Lesson Category: Introduction to Socratic Pedagogy
Selection 1: Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Selection 1: Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. Review the following example of sources for a Socratic seminar and answer the source reflection questions at the bottom of the page. Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. 16 April 1963 My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the [...]
Guidelines for Selecting Sources
Guidelines for Selecting Sources The following reading is from the book The Power of the Socratic Classroom, by Charles Ames Fischer. This selection explores guidelines for choosing a source, as well as some considerations in characteristics of successful sources. As you read, reflect on which guidelines or considerations you already use to guide selections in [...]
Source Considerations
Source Considerations When the text is central to discussion, how do we ensure we have the right text? This video touches on the qualities of texts that lead to successful Socratic dialogues and such considerations as type, relevance, richness of concepts, length, and complexity. What Makes a Good Socratic Source by Dr. Anika [...]
Helpful Exercises
Helpful Exercises The following reading provides two helpful exercises to help you master the norming process. Two Exercises that Support the Norming Process Exercise #1Exercise #2Exercise #1 Exercise #1: What You Should Know about Us? Purpose Help learners accommodate classmates' needs. Description Before norming day, have students take the Kiersey Temperment Sorter, a personality [...]
Steps to Facilitating Classroom Norming
Steps to Facilitating Classroom Norming Now let's hone in in the steps to facilitating classsroom norming by continuing our reading of Todd Finley's The Science Behind Classroom Norming. The Science Behind Classroom Norming by Todd Finley Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 1 Step 1: State the Goal When introducing a class to the [...]
Norming Overview
Norming Overview The following is an excerpt taken with permission from Todd Finley's The Science Behind Classroom Norming. The Science Behind Classroom Norming by Todd Finley August 12, 2014 Celebrated teachers like Jamil Odom, Ron Clark, and Rebecca Mieliwocki create transcendent classroom cultures year after year. It’s not magic, it’s science. Our modern [...]
Culture and Group Dynamics
Culture and Group Dynamics Is your classroom culture ready for classroom discussions? Knowing how groups work together through the various stages can help plan for and facilitate productive group discussions. Additionally, using an empathy map can prepare the facilitator for both the over eager and the reluctant student. Culture and Group Dynamics by [...]
Culture of Thinking in Schools
Culture of Thinking in Schools The following text is from Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools by Ron Ritchhart. In this chapter, the author explores the purpose and value of schools. As you read, consider the following questions: To what extent do you agree with [...]