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May 7, 2008Socrates in the classroom develops students' thinking and changes the distribution of power |
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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News: When students have the opportunity to participate in "Socratic seminars" on a regular basis, a different classroom culture evolves. This is shown in a new dissertation in Pedagogy by Ann S Pihlgren at the Stockholm University in Sweden. The Socratic dialogue is a particular way of developing children's, as well as adults', thinking skills through cooperative dialogue where significant human ideas and values are discussed. By participating in Socratic seminars regularly every other week, preschool children and older students develop their thinking skills. The groups were filmed during three years of philosophizing in the classroom and the films were analyzed. The teacher dominated less, more students spoke and the students gradually took over the responsibilities of the teacher to promote exploration in the dialogue. The ability to use the Socratic seminar is learned by students and teachers through practice and by testing the rules of the seminar. The students construct a supportive group culture through their silent interaction, where gestures, glances, and body language are used to show not only support or sympathy for each other, but also cooperation with each other when someone attempts to disturb or to provoke the dialogue. To work with methods connected to the ancient philosopher Socrates may seem out-of-date in a modern school, but that is absolutely not the case, Ann S Pihlgren states. The dissertation offers excellent tools for teachers who want to develop students' thinking and to foster cooperative group dialogue. Plato was Socrates disciple and a prominent figure within the idealistic tradition of Western philosophy.
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