Socratic Seminar Assignment

The House on Mango Street

Socratic Seminar Preparation Guide

Our Socratic Seminar will tentatively take place on August 24, 2021

Attendance is mandatory.

If you are absent on the day of the seminar, you will be required to complete an extended writing assignment in order to make-up the points.

Participation is mandatory.

The more that you interact with your peers and share your ideas, the more enjoyable this experience will be for all of us. You will be graded on the quality of your responses. See the rubric posted below.

Come to class prepared and ready to participate by completing the questions attached to the assignment in Google Classroom by August 23, 2021.

The discussion will be worth a 1 major grade.


Socratic Seminar Rubric for Individual Participants

Name:________________________________ Seminar Text:______________________

Exemplary

  • reads closely, takes notes, and develops high-level questions before the seminar

  • uses prepared text, notes, and questions to contribute to the dialogue

  • moves the conversation forward

  • asks for clarification when needed

  • asks probing questions for higher-level thinking

  • speaks to all participants and is heard clearly

  • thinks before answering

  • refers directly to the text

  • makes connections to other speakers

  • builds on others’ comments

  • considers all opinions

  • writes down thoughts and questions

  • listens actively

  • demonstrates patience and respect toward others’ opinions/ideas

Competent

  • comes prepared with marked text, notes, and questions

  • contributes to the dialogue

  • responds to questions

  • refers to text

  • offers interesting ideas

  • asks questions

  • takes notes

  • pays attention

  • is respectful of others’ ideas

Developing

  • comes with some text preparation

  • emphasizes own ideas; may lean toward debate rather than dialogue

  • ideas not always connected

  • refers to text

  • repeats some ideas

  • asks a few questions and/or questions are lower-level

  • takes some notes

  • loses track of conversation

  • judges others’ ideas

Needs Improvement

  • does not participate or participation is inappropriate

  • repeats same ideas

  • few or no notes taken

  • no questions asked

  • seems lost/overwhelmed with the seminar