In a Socratic seminar, the students take responsibility for leading the conversation, and the teacher acts as a facilitator. Here are some basic teacher and student responsibilities we have culled from our own experience with this format:
Teacher Responsibilities: Arrange the classroom so eye contact between students is possible. Set time limits for each round of the seminar. Initiate the discussion with a question or key point. Let students take control of the discussion. Avoid interjecting or adding your own ideas during the discourse. You may need to briefly intervene to focus students if discussion veers off course, or to encourage quiet students to participate. Keep track of student participation if assessing the seminar. Have students write a reflection after all rounds of the seminar have taken place.
Learning Change 