"The unexamined life is not worth
living."
-Socrates

The Socratic method of teaching is based on
Socrates' theory that it is more important to
enable students to think for themselves than to
merely fill their heads with "right" answers.
Therefore, he regularly engaged his pupils in
dialogues by responding to their questions
with questions, instead of answers. This
process encourages divergent thinking rather
than convergent.
http://www.studyguide.org/socratic_seminar.htm
Before you come to a Socratic Seminar
class, please read the assigned text and
write at least four questions. Your
questions should include no more than
one from each of the categories (question
types) described in this presentation.
Please note that all examples come from
the Pledge of Allegiance.


Write a question about the text that will help
everyone in the class come to an agreement
about events or individuals in the text. This
question usually has a "correct" answer.
Example: What is the definition of a republic?


Write an insightful question about the text that
will require proof, insights, and group
discussion to discover or explore the answer to
the question.
Example: What is involved in pledging
allegiance? What does taking the pledge say
about your relationship to government? Is
pledging allegiance a responsibility of
citizenship?


Write a question connecting the text to
the real world.
Example: Should “under God” remain in
the Pledge of Allegiance? What did the
Supreme Court recently decide?


Write a question dealing with a theme(s)
of the text that will encourage group
discussion about the universality of the
text.
Example: Has our nation lived up to its
pledge of liberty and justice for all?



Do not participate if you are not prepared. A
seminar should not be a bull session.
Do not raise your hand; just speak to each
other.
Refer to the text when needed during the
discussion. A seminar is not a test of memory.
You are not "learning a subject"; your goal is to
understand the ideas, issues, and values
reflected in the text.



Invite others into the discussion- “Plato
what do you think about
Comments must be appropriate,
respectful, and focused
Listen to and build on one another’s
comments- “I agree with Sue’s point
about….and I would like to add….”
Dialogue is :
 suspending judgment
 examining our own work without defensiveness
 exposing our reasoning and looking for limits to it
 communicating our underlying assumptions
 exploring viewpoints more broadly and deeply
 being open to disconfirming data
 approaching someone who sees a problem
differently not as an adversary, but as a colleague
in common pursuit of better solution




What is the philosophy behind Franklin’s
public service?
What IS an American in Franklin’s view?
What virtues do you feel are missing from
Franklin’s list?
Some say Franklin is America's first Horatio
Alger--a man of humble origins who arrives at
great wealth and stature by virtue of his own
industry. Do you agree?


What elements of Franklin's narrative help to sustain
this depiction?
What elements appear to work against it? To what
factors would you attribute his "success"?