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Simply explained, the
teacher poses an opening question regarding the text, idea, story or article
students have read and students respond. Socratic Seminars can be used as an
opening to begin discussion or dialogue, as a hook to get students
interested, or it can be used as a reflection of what we have learned. However,
Socratic Seminars should not be used it to learn facts; therefore only use
your readings from a textbook as a last resort. A seminar text can be drawn
from readings in any subject area. You will want to choose a text that is
rich in ideas, issues, and values. This lends to a more successful seminar
because of the myriad of responses that a seminar leader can receive and
extend.
Creating a safe
environment is essential while doing this type of activity in your classroom.
You will want kids to feel comfortable to ask questions or participate in the
dialogue. In a Socratic Seminar,
students seek deeper understanding of complex ideas, issues, and values and
their ability to create thoughtful dialogue, rather than memorizing
information. This type of activity allows students to become active learners
as they explore and evaluate ideas and issues. It is for that reason that there needs to
be a distinction drawn between a Socratic Seminar and a debate. A good
seminar should foster a “dialogue” between students, not a debate. Dialogue
is a collaborative process while a debate is an oppositional one.
At the end of a
successful seminar students will leave with more questions than they brought
with them.
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