10.+Socratic+Seminar

o **How to- give specific steps for strategy implementation:** //Socratic seminars are designed to allow students to direct the instruction and content that they are learning about a very broad topic. Students become the “expert” on a specific subject under this topic, and collaborate with their fellow group mates to link the information and make learning connections on their own. Divide students up into groups. Assign each group an overarching subject. Allow students to pull their topic from a hat. Students must then become the experts on that particular subject. When groups present their ideas, a time limit is usually used to keep students from straying too far from the subject. Students from other groups are allowed to enter the seminar with questions or concerns after hearing the opening discussion. This should not be used as an attack on the other students and rules should be set prior to the start of each seminar. Students may use personal notes that they have taken about their subject. If the students get too bogged down in facts, you may need to approve their notes before the next Socratic seminar starts up. Students should be applying the knowledge they have gained and linking it with the knowledge that other students are presenting.// o **When to-implement in content area (provide specific justification)** Discussions about literature are always open to Socratic seminars. There are many interpretations of poetry, short stories, etc. Students can research a particular author and speculate how the author was feeling, what their personal life was like, what brought them to writing such works as they did, and collaborating to find deeper meaning within these historical or modern pieces. This activity would work great when discussing presidential campaigns. Assign students different time periods and have them pretend to be the possible president campaigning for office and explaining their viewpoint on the “hot button” issues of the time. Students can then state whether they agree or disagree with what their presidential candidate thought should happen. In mathematics, a Socratic seminar may be used more as an activity where students research how to solve a particular math problem and then teach their fellow students the steps involved. If you are studying a mathematical concept that involves multiple steps or methods of solving, assign students a certain order to present their information in and require students to take notes within their group. They should be able to identify the next person who would present by recognizing the structure of the problem. > Students can research any scientific subject they choose. Have all of the overarching topics relate to the area of science they are studying, i.e. life science, physical science, etc. Ask students to connect their topics by discussing the different aspects of their particular subject. The teacher will pose a question that allows each student to interject their opinion and how they may agree or disagree with what they’ve researched. o **Research and references that supports the “effective instruction” label for this strategy** Socratic seminars are an instructional method that many schools have adopted. By using seminars, students are taking a metacognitive approach to situations presented. Students are more engaged when they can relate a topic to their own experiences and use their knowledge to apply to a real life situation (Tredway, 1995). The instructor poses an open ended question and has the students respond. Tredway states that this process “balances two traditional purposes of education: the cultivation of common values and the worth of free inquiry (p.26, 1995).” Other students are asked to take note of the behaviors of group members by observing their “seminar etiquette”. Do they rudely interject their ideas or opinions while others are speaking? When there are many ideas that wish to be heard, does the student wait for their turn to speak? What evidence do they provide for their argument and is it relevant? These are all questions that fellow students should ask themselves when evaluating group members. By using Socratic seminars, students gain skills in evaluation and synthesis, which are higher level thinking skills on Bloom’s Taxonomy and also build self-esteem by showing their knowledge of a subject (Tredway, 27).
 * **Name of Strategy:** // Socratic Seminar (Bus Tour Observation) //
 * **Language Arts:**
 * **Social Studies:**
 * **Mathematics:**
 * **Science:**
 * **Benefits**
 * Students gain knowledge of a subject by using intellectual discourse.
 * Higher level thinking skills are developed in conversation.
 * Students will remember the ideas they have associated with modern day life.
 * **Drawbacks**
 * Students who don’t do their research will hinder the conversation.
 * Some students may feel attacked if other group members become irate.
 * Touchy subjects such as evolution may not be suited for the Socratic environment in the lower grades.
 * **Learning styles, modalities, intelligences, or abilities addressed**
 * Verbal/Linguistic students will have the major advantage when implementing this strategy. The student’s ability to mold words in conversation will greatly increase their confidence within the seminar and also encourage the other students to actively participate.
 * Logical/Mathematical is also a great modality that is incorporated within this strategy. Logical students typically make stronger connections between topics simply by connecting the dots, if you will.
 * **Ways to assess the teaching/learning connection**
 * As described previously, students within the class will keep a tally on students participating in discussion. The teacher will present them with a list of questions they should ask themselves while observing the seminar. The student’s grade should not hang solely on the observations of a classmate though. A research style paper is typically required before the start of the seminar.
 * **Classroom management considerations**
 * Students may become disengaged if the conversation becomes dry of doesn’t move fast enough, creating a hostile classroom environment.
 * Students should be grouped accordingly. You know your students better than anyone and if you suspect that a particular student will be a problem on some subject matters, that student should be addressed privately before the start of the activities.

(Instructions)



Tredway, L. (1995). Socratic Seminars:Engaging students in Intellectual Discourse. //Educational Leadership //, //September //, 26-29.

(Research Paper)

(Assessment)

When I observed this activity on the Bus Tour that we took in 2010, it was being implemented in a gifted Language Arts classroom. The students were set up with their desks in a circle around a central table. The students were discussing, "To Kill A Mockingbird". The central table was designed so that students who were selected to start the activity were in a centralized location. Students in the circle could jump in at any time when a seat became available and take an opposing view or add a comment to the conversation. The students still seated in the circle used white boards to add comments, questions, and hypthoses about questions that the teacher had posed to the central table students. All of the children were engaged and I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusions that the children came to about elements portrayed in the book.(My group observing the Socratic Seminar)