Socratic Method of education

Socratic Method of education

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a Greek philosopher who, despite being considered one of the greatest and most important philosophers who ever lived, Socrates engaged in questioning of his students in an unending search for truth.

He sought to get to the foundations of his students' and colleagues' views by asking continual questions until a contradiction was exposed, thus proving the fallacy of the initial assumption. This became known as the Socratic Method, and may be Socrates' most enduring contribution to philosophy

In the Socratic method of education, teachers engage students by asking questions that require generative answers. Ideally, the answers to questions are not a stopping point for thought but are instead a beginning to further analysis and research.

Teachers can use the Socratic method in a variety of subject areas and across grade levels in order to challenge students to examine both contemporary and historical issues.

 In modeling the practice of Socrates, the teacher questions students in a manner that requires them to consider how they rationalize and respond about topics. It is important for teachers to clarify that these questions are not intended to create an environment of judgment, but rather to help students “examine their attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and logic.” 

The goal of the Socratic method is to help students process information and engage in deeper understanding of topics. Most importantly, Socratic teaching engages students in dialogue and discussion that is collaborative and open-minded as opposed to debate, which is often competitive and individualized.

Ideally, teachers develop open-ended questions about texts and encourage students to use textual evidence to support their opinions and answers.

 In the Socratic seminar, the teacher uses questions to guide discussion around specific learning goals. It is imperative for teachers to “establish guidelines to help students understand their roles and responsibilities” in the Socratic discussion.

 “Socratic questioning is a systematic process for examining the ideas, questions, and answers that form the basis of human belief.

It involves recognizing that all new understanding is linked to prior understanding, that thought itself is a continuous thread woven throughout lives rather than isolated sets of questions and answers.”

                                                                                                              

Essential components of the Socratic method 

1. The Socratic method uses questions to examine the values, principles, and beliefs of students. 
2. The Socratic method focuses on moral education, on how one ought to live. 
3. The Socratic Method demands a classroom environment characterized by "productive discomfort." 
4. The Socratic Method is better used to demonstrate complexity, difficulty, and uncertainty than at eliciting facts about the world.