"..I decided to jump right in and do some major "mucking about" with Socratic Seminar. I knew if I kept studying until I really felt confident and competent, it would take forever and I would lose the excitement and enthusiasm that I feel for the process:
Pluses:
• Every child participated
• The students answered in complete sentences, sharing reasons for their opinions
• We were able to discuss some real gray areas. (Is reading or jumping rope more important? Why? Suppose you are a boxer?)
• I am more comfortable with wait time.
• The students expect to be heard.
• The students exhibited outwardly respectful behavior when someone else was talking.
Wishes:
• I wish we had more time.
• I wish all of the children were engaged 100% if the time.
• I wish the students could be content sitting by their friends without being too involved with them."
--- (elementary teacher, Missouri)
"...things went better than swimmingly. All 13 students showed up, all 13 students participated actively. very actively. The two students labeled "special education" directed the dialogue along new (for me) and powerful (for everyone) avenues.....The thing is that, in doing high-level critical thinking through dialogue, you cannot tell the gifted from the special education. The reason is, to oversimplify a bit, that the rest of education doesn't ask much of students or teachers, and the gifted have learned, mostly, just how to please teachers."
--( alternative school teacher, Nebraska)
"...Due to my extreme shyness I was not videotaped (for a demontration tape on seminars) nor interviewed after the seminar. However, after seeing the video I wish I stood up to my bashfulness and spoke without worrying what people think of my ideas." --( High school student, New York)
"...I just wanted to thank you for letting us have the pleasure of working with you. It was one of the greatest experiences I've had. That was my first real Socratic seminar, and I enjoyed it very much...It allows you to express your opinions freely without ridicule...When you sit in a circle you can see everybody's faces, and it makes it much easier to talk." --- (Student, New York)