1. A VEHICLE FOR ANALYSIS, SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION AT ALL LEVELS OF LEARNING PETE ERIKSSON: PETER.ERIKSSON@D214.ORG HTTP://SOCRATICSEMINARS.WIKISPACES.COM/ HTTP://SOCRATICSEMINARS.WIKISPACES.COM/ “Wisdom begins in wonder.” –Socrates Socratic Seminars

2. Why Socratic Seminars? The High Level of Skill College Readiness Standards and the Highest Level of the Bloom’s taxonomy Anecdotally Thinking on their feet, gets creativity flowing through difficult content, provides students with greater insight into content, combines social- emotional learning with intellectual endeavor

3. More Anecdotal Justification Seminars begin with a question meant to invite and provoke inquisitive conversation, with one's self and with others, that may continue long after the two-hour period [or a class period] is over. The seminar draws on the students' wonder, attentiveness, judgment, imagination, openness to new ideas, willingness to be refuted, patience, courage, collegiality, leadership, and general resourcefulness. Seminar is intended to develop attentive reading habits, elicit clarity of thought and generosity of spirit, and encourage a willingness to embrace unfamiliar territory. As the part of the Program in which students most take responsibility for their own learning… (http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/academic/seminar.shtm l)

4. The Basic Idea Texts that are rich in ideas and compel its readers are chosen Students (participants) read the text(s) and after comprehending it, prepare to discuss the content A leader asks a starting question which opens up the dialogue and maintains the dialogue Participants engage the question in a dialogue and follow the trajectory of the question

5. The Importance of Text The text bears the burden of being interesting enough to paint one’s thoughts over and complex enough to hold interest The text must also engage its audience on a fundamental level Without an engaging and complex text, there is no dialogue

6. The Importance of the Question The question serves as the starting point for all dialogue It must introduce a theme that can be explored throughout the text The question must be liberated from fact-based answers Without the question, there is no dialogue

7. Successful Scaffolding for a Seminar would… o Be level appropriate; o Envelope the whole of the unit; o Be clearly mapped out for students; o Provide opportunities for students to comprehend, reflect on and analyze the text before the seminar Prep Levels  Include some “get it” questions while reading to gain understanding  Build questions out of classroom discussion  Model discussion for students  Practice the seminar format with a known “text” first Regular Levels  Incorporate theme questions during the reading of the text beforehand  Tie a few texts together thematically Honors/AP Levels  Tie a few texts together thematically  After some guidance, have students ask the questions  Ask students to lead the conversation

8. Let Us Try It Out Read the excerpt from Plato’s The Republic often referred to as “The Allegory of the Cave” from the packet. Consider the implications of the metaphors and this image.this Consider the following questions and rate them as best to worst:  Why does Socrates name the sun as “the cause of all things”?  Why are the prisoners never allowed to move their heads?  Can somebody leave the cave and claim ignorance?

9. Question Writing Successful questions…  Are open-ended  Engage the text in such a way that require students to consider the details in light of larger ideas and themes  Do not allow simple answers that rely on opinion but seriously interface with the text resulting in synthesis and evaluation of text  Require students to wonder instead of leap at answers  Relate to the text whole cloth, even if they engage only a section of the text in the immediate

10. Let Us Debrief What questions arose? How do you see it relate to your subject? Do you see limits to the practice for your subject? What other ways could you scaffold this practice? How do you already compliment the practice in your classroom?

11. What Does It Lead To? (All of these should depend on your class’s comfort and readiness) Essays based on the questions discussed Essays based on where the seminar takes the class’s thought and imagination Tests  Objective  Free response/subjective response Further “tie ins” to subsequent seminars, texts or themes,