“Traveling Through the Dark” SEMINAR PLAN
Pre-Seminar Content Steps:
Introduce this seminar by stating directly that our purpose in
participating in this dialogue is to gain understanding of: choice,
human & nature, interconnectedness, technology.
Ask participants to number the lines in the poem and after scanning it briefly,
comment on its form and any other characteristics that emerge at first glance.
Then ask participants to read the poem once silently, marking any unfamiliar words or
phrases. Discuss with the entire group any unfamiliar vocabulary.
Finally, read the poem aloud, while participants follow with their own copies of the text.
Pre-Seminar Process Steps:
Prepare participants to participate in seminar discussion by reading the following
script (or putting key points into your own words):
“We are getting ready to have a Paideia Seminar, a collaborative, intellectual
dialogue about a text, facilitated with open-ended questions.
“The main purpose of seminar is to arrive at a fuller understanding of the textual
ideas and values in this speech of ourselves, and of each other. We are going to
work together and practice thinking about choice, human & nature,
interconnectedness, technology.
“As the facilitator, I am primarily responsible for asking challenging, open-ended
questions, and I will take a variety of notes to keep up with the talk turns and flow
of ideas. I will help move the discussion along in a productive direction by asking
follow-up questions based on my notes.
“As participants, I am asking you to think, listen, and speak candidly about your
thoughts, reactions, and ideas.
“You do not need to raise your hands in order to speak; rather, the discussion is
collaborative in that you try to stay focused on the main speaker and wait your
turn to talk.
“Traveling Through the Dark” Paideia Seminar Plan
Page 1
“You should try to both agree and disagree in a courteous, thoughtful manner.
For example, you might say, ‘I disagree with Joanna because…,’ focusing on the
ideas involved, not the individuals.
“Now, let’s think about how we normally participate in a discussion as a group. Is
there a goal that we can set for ourselves that will help the flow and meaning of
the seminar? For this seminar, I would us to focus on paraphrasing what others
say to indicate good listening.
[Set group goal and display it for all to see.]
“Please consider the list of personal participation goals that I have listed on the
board.”
To speak at least three times
To refer to the text in detail
To keep an open mind
To speak out of uncertainty
“Which one is a particular challenge for you personally? Please choose one goal
from the list and commit to achieving it during the discussion we are about to
have?... Please write your personal goal (on text, name tent, etc).”
“Traveling Through the Dark” Paideia Seminar Plan
Page 2
Seminar
Opening Questions:
In line 17, Stafford uses the phrase “us all.” To whom or what do you think that
phrase refers?
Why? Refer to the text.
Core Questions:
In line 16, the speaker of the poem says that “I could hear the wilderness listen.”
What do you think he means by this?
Would someone read the fourth stanza aloud again please. Who do you think is
included in “our group” the speaker refers to in the last line of the stanza? How
would you describe the relationships between and among the members of the
“group”?
The poem opens with the phrase “traveling through the dark.” Why do you think
Stafford chose this line as the title of the poem?
Closing Questions:
What decision would you have made were you in the position faced by the
speaker of the poem? Why? Are we faced with similar decisions in our own
lives? If so, how?
“Traveling Through the Dark” Paideia Seminar Plan
Page 3
Post-Seminar Process Steps:
Debrief the seminar discussion by reading the following script (or putting key
points into your own words):
Remember our goals for today were to work together and think about choice, human
& nature, interconnectedness, technology and to practice paraphrasing what
others say to indicate good listening.
How do you think we did?
Let’s hold up 5 fingers if we did great; 3 if we did okay; and a fist if we really need to
work at this. Everybody show how you think we did.
Okay, now would somebody tell us why you rated our seminar as you did?
What do you think we should work on next time we have a special (Paideia) discussion?
“Thank you for your focused and thoughtful participation in our seminar.
Post-Seminar Content Step:
Ask the seminar participants to write a brief sketch describing a hidden
connection that he or she senses in the natural world. After drafting the sketch,
the participants should recast the sketch in a poem using simple, straightforward
language and pointed images. Have volunteer participants share their poems as
they are willing.
“Traveling Through the Dark” Paideia Seminar Plan
Page 4