Background



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Socratic Seminar Outline

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Background and Introduction

➢ What is this seminar thing?

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 allow you to think for yourselves than to merely fill your heads with all the "right" answers.

A Socratic Seminar is a method to try to understand information by creating dialectic in class in regards to a specific text, be it novel, short story, poem, or film. In a Socratic Seminar, all of us will work together to seek deeper understanding of complex ideas in the text through rigorously thoughtful dialogue.

➢ What are we discussing?

Now that all of us have had the chance to read Part I of Siddhartha it is time for us to come to a better understanding of what we read. Our task is now to address our common text with several different types of questions: open-ended, world connection, universal theme, and literary analysis questions. These types of questions will allow all of us to think critically, to analyze multiple meanings in text, and express our ideas with clarity and confidence.

➢ So is this a debate?

Something important to note is that we ARE NOT having a debate, we are having a dialogue. 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. We, for the purposes of this class, must realize there is NO RIGHT ANSWER! We are simply pulling all of our heads together to ask meaningful questions that stimulate thoughtful interchanges of ideas, which is much more important than finding "the answer."

➢ 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.

➢ What do we do during the discussion?

As participants in a Socratic Seminar, we will respond to one another with respect by carefully listening instead of interrupting. Everyone is 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.

➢ Follow the following points of advice during the seminar:

1. While a seminar is not a test of memory, it is expected that you will be familiar with the text we have just read. 

2. You are not "learning a subject"; your goal is to understand the ideas, issues, and values reflected in the text.

3. Do not participate if you are not prepared. A seminar should not be a bull session. (or BS)

4. It's OK to "pass" when asked to contribute. (Just not all the time)

5. Do not stay confused; ask for clarification.

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

7. Don't raise hands; take turns speaking; wait until someone completes their thought before you begin yours.

8. Listen carefully.

9. Speak up so that all can hear you.

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

11. Discuss ideas rather than each other's opinions.

12. You are responsible for the seminar, even if you don't know it or admit it.

13. Sleeping, clowning around, or doing other homework is never appropriate behavior during a seminar. Such behavior will earn you a "0".

➢ How do we prepare for this discussion?

o Read the "text" thoroughly, marking (or using post-it) tags to highlight key passages.

o Familiarize ourselves with unique vocabulary (and vocabulary unique to the genre).

o Re-read the "text" independently, considering preparatory questions that may have been raised.

o Brainstorm themes relevant to the text.

o Brainstorm character traits of key figures in the text.

o Create questions.

➢ How will we be graded in this discussion?

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?

Socratic Seminar Outline[pic]

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Pre-Socratic Seminar Questions

Prior to our discussion we will have, please develop at least one question for each of the following types of questions:

1. 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:  Who is Siddhartha’s father? What is his position in the society?

2. 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 Siddhartha want to leave?

3. WORLD CONNECTION QUESTION:

        Write a question connecting the text to the real world. 

❖ Example:  In the 21st century, how can you relate to Siddhartha’s desire to leave home?

4. 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: Would the friendship between Siddhartha and Govinda be as deep and meaningful in our 21st century society?

5. WRITING STYLE ANALYSIS QUESTION:

Write a question dealing with the author’s style.  Your question may focus on how the author writes, the technique, sentence structure, etc.

❖ Example: How does Hesse use foreshadowing in Part I of the novel?

Socratic Seminar:  Participant Rubric [pic]

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|A Level Participant |¬       Participant offers enough solid analysis, without prompting, to move the conversation forward   |

| |¬       Participant, through his or her comments, demonstrates a deep knowledge of the text and the question   |

| |¬       Participant has come to the seminar prepared, with notes and a marked/annotated text   |

| |¬       Participant, through his or her comments, shows that s/he is actively listening to other participants   |

| |¬       S/he offers clarification and/or follow-up that extends the conversation |

| | ¬       Participant’s remarks often refer back to specific parts of the text. |

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|B Level Participant |¬       Participant offers solid analysis without prompting |

| |¬       Through his or her comments, participant demonstrates a good knowledge of the text and the question |

| |¬       Participant has come to the seminar prepared, with notes and a marked/annotated text |

| |¬       Participant shows that s/he is actively listening to others.  S/he offers clarification and/or follow-up |

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|C Level Participant |¬       Participant offers some analysis, but needs prompting from the seminar leader |

| |¬       Through his or her comments, participant demonstrates a general knowledge of the text and question |

| |¬       Participant is less prepared, with few notes and no marked/annotated text |

| |¬       Participant is actively listening to others, but does not offer clarification and/or follow-up to others’ comments |

| |¬       Participant relies more upon his or her opinion, and less on the text to drive his or her comments |

|  |¬       Participant offers little commentary |

|D or F Level Participant |¬       Participant comes to the seminar ill-prepared with little understanding of the text and question |

| |¬       Participant does not listen to others, offers no commentary to further the discussion   |

Socratic Seminar:  Student Note Sheet

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|Pre-Socratic Seminar Preparation |Notes / Thoughts During Socratic Seminar |

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|Please come to seminar with one question [and its answer] in each category. | |

|Closed – ended (a question that will help everyone come to an agreement about | |

|events or characters) | |

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|Open – ended [an insightful question that will require proof, insights, and | |

|group discussion to discover or explore the answer] | |

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|World connection [connects the text to the world] | |

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|Universal theme / core [themes that will encourage group discussion about the | |

|universality of the text] | |

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|Literary Analysis [question that deals with artist’s style (i.e.: tone, word | |

|usage, paragraphing, voice, fluency) | |

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