Social Studies DepartmentOctober 17, 2014

Think of your content and/or advisory students…

Would they feel comfortable in these academic settings?

Pomona College

UCSD

USC

What percentage of your students display these characteristics consistently?

• Leadership ability• Motivation, tenacity, initiative• Originality, creativity• Intellectual independence• Responsibility, insight, maturity• Demonstrated concern for others and for the

community

Source: UCSD Freshman Application Review Process

How do we support student growth from quiet compliance…

…to Active Engagement…

…more consistently?

Objective: TWBAT incorporate rich discussion-based activities across content areas using Socratic Seminar-style strategies.

What do STUDENTS say about Socratic Seminars?

I appreciated that I got to listen and learn about my classmates’ views on the topic first discussed. I thought that I was the only one who thought this way. – Yesenia Lopez

I appreciated how people were really into the conversation with honest opinions – Lauren Solano

I appreciated that everyone had a chance to speak and be heard. – Alexis Roman I like hearing my peers’ opinions on things and I like that we don’t have to say

anything if we don’t want to. – Chelsie Dang I appreciated hearing people’s opinions because it made me feel like my thoughts

are not wrong and that I’m not the only one who thinks that way. – Scarlett Ramirez

I liked how there are no wrong answers and everyone shares their ideas. – Luis Tercero

I was able to gain and see the various perspectives of my classmates. I got a deeper understanding of the topic. – Maricruz Gonzalez

I gained a lot more questions than answers…I’m still thinking… - Bryan Agorilla People agreed and disagreed so it made it much more interesting to hear all of the

different perspectives. – Valerie Valenzuela

What do TEACHERS say about Socratic Seminars?

I have found that the key to getting your students to participate and really get involved is to ask the right question on that particular topic. Once that question is asked, then the teacher can interject leading questions such as: "What do you mean by that?" "How does that relate?" "Could you give me an example?" This lent itself useful when we began talking actually making good [health] decisions and what that all entailed. - Lisa Hawk

Many life science and biology concepts are challenging for students to wrap their minds around because they are not always tangible. Discussing these ideas and having opportunities to flush out the vocabulary is very helpful. It helps them to see the larger picture and connect ideas across the curriculum as well as bring in their own knowledge on a subject. It is also important for me to have the opportunity to see what kinds of misconceptions students hold prior to starting to teach a subject (or throughout). - Shannon Baird

Let’s practice with a Socratic Seminar-style activity. Step 1: Start with a text read in-class.Background Information: American Indian Public Charter School in Oakland, CA has been named the #1 Most Challenging High School in the nation by the Washington Post for the past two years. 100% of students graduate and go on to four-year universities. The average student ACT score is 28 and the average student SAT score is 1523.

Source: American Indian Model Schools Website FAQs

You have such high expectations, both academically and behaviorally. Don’t you think you should let kids be kids?

Those are middle-class values. You’re imagining kids going home from school and running around the neighborhood with other kids, playing hide and seek. This is not the reality for AIMS students. If they aren’t working hard and learning how to behave appropriately, the streets are swallowing them up instead.

The American Indian Model would not work in middle-class, white America. It’s never been said that it would. The model works for poor, urban minorities. Those who believe that poor minorities should be treated equally as middle-class whites are being foolish. Poor minorities have to work harder, because they have to climb farther. Realistically, they aren’t starting out with the same advantages as middle-class whites. Often times, they don’t have family connections or other resources available. They aren’t going to have parents who can help them with their calculus homework. If they are going to achieve a better life, they have to work hard for it – not just when they feel like it, but every day.

Those who feel sorry for these students and want to “just give them a break” are dooming these students to lives of poverty, crime, and incarceration.

Step 2: Establish the norms and expectations.

Step 3: Set up logistics

In small groups facilitated by members of the Social Studies department, openly discuss your responses to the following questions:

• What are the assumptions (explicit or underlying) of this text?• How do elements of the text demonstrate judgment?

Make sure to refer to the text as you discuss your responses.

Be ready to share conclusions determined by your small group!

Let’s take 15 minutes to discuss.

Step 4: Reflect

What general conclusions did your group reach?

What did you appreciate about the structure of the seminar?

What would you change about the structure of future seminars?

What variations of Socratic Seminars can be used?

There is an “official” way of implementing Socratic Seminars…

With a list of “Great Ideas” that all seminars should be based on.

AngelAnimalAristocracyArtAstronomy/CosmologyBeautyBeingCauseChanceChangeCitizenConstitutionCourageCustom/ConventionDefinitionDemocracyDesireDialectic

DutyEducationElementEmotionEqualityEternityEvolutionExperienceFamilyFateFormGodGood/EvilGovernmentHabitHappinessHistoryHonorHypothesisImmortality

InductionInfinityJudgmentJusticeKnowledgeLaborLanguageLawLibertyLife/DeathLogicLoveManMathematicsMatterMechanicsMedicineMemory/ ImaginationMetaphysics

MindMonarchyNatureNecessity/ ContingencyOligarchyOne and ManyOpinion/ OppositionPhilosophyPhysicsPleasure/ PainPoetryPrincipleProgressProphecyPrudencePunishmentQualityQuantity

ReasoningRelationReligionRevolutionRhetoricSame/ OtherScienceSenseSign/ SymbolSinSlaverySoulSpaceStateTemperatureTheologyTimeTruthTyranny/ Despotism

Universal/ ParticularVirtue/ ViceWar and PeaceWealthWillWisdomWorld

We’ve found it’s best to adapt it to your own style and preferences: Chellyn

Further Tips!

Use different questions throughout the seminar Current events Debatable seminars Encourage students to talk Seminar as scaffold prior to an exam “Feed” information to struggling students Exit tickets Pair students to let them practice Give documents ahead of time Required participation Require hand raising for younger students Small group discussions rather than whole-group seminars Output items: notes become outlines for essays, reflections, etc.

Before you plan an activity for your classroom context…

It is a work in progress. By the time we reached Chapter 2, which dealt with Decision Making, students were asking the right type of questions. – Lisa

[Seminars should be incorporated because of the] new standards (NGSS). Students are required construct arguments, write claims, and back their ideas using evidence. Socratic seminars lend themselves well to this type of learning. - Shannon

I think the information we received from [the Socratic Seminar workshop] could be shared with all others. I found it to be easy to understand and apply. Students also need a prior understanding of how to wait and listen before they respond. They also need to understand how to take turns. This was has been a bit of a challenge for me. - Lisa

I think the biggest thing is taking the time to organize them and make sure that you have a really good "big idea" to start with to hook the students. Personally, I would like time to bounce my ideas off of another teacher and go over specific guidelines with them to make sure that I cover all of the ground rules with my students. - Shannon

Now, adapt Socratic Seminar-style strategies into your own classroom context.

Working here, in the lunch room, or in a classroom, run ideas by other content-alike teachers to plan an activity for an upcoming lesson.

Work with department members or advisory teams

Members of the Social Studies department will support