10th Grade Socratic Seminar Course Description

Making Connections
Mr. Dye, 2009-2010


Welcome to Socratic Seminar. This course will be one of the most fun, challenging, and memorable parts of your Maeser experience. You will have a deep love for learning in this class and develop the ability to think CRITICALLY, CREATIVELY, and PRECISELY.

The name Socratic Seminar comes from the Greek philosopher Socrates. He was known for helping his students learn by asking them questions that probed their thinking. He compared himself to a midwife who helped his students give birth to the ideas within them. Likewise, in this class you are expected to think for yourself. In class you will participate by engaging in three thinking processes:

1) Discussing
2) Writing
3) Reading

You are expected to engage in thoughtful discussion of the literature we read. This may require you to come out of your comfort zone for a while. (Fortunately, coming out of your comfort zone expands your comfort zone!) Please, come to class each day prepared to set aside other concerns and engage in a dialogue with us.

You will succeed in this class. You will be safe in this class to share your ideas. You will get a grade worth bragging about. You will enjoy the three thinking activities: READING, DISCUSSING, and WRITING. You will be prepared to enter any college or university of your choice because you have learned how to learn.



Objectives

By the end of this class, you should be able to:

• Engage in the processes that real-world writers use and submit your own written pieces to writing contests.
• Summarize historical developments from the decline/fall of the Roman Empire through the French Revolution.
• Engage in the interrelated processes of reading, talking, listening, and writing to create meaning for yourself.
• Explain how geography influences the development of civilization.
• Make connections between great works of literature and your own life, society, and other creative works (i.e., art, literature, film, etc.).
• Show interest in learning about the content of this course on your own.