The idea of a Socratic seminar stems from one of the dialogues of Plato in which Socrates proposes that no idea can be taught directly and 'all that we know should be extracted from us via a series of problems and a process of inquiry. This is the base of the Socratic seminar' (Estes et al, 2011). View the video 'Intro to the Socratic Seminar'. Then reflect on what you have observed in the video and what you have read in your text. In brief describe the Socratic seminar model. Then respond to the given problems:

a) What role does probleming play in this model?

b) This model is designed to encourage the multiple answers to vague problems which are in competition and might all be 'winners'. Do you think this approach will be difficult or easy to adopt? describe why or why not?

c) Discussions might be lively and might lean toward debate instead of dialogue. What strategies can you use to make a setting in which each and every opinion and perspective is honored?

d) Describe your role as a teacher in this model?