Socratic Circles in World History: Reflections on a Year in Dialogue

ABSTRACT

This article examines and offers insights to a year of Socratic circles in the context of a world history classroom. Grounding this practice in relevant research before offering examples from the classroom and providing advice to practitioners, this discussion strategy offers an antidote to the often divisive and destructive examples of interaction in our society, and is a salve to the paucity of true dialogue available to students in the context of a school day. Students benefited by asking better questions, using evidence to support their opinions and arguments, reading more carefully and with a greater sense of purpose, and connecting the past to the present, ultimately gaining perspective on the interplay between ancient times and today.

KEYWORDS:

• Dialogue
• Socratic circles
• world history
• implementation
• text-based discussion
• first year teacher