Reading maketh a full man;
conference a ready man;
and writing an exact man.
–Francis Bacon, On Studies, 1601
Think! Like Socrates
Socratic Seminars using the “shared inquiry” approach
Learn how and why to conduct Socratic Seminars using the inquiry approach to interpreting literature.
Teachers will learn to:
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Use the inquiry method to implement Socratic Seminar Discussions
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Recognize Socratic Seminar Discussions as an "elegant solution" for teaching how to interpret an author's meaning
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Articulate the benefits of using Socratic Seminar Discussions to improve students' comprehension, critical thinking, and engagement
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Increase rigor in their ELA instruction
1-Day Program Structure
Pre-Reading:
Journal articles
Hour One:
Orientation to Socratic Seminar Discussions
Hour Two:
Modeling a Socratic Seminar Discussion with teachers
Hour Three:
Debriefing of seminar and analysis of Socratic Seminar Discussions
Lunch Break
Hour Four:
Modeling a Socratic Seminar Discussion with a class of students
Hour Five:
Debriefing of student discussion; teaching methods and procedures
Hour Six:
Lesson planning; choosing texts; writing questions; Q&A; summary of the day
Kudos from Davidson County Schools:
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Teachers consistently praised Mrs. Miller for her presentation and content.
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They felt the session was practical and could be easily implemented in their classrooms.
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Her use of student groups was effective in showing teachers how best practices with Socratic Seminars could be implemented and monitored.
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Passion, drive, and persistence best describe Mrs. Miller's attitude and demeanor with the professional growth of educators.
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She provided outstanding support for our teachers and supplemented her session with valuable resources.
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We look forward to further success with our higher learners as teachers implement Socratic Seminars within their ELA classrooms.
For further information, contact:
Louise E. Miller, Ed.S., NBCT at ThinkLouiseMiller@gmail.com