Thursday afternoon, Ms. Nolan’s fifth graders were introduced to Socratic Seminar. Socratic Seminar is a method of teaching inspired by the great philosopher, Socrates, which encourages students to engage in critical dialogue around a shared reading. The students participated in a thoughtful and engaging conversation about Sounder by William H. Armstrong. Students led the discussions, asking questions of one another about the story’s theme, the character’s development, and the social implications of the story.
An important part of the Socratic Seminar process is to be a respectful participant. This includes being a careful listener, asking clarifying questions, making eye contact with group members, and being an engaged learner. As you can see, there were student observers carefully recording notes on the participants’ body language, participation, and word choice. Following the dialogue, partners had time to reflect on the process and give each other feedback. What a great experience for the students! They did an outstanding job of thinking critically, actively listening, and reflecting positively.
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