1. Socratic Seminars

2. The Goal of Socratic Seminars Fosters active learning  Participants explore and evaluate a text Ideas Issues Values To learn more about the work and author “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

3. Elements of Reasoning Has a purpose Attempts to  Figure something out  Settle/ some question  Solve some problem Based on  Assumptions  Data  Information  Evidence Expressed through  Questions  Responses Contains  Inferences  Conclusions  Meaning to data  Leads somewhere  Has implications  Consequences

4. ELEMENTS of a Socratic Seminar The Text Richness of ideas, issues, values Stimulates extended, thoughtful dialogue. Raises important questions  No right or wrong answers The Question No right answer  Reflects a curiosity Leads back to the text  Speculate, evaluate, define, and clarify the issues involved. Responses generate new questions leading to new responses. The Participants Burden of responsibility for the quality of seminar. Good seminars:  Study the texts closely  Listen actively  Share their ideas and questions Respond to the ideas and questions of others  Search for evidence to support ideas Good seminar behaviors:  Participation  Reflection After each seminar  Discuss the experience  Identify ways of improving Before each seminar  Coaching and Practice Improve reading, thinking, and discussing. Not looking for right answers  Think aloud  Exchange ideas openly

5. Nine Steps for the Socratic Seminar

6. Step One Step One Students arrive and form a circle prepared for the assignment Step Two Step Two Teacher presents opening question

7. Step Three Step Three Students respond to each other Step Four Step Four Teacher probes or clarifies only

8. Step Five Step Five Teacher asks guiding questions Step Six Step Six Students respond to each other

9. Step Seven Step Seven Teacher presents closing question Step Eight Step Eight Students personalize discussion Step Nine Step Nine Seminar evaluationevaluation

10. NOW, It’s OUR turn!