Classroom Management

Encouraging Critical Thinking in Kids with Socratic Seminars

The Socratic seminar is a great way for teachers and students to have meaningful discussions. It's different from regular class talks because students take the lead, encouraging active thinking and open conversation. The skills learned go beyond school and include things like respect, problem-solving, and good communication. The guide helps teachers bring this method into their classrooms, with a focus on respect and listening. Students not only understand the material better but also learn important life skills. The seminar makes sure everyone can join in with tools like talking chips, creating a complete and enjoyable learning experience.

If you're anything like me, you want to give your students meaningful experiences. You want to give them real life experience. You know they need better communication skills, empathy, and critical thinking....but how can you tie it all together?

When I learned about Socratic Discussions, all of these goals were met and more! I was amazed that not only could I cover key core skills with close reading articles, but I could actually make the articles meaningful by following a week of reading with a Socratic Discussion! My students not only connected to the text, but they found their voice, expanded their critical thinking skills, and learned a wide variety of communication skills. If you haven't tried these student-let discussions in your classroom yet.... you won't want to sleep on this! Let me share all the details!

What Are Socratic Seminars?

A Socratic seminar is a student centered approach to a classroom discussion. There is no discussion leader, and students are able to freely share ideas and insights on a specific topic. Students typically sit in a circle and discuss the posed question. In my classroom, a Socratic discussion has followed a week of close reading on opposing viewpoints of a topic. The teacher is merely an observer, not an active part of the discussion.

Why Socratic Seminars?

It is hard to find things that really require students to reach a high level of thinking. Socratic seminars do just that and more. They connect the material you're reading about to the world. It uses real-life issues and problems. Students are able to develop opinions and create arguments.

A List of Skills Practiced While Participating (but not limited to):

-empathy

-finding and seeing nuance

-hearing both sides

-being open-minded

-respectfully disagreeing with someone

-open dialogue

-critical thinking

-problem solving

-communicating clearly

As students are discussing the topic, they are working on active listening and empathy. They must listen to others' viewpoints so that they can respond accordingly. If someone else is talking then they will be working on developing skills at reading cues such as facial expressions and body language. They are required to be respectful throughout the discussion. As you are mediating, you guide or assist anyone that struggles with being respectful. This provides an opportune time for them to practice these skills!

During the discussions, students are able to find their own voice, engage in dialogue, and witness students' minds change. This is very similar to a debate and students are told that they can change their stance after hearing different sides of the topic.

While information is being shared in many different ways, students are receiving and storing this information. They have not only read the articles but are not being exposed in a different manner to the topic. This activates their long-term memory meaning that they are able to apply and use this information later on.

How to Get Started?

Socratic seminars can be used with ANY text but I have created a resource that includes 3 sets of articles ready to go! This resource also comes with a teacher guide so that you know exactly how to get started with using Socratic discussions in your classroom! If you choose your own text then just make sure that you have two separate sides to view.

I like to use the articles as close reads throughout the week and then use Friday to do the Socratic seminar. So a sample schedule might look like:

· Monday: Read through the first article as a class. Highlight important ideas or things that stick out. Students can also write questions and annotate the text.

· Tuesday: Read same article with a partner and discuss their viewpoints or answer text dependent questions. The goal of this day is to dive a little deeper!

· Wednesday: Read opposing article as a class and repeat Monday's activity.

· Thursday: Read opposing article with partner and dive deeper. Ask your students to consider which side they resonate with. Pass out Socratic Discussion guide and students fill out the front page.

· Friday: Engage in Socratic Discussion circle, and debrief.

Before you begin a Socratic seminar then you MUST go through expectations with your class. This would include going over what to write down in preparation for the discussion. You will have to decide what your expectations are during the discussion. In my Socratic Discussions Resource I have created a document with sentence stems and discussion rules. The sentence stems help students to begin their argument. As a class, we go over the discussion rules before beginning the discussion just so that everyone is told once more about being respectful of others' opinions.

You will want to prep your students the first time so that they know this is a student led discussion. They may not really grasp what this means the first time you complete this activity. It will become easier and more natural the more they do it. Students are used to a teacher or other adult leading the conversation and/or discussion. Your main job is to be the mediator only. I have included teacher pages for each set of articles in my Socratic Discussions Resource. This gives specific instructions for you so that you know when to ask for a vote or help get started with the discussion.

I make sure that my students are away that there is no ”right” answer. We then will have a short debrief. This consists of me asking them questions such as "Did anyone change their mind?" Or "Is there a more comfortable solution in the middle?" This helps bring the conversation to a close.

Incorporating ALL Students

You might be concerned about certain students dominating the conversation OR certain students not participating at all. Well, I use talking chips so that I know who has contributed something and to help my more vocal students to share the floor. These "chips" could be sticky notes, manipulative, paper clips, etc. I give three to each student.

Another way to make sure ALL students can participate is by providing sentence stems. These help students get a good idea of what is being asked of them. They are then only being asked to fill in a few blanks rather than writing a whole sentence or short paragraph. This is great for students who struggle with writing or vocabulary or even using their words.

In conclusion, the Socratic seminar offers an impactful method for both teachers and students to engage in a meaningful exchange. Unlike traditional teacher-led discussions, this student-centered approach encourages active participation in critical thinking, empathy, and open dialogue. The skills cultivated during these discussions extend beyond academic boundaries, fostering attributes such as respect, problem-solving, and effective communication. As students delve into opposing viewpoints and real-world issues, they not only develop their own opinions but also witness the dynamic evolution of their peers' perspectives.

The step-by-step approach provided, from in-depth reading to active involvement in the Socratic circle, serves as a practical guide for educators looking to integrate this method into their classrooms. By emphasizing respect, active listening, and open-mindedness, teachers act as facilitators, guiding students through a process that not only deepens their understanding of the material but also sharpens essential life skills. The Socratic seminar, with its focus on inclusivity through tools like talking chips and sentence stems, ensures that every student can contribute to the discussion, resulting in a comprehensive and enriching educational experience.

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