1. 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.

2. Socratic Seminar (Paideia) 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. SeminarClass Discussion  97% student talk  student average response is 8-12 seconds  no teacher approval or disapproval (affirming feedback is taboo)  thinking is paramount, backed up with textual evidence  students listen to peers  student ownership for “flow”  specific accountability as testing/documented evidence for grading  Students do not need to raise their hands to discuss  97% teacher talk  student average response is 2-3 seconds  teacher judgment-emphasis on correctness, limited extended thinking  correctness is paramount, thinking ends as soon as one is right or wrong  students listen primarily to teacher  teacher ownership to “flow”  a “frill; nebulously, it counts as a participation grade. If absent, they didn’t really miss anything, just a class discussion Differences between Seminar and Class Discussion

4. Learning Objectives - You will… (RL8.1) Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says and your inferences. (W8.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Analyze how a modern work of fiction uses themes, patterns of events, or types of characters. Evaluate your classmates arguments and claims about the text and decide if the thoughts are sound and the evidence is relevant and enough.

6. What are the teacher’s expectations for me during the seminar? How many times does the student speak? Are the questions or comments open ended? Is the student respectful during the seminar? (not talking during the seminar unless they are providing feedback/ are they engaged taking notes/are they addressing their peers by name and with respect) Is the student using textual evidence to support their comments? To be respectful and participate in the discussion by responding OR writing down my thoughts. Each student speaks 3 times. For full points, they must be meaningful AND have examples from the book. Earning full points for questions meant they cannot be answered with a plain, old, boring yes or no. This earns you 5 points! Have to do it for an A. You will only earn ½ credit for each question if you don’t use examples.

7. What do I say during the seminar? Starting phrases to use in reference to another’s comment or participant: “I want to build on...” “I want to connect my thoughts to...” “I agree with...” “I disagree with...” “I have a question about...” “I’ve changed my mind about ___ based on what ___ said or what was stated in the text. “Based on the time that this was written...” “Based on the audience for whom this was written.” “I think the speaker was trying to say...”

8. On the day of the Seminar, you will need to: Positive BehaviorsPoints Possible I came prepared with my 3 open-ended questions and a text book open to page 310. 30 I was respectful during the seminar5 Meaningful Response #1 with examples5 Meaningful Response #2 with examples5 Meaningful Response #3 with examples5 Total50 pts

9. Prepare- Question Sheet/Textual Evidence Day of seminar- Sit in a circle -Review Guidelines/ Goal Setting -Present questions (DURING THE SEMINAR) -Respond to comments respectfully (INSIDE) -Take notes (OUTSIDE) -Write reflection (HOMEWORK)

10. Paideia Seminar Rules: 1.Reading the selected text is essential in participation. 2.Coming prepared and ready to participate 3.Listen by looking at the speaker, taking notes, and not talking while another is talking. 4.Speak loud enough for everyone to hear, asking questions as well as making statements, while looking at others. 5.Think deeply about the ideas and values expressed in the dialogue, examining the various perspectives with an open mind. 6.Refer to the text by citing specific page and line numbers and quoting actual passages to support a point of view. 7.Address others respectfully by using others’ names agreeing/disagreeing constructively, and making connections to others’ comments.

11. Making 3 Open-Ended Questions YOUR QUESTIONS CANNOT BE ANSWERED BY A YES OR A NO.

12. Open-Ended Questions Starters How… Why … What … Explain … Who … When … Be careful with these question starters. Would … Should … Could … Do you think …

13. Flowers for Algernon Topics Responsibility of doctors and scientists (liability) Finding, Keeping and Losing a Job Equality and fairness Consequences Bullying / Making fun of or teasing people People with different abilities or intelligence Science experiments on people and animals Risks vs. benefits of trying new medications/procedures

14. Reflection What was the most interesting detail discussed during the seminar? Did you enjoy the seminar? Why or why not? What are some pros of doing a seminar? What are some changes you would make to the seminar next time? What are some questions/comments you were unable to make during the seminar? Did anything said today change a perspective you had on a particular topic? Do you agree with Socrates’ belief that: students learn best by asking questions. It is the teacher’s job to moderate the discussion instead of leading the discussion?