1st Edition

Teach Like Socrates Guiding Socratic Dialogues and Discussions in the Classroom (Grades 7-12)

By Erick Wilberding Copyright 2014
    162 Pages
    by Prufrock Press

    What is the Socratic Method? How can we bring the Socratic Method into the middle school and high school classroom? How does a teacher lead a Socratic discussion and develop the discussion skills of students? Using passages from the works of Plato and Xenophon, Teach Like Socrates answers each of these questions, clearly explaining the most famous and the most misunderstood teaching method in the world.

    Unrivaled as a constructive vehicle for critical thinking and problem solving, the Socratic Method can be brought into the classroom every day for the inductive exploration of ideas and scaffolded problem solving as well as for cooperative discussion. Teach Like Socrates includes templates, sample lesson plans, discussion games, and example dialogues from students. With this book, every teacher can master the style that leads students to critical thinking, problem solving, and independent learning.

    Grades 7-12

    Introduction The Fourth “R”—Reasoning Chapter 1 “I am a kind of gadfly”: The Life of Socrates Chapter 2 How to Examine Life: The Two Socratic Methods Chapter 3 Be Careful What You Ask For: Preparing a Socratic Dialogue Chapter 4 Take the Students With You: Conducting a Socratic Dialogue Chapter 5 Cultivating Gadflies: Teaching Students the Socratic Method Chapter 6 Searching and Testing: Preparing a Socratic Discussion Chapter 7 Splitting the Education Atom: Conducting a Socratic Discussion Chapter 8 Conclusion: Thinking and Arguing Together References Appendix A Further Reading Appendix B Planning Templates Appendix C Suggestions for Discussion Texts About the Author Common Core State Standards Alignment

    Biography

    Erick Wilberding is a teacher at an international school in Rome, Italy, with nearly 20 years of teaching experience in middle and high school. He received his doctorate in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University.