Mrs. Bauer’s 8th grade English and Language Arts class recently participated in an enriching “Socratic Seminar.”
After the students had read the classic book, The Outsiders by, S. E. Hinton, Mrs. Bauer introduced them to the Socratic method of discussion. She hosted a 40-minute Socratic Seminar as part of their book study assessment.
During a Socratic Seminar students are given the opportunity to work together to facilitate a discussion, with the goal of reaching a shared understanding of the book they have read.
Mrs. Bauer randomly divided the class into two groups for the seminar, asking students to form inside and outside circles with their desks.
Mrs. Bauer stepped back during the seminar, allowing students to lead the discussion by asking each other questions or sharing thoughts about the book. The students took turns passing a “speaking baton” to whomever wanted to contribute the next idea, question or answer.
The students discussed topics they had noticed throughout the book: characterization, turning points, cause and effect, conflicts, settings, and symbols.
The first 20 minutes of the class was facilitated by the members of the inner circle, who led the discussion while the outer circle took notes. After twenty minutes the roles switched.
This setup allowed for peers to help each other in their appreciation of the story and also to develop new ideas and understanding. This was achieved thanks to the many perspectives being shared during the discussion.
At the conclusion of the seminar, students recognized growth in their understanding of the text. The seminar had engaged them in a rich discussion about their interpretation of the story and how they related to different characters.
They were also asked to do a self-assessment using a rubric that had different ratings for their levels of participation in the discussion.
Students shared how enjoyable the “Socrates Seminar” structure was because it allowed them to build on each other’s ideas or questions. After the shared experience of reading and discussion of The Outsiders the students felt more connected to their peers.
Mrs. Bauer was very impressed with the eighth graders’ insightful discussion. She said all her students were able to reach a strong understanding of the text after the seminar.
