The Power of the Socratic Classroom

Education & Reference

synopsis

Synopsis

Do You Have 21st-Century Skills to Help Your Students Succeed? Do Your Students Have 21st-Century Skills to Think for Themselves? The Power of the Socratic Classroom has the answers you are looking for—answers that will supply the strategies to show students how to succeed into the future. A future that has unknown products, unidentified jobs, and unanticipated challenges. In Socratic Seminar, teachers shift to the role of facilitator, where they help their students develop the collaborative interpersonal skills, the critical and creative thinking skills, and the speaking and listening skills to face the upcoming challenges of the 21st century.

bio

Author Biography

Charles Fischer has taught in public and private schools in a variety of settings, from rural Maine to inner city Atlanta. In the past 20 years, he has worked with a wide range of students from 4th grade to AP English and has been nominated for Teacher of the Year four times. He has his Master’s degree in Teaching & Learning from the University of Southern Maine, and received his B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from Binghamton University. His latest book, The Power of the Socratic Classroom, has won four awards, including the NIEA Best Education Book. His first novel, Beyond Infinity, won a 2014 Independent Publisher Book Award bronze medal (YA fiction). His areas of expertise are Socratic Seminar, Active Listening, Inquiry, Teaching & Learning, and Critical & Creative Thinking. He is currently working on a book of poetry, a short story collection, and several novels.

website

Author Insight

Follow-up Questions

Follow-up questions are the single best way to drive inquiry deeper. Obviously, a good complex text, a provocative opening question, and curious students always help. But follow-up questions are what truly drive inquiry. Just think of a young child who repeatedly asks, "Why?" How long is it before you, as the adult, are stuck in the thinking process? Why is grass green? Chlorophyll. Why is chlorophyll green? Um... because it reflects green light... Why does it reflect green light? Uh... Make sure to ask quality follow-up questions whenever you want to drive inquiry deeper!

Book Excerpt

The Power of the Socratic Classroom

In order to facilitate better seminars, keep a list of follow-up questions nearby and refer to them throughout the seminar. Keep asking them until the original question is satisfied or until a breakthrough occurs. A good complex text will often reveal itself in layers, like peeling an onion. Like all Socratic Seminar practices, use the principle of gradual release of responsibility and get the students to ask the follow-up questions as soon as possible so that you can move on to a new skill.

Buy

	Amazon
	Barnes&Noble
	Apple Books
	Kobo

Share
Follow Unfollow
Comment
x
Comment on this Bubble

Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.

Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish

First Name *

Email *

Choose Password *

Confirm Password *

Accept Terms

By submitting this form, you accept the Bublish Terms of Service

Charles Ames Fischer

The Power of the Socratic Classroom

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

Follow-up Questions

Book Excerpt

The Power of the Socratic Classroom

Comment on this Bubble