) and its(their) importance to the book
o a brief plot summary -- indicate major conflicts, but not the ending
o an explanation of the significance of the title
o a discussion of the themes stated or implied
o an explanation of symbols and motifs used by the author
o an analysis of stylistic elements

If the book is nonfiction, adapt the above talk, providing facts and other tidbits learned (instead of plot), discussing any bias of the author, and exploring the author's effectiveness.  The leader may also choose to consider:

o What does the book add to the wealth of information already available on the subject?
o Does the author expound any particular philosophy? How?

o  What is the author’s purpose in writing the book?
 

• Begin the seminar -y distributing your related article and text excerpts.
• Then pose an open ended question (a question raised as part of the pre-seminar activity is usually a good idea).
• Be certain to give participants desiring to speak a chance to do so.
• Introduce specific examples from your text and article to discuss with the group.
• Keep the discussion moving and lively.

Post Activities:

• Ask participants to share what they learned and/or observed.

• Allow participants to discuss feelings regarding the process.

• Brainstorm themes relevant to the "text." Compare them to the pre-seminar activity.  

Guidelines for Participants in a Socratic Seminar

1.       If the text is one that the entire class is expected to have read before the seminar, you may refer to the text when needed during the discussion.  However, do not begin reading the text at the seminar.  While a seminar is not a test of memory, it is expected that you will be familiar with the text you have read.  You are not "learning a subject"; your goal is to understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in the text.

2.       Do not participate if you are not prepared.  A seminar should not be a “bull” session.

3.       Do not stay confused; ask for clarification.

4.       Stick to the point currently under discussion; make notes about ideas you want to come back to.

5.       Raise hands; take turns speaking.

6.       Listen carefully.

7.       Speak up so that all can hear you.

8.       Talk to each other, not just to the leader or teacher.

9.       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.

11.    Sleeping, clowning around, or reading other material/working on other homework is never appropriate behavior during a seminar.  Such behavior will earn you a "0".

Expectations of Participants in a Socratic Seminar

When I am evaluating your Socratic Seminar participation, I ask the following questions about  participants.  Did they….

o        Speak loudly and clearly?

o        Cite reasons and evidence for their statements?

o        Use the text to find support?

o        Listen to others respectfully?

o        Stick with the subject?

o        Talk to each other, not just to the leader?

o        Paraphrase accurately?

o        Ask for help to clear up confusion?

o        Support each other?

o        Avoid hostile exchanges?

o        Question others in a civil manner?

o        Seem prepared?