Socratic SeminarNotes

Socratic SeminarNotes

…which means you should take some.

Socratic SeminarNotes

Yes, you. You should take some

notes.

Socratic SeminarNotes

You’re going to have to demonstrate your

understanding of these notes…so take some.

Socratic SeminarNotes

OK here we go.

Who is Socrates?

Who is Socrates?

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a 

Classical Greek philosopher who

developed a Theory of

Knowledge.

Who is Socrates?Socrates was convinced that the way to attain reliable knowledge

was through the practice of disciplined conversation.  He called

this method dialectic.di-a-lec-tic (noun) means the art or practice of examining opinions or ideas logically, often by the method of question and answer, so as to determine their validity.

So what is the Socratic Seminar?

The Socratic SeminarSocrates believed that through the

process of dialectic, where all parties to the conversation were

forced to clarify their ideas, the final outcome of the conversation would be a clear statement of what was

meant.  The technique goes as follows:  Socrates would feign

ignorance or propose a ridiculously wrong idea about a subject and try to draw out from the other person

his fullest possible knowledge about that subject. 

The Socratic SeminarThe Socratic Seminar begins

with a question.

There is no right answer to this question, however many people may have many different opinions about the question, and are free to share

them. Answers may lead to new questions but you should soon return to the focused question.

So What Do I Do?Participants:

Study text closely in advnace.

Listen actively.

Do not raise your hand, you simply speak openly.

Do not speak at such a length that others cannot speak as well.

So What Do I Do?Participants:

Always REFER TO THE TEXT. You must use the text to support your comments. You cannot simply assert things.

Do not stay confused. Ask for clarification.

Speak up so all in the room can hear you.

So What Do I Do?Participants:

Do not participate if you are not prepared. If you have not read the text you cannot participate. This is a bull session.

Do not talk to the teacher talk to everyone in the seminar.

Make notes about things you want to say so you do not forget them or get off topic.

Let’s talk about open-ended questions

• What are they?– These are questions without a

specific answer– They are very broad

For Example:• Ask questions that encourage

people to talk. Let's say you went to a party on Saturday night but had to leave early. If you want to know what happened after you went home, these open-ended questions might help:

• "What happened after I left?"• "What happened with Jim and Susan?"• "How did everyone like the sweet

tea?"

What are we going to do with this?

• We are going to have a Socratic Seminar in the future about Hunger Games.

• But first you need to come up with open-ended questions about the story and characters.

• Let’s look at some more examples…

• Close-ended question: “What color is this?” • Open-ended questions: “You used a lot of blue on

your painting. What does it remind you of?” • What were the most important wars fought in the

history of the United States?• How exactly did the fight between the two of you

start?• What is your favorite memory from childhood?• How will you help the company if you are hired to

work for us?• What do you plan to do immediately following

graduation from college?• Why is it that every time I talk with you, you seem

irritated?• In what way do you feel I should present myself?

Let’s try to think of our own open-

ended questions!