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[ProfessionalDevelopment 2350] Re: Questioning and Discussion Strategies for Practicing Critical ThinkingPriscilla Witte pgwitte at yahoo.comFri Jul 18 01:34:49 EDT 2008
Hi, I agree that going to the source is the best way to understand the Socratic method, but it may be helpful to get some background first to begin the scaffolding process. I just read a great article by Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon that appeared in Philosophy Of Education (2003). She says that it is through dialogue that beliefs and perspectives may change, but points out that we often forget to focus on listening. Without listening, no dialogue can take place. She analyzes the way Socrates questions a student and points out that when one's beliefs are challenged, changes in thinking can occur. The article, titled Listening - in a Democratic Society, includes a dialogue between Socrates and Theaetetus. Priscilla Grace Witte Northern Illinois University --- On Thu, 7/17/08, Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> wrote: From: Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2345] Re: Questioning and Discussion Strategies for Practicing Critical Thinking To: "The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List" <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> Date: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 9:32 PM Heather, I agree that one should go as close to the source as possible. What is one to do when the source materials are in a language not known to the seeker? Andrea On Jul 17, 2008, at 12:26 PM, Heather Heunermund wrote: I mean this in a respectful way and I state the following as such: I beg you all, if you truly want to understand Socratic dialogue, you can only go to the source, Plato. Read a Socratic dialogue and let's discuss. Understand the man is fabled to have been Socrates. Again, that's the only true way to understand this concept, to grok it. This virtue is not something that can be "taught." As part of the "educational community" you simply cannot settle for anything less. Ironically, you yourselves are not acting as critical thinkers by settling for less than this. If you want to truly practice what you preach about critical thinking and Socratic Dialogue, the only way to act as a critical thinkers yourselves is through your experience with original source work, and not merely the regurgitations of people's interpretations of the classics of the Western Canon. To do otherwise is a bastardization of the art form in the strict sense of the word.--Heather Heather Heunermund, Executive DirectorNew Mexico Coalition for Literacy1-800-233-7587heather at nmcl.org505-982-4095 (fax)3209 Mercantile Ct. Ste. BSanta Fe, NM 87507 On Jul 17, 2008, at 9:21 AM, Taylor, Jackie wrote: Dear Colleagues,One more note about critical thinking…For those seeking ideas for questioning techniques in practicing critical thinking and for facilitating group discussions: Socratic QuestioningSocratic questioning is a systematic, probing method of questioning that probes thinking at a deep level. It can be used to explore thought in various directions such as in exploring complex ideas, to open up issues or problems, uncover assumptions, analyze concepts, distinguish what’s understood versus what is not, and follow out logical implications: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_questioning Here are some examples of Socratic questions:http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/socratic_questions.htm On Questioning and Group DiscussionsBecoming a Critically Reflective Teacherhttp://stephenbrookfield.com/pdf_files/BCRT_Wkshp_Pkt.pdfThis workshop resource from Stephen Brookfield contains lots of strategies on facilitating critical reflection and discussion with students, in professional development, in meetings, and in modeling critical thinking. Best, Jackie Jackie Taylor, PD List Moderator, jataylor at Utk.edu ---------------------------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development ----------------------------------------------------National Institute for LiteracyAdult Literacy Professional Development mailing listprofessionaldevelopment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development ---------------------------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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