My name is Helen DeFina. I am a parent so you know we walk in the same shoes. I am also a teacher and the Creator & Director of THINK socratic seminars. These days your children’s face-to-face interaction with people is limited – you know that most of their communication is through texting and social media so your child’s face is usually in front of a screen.
As crazy as it seems, it has become more preferable for a young person to text a message to someone sitting right beside them rather than speak with that person. Technology is great, but as human beings we need face-to-face interaction. There is a lack of personal interaction and real communication with our children – even though young people text non-stop, they say they feel lonely and isolated. THINK socratic seminars will give your child the opportunity to be away from a screen and to participate in a face-to-face dialogue with his or her peers. The dialogue is fun, interesting, and engaging.
THINK socratic seminars is an academic enhancement program which means it will add to your child’s academic learning skills. It is a forum for young people to express their thoughts, listen to others, and use their critical thinking and critical reading skills. THINK socratic seminars is a four-week program that meets twice a week for 75 minutes. Each seminar is limited to ten students of the same grade level. It is a collaborative learning experience where students will connect with each other on an intellectual and social level through a respectful dialogue.
Students read a short, relevant reading, then have an engaging dialogue based on open-ended questions. The great thing about open-ended questions is that they can have many right answers not just one. Students actually want to speak – they have nothing to fear. It is a stress-free zone (no grades, no assessments) and a screen-free zone (no phones, no computers, no smart boards).
Please know that your child’s participation in THINK socratic seminars will make their learning more meaningful and relevant to their lives. We all hope that our children will develop an understanding of the school curriculum, but I believe all of us truly want our children to develop confidence and self-esteem. We know that these are life skills that our children will have throughout their lifetime. Confidence and self-esteem are building blocks for their success in school, in college, and in life. I want every child to be successful in life because it can only make the world a better place! I hope I will have the opportunity to lead your child in the seminars and show them that learning can be fun!
Sincerely,
Helen DeFina
Creator & Director