Spicing Up Socratic Seminar

Most Social Studies educators have heard, and maybe even attempted, a Socratic Seminar as a way to encourage class discussion.  While these methods are often useful, using the same format for these seminars can often lead to an unengaging classroom.  However, making slight adjustments to the format of these seminars can greatly increase the engagement and utility of the class period.  This entry will allow you to implement at least one new strategy for Socratic seminars in your classroom.

Typically, Socratic seminars involve students arranged in the following diagram:

Certainly this arrangement is useful.  Usually this method involves students reading some sort of selection or reacting to a proposed question.  The teacher acts as the facilitator to the discussion, asking questions of students. Eventually, more advanced seminars involve students asking each other questions and are asked to provide their thoughts about the selection or question.

However, there are also downfalls to this formation.  First, it  makes it easier for students to "hide" in the discussion and not participate.  While this will obviously have adverse affects on their grade, this often is not enough incentive to get students to participate and develop the discussion skill set.   This also reduced the chance to administer "checks for understanding".

An easy way to fix this is by implementing a new classroom arrangement:

In this arrangement, a small number of students move to the center of the circle at a time.  The students in the middle of the circle are the main ones having the conversation.  The teacher can ask those students in the middle in the question, but those in the middle generally lead the discussion themselves.  This arrangement also has the added benefit of allowing those in the outer circle to ask questions of those in the inner circle, adding an extra skill, questioning, that students can begin to master through this lesson.

Downfalls of this arrangement:
- you must find a way to ensure those not in the inner circle remain engaged in the class.  I recommend, providing a rubric for those on the outside to grade those on the inside, or tie questioning to the students grade in the Seminar

Reflection:
- While both methods have downsides/upsides, the real key is making sure to change between arrangements enough to maintain engagement in Seminars
- Obviously there is far more planning involved in executing a successful Seminar (having a strong rubric, teaching discussion skills etc.)  The objective of this entry is only to offer a new perspective on Seminars for those looking to spice up the Seminars already happening in their own classes.