1. Socratic Seminars

2. What is a Socratic Seminar?
A Socratic seminar is a way of teaching founded by the Greek philosopher Socrates.
Socrates believed that:
students learn best by asking questions.
It is the teacher’s job to moderate the discussion instead of leading the discussion.

3. Why do we have Socratic Seminars
Socratic Seminars help us engage a text in class.
The thought process is when we work together to understand a text it will help everyone’s understanding.

4. How do we prepare for a Socratic Seminar?
Today you will be given a Socratic Seminar prep sheet.
Your job is to answer the two questions we created for you and create one question/answer of your own.
It is essential you read the text and prepare yourself with important questions and quotations.

5. What type of questions should I ask during the seminar?
These questions should be critical thinking and higher level questions designed to get you to analyze, evaluate, and connect with the text.

6. Good Questions/Bad Questions
What characteristic do all of the female characters of the play have in common?
Who are some of the characters in Frankenstein?
What are some symbols present in the novel and what do they represent?
When was Frankenstein written?

7. What will the seminar look like?
The classroom will be arranged in a two concentric circles.
You will be assigned to either seminar A or seminar B.
You will be assigned a partner in the opposite seminar.
FOR EXAMPLE:
If I am in seminar A my partner will be in seminar B
Mrs. Schultz will be facilitating, but NOT participating in the seminar.

8. What’s the deal with partners?
If I am in Seminar B, I will be sitting in the outside circle taking notes for my partner who is in the inner circle participating in the Seminar A.
Then we will switch. I will participate in the seminar and my partner will take notes for me.

9. How does the discussion work in a seminar?
The seminar is to serve as a discussion, not a lecture. Just like in a casual conversation, no one begins the conversation, a conversation begins naturally.

10. Seminar Guidelines
Please listen and look at each other when you speak.
One person speaks at a time.
Each person will have a chance to ask a question.
Respond to the person who asks the question.
Use evidence from the text to support yourself.
Always treat each other with mutual respect.

11. How will I be assessed on the seminar?
By answering the questions on the seminar prep sheet with textual evidence (30 pts)
By creating and answering a higher level questions (10 pts)
By contributing to the conversation following these guidelines:
You must speak at least 3 times in the
Socratic Seminar – each time you
speak will be worth 5 points
3 times speaking (15 pts)
By completing the Socratic Seminar Reflection (5 points)
Total _________/60