In education these days there is so much talk about skills. Simply stated, education is about the different learning skills that students will acquire in school that will put them on the road to a successful life. A successful life means different things to different people. There is not just one definition of a successful life. To me, a successful life means being happy in my personal life, being economically independent, and contributing positively to the world.
When I created THINK socratic seminars, I intentionally put the focus on ten specific skills. I felt that focusing on these skills during the eight seminars could have a positive impact on students’ learning. Below I have defined these ten skills, explained their importance in education, and how these skills can be developed and enhanced by participation in THINK socratic seminars.
Critical Thinking Skills
Critical Thinking is about using all thought processes that are deeper than memorization and recall of factual information. When students think critically, they think deeply; they do not just accept information. They not only know the facts, they go beyond the facts to do something with them. People need these skills to learn how to solve problems.
Questioning is the most important part of Critical Thinking. It is open-ended and complex thinking – allowing for many responses, unspecified answers, and various perspectives and interpretations. Critical Thinking is about knowing how to think, not what to think.
During THINK socratic seminars students will develop and enhance their Critical Thinking Skills. The seminar procedure was specifically created to do just that! Students will be allowed to question everything they read and hear. All questions will be open-ended so there will be many right answers – not just one. Students will engage in the Six Core Critical Thinking Skills during every seminar. They will analyze, infer, interpret, self-regulate, evaluate, and explain what they have read and what they have heard from each other.
Please Note: I have summarized my definition of Critical Thinking Skills based on what I have read over the last two years. There are so many definitions – if you type the words critical thinking skills in any search engine, you will get approximately 30 million results!
Collaborative Skills
Collaborative Skills are the behaviors that help people work together and function well in the process. Collaboration helps individuals to work together to achieve common goals.
During THINK socratic seminars students can collaborate on answers to different questions posed by their peers and/or the leader of the dialogue.
Critical Reading Skills
Critical Reading is engaging in what you read by asking yourself questions about what the author is trying to say or what is the main argument being presented. It involves evaluating and analyzing what you have read so you have clarity and comprehension. Critical readers seek knowledge.
During THINK socratic seminars students will develop or enhance their critical reading skills. Each student will read a selection, annotate it, and give their opinion on what they read. Students will share their opinions on the text and its meaning then engage in a dialogue with their peers – sharing and questioning.
Active Listening Skills
Active Listening means fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively “hearing” the message of the speaker. It involves listening with all of your senses, making eye contact, and giving full attention to the speaker. Listening is an important component of interpersonal communication skills. A person makes a conscious decision to listen and understand the messages of the speaker. Active Listening helps students to develop patience by waiting until the person is finished speaking before they speak.
During THINK socratic seminars students will acquire and develop Active Listening Skills. During the dialogue (in addition to voicing their opinions) they will listen to what others have to say and respond appropriately and respectfully to what they are saying.
Verbal Communication Skills
Verbal Communication is using language to express yourself and relay a message. It is expressing your ideas and views clearly, confidently, and concisely in speech. It is about getting “your message across.” Verbal Communication is used to inform, inquire, argue, and discuss all kinds of topics. It is vital to learning and building relationships with other people.
During THINK socratic seminars students will sharpen their Verbal Communication Skills. They will be expressing their opinions and exchanging ideas on different subjects with their peers. Every voice counts here.
Creative Thinking Skills
Creative Thinking is the way of looking at problems from a fresh perspective and possibly using unorthodox solutions. Creative Thinking involves a relaxed, open, playful approach to solving problems. It is thinking “outside the box.” It uses unstructured processes like brainstorming – the process for generating creative ideas and solutions through intensive and freewheeling group discussion.
During THINK socratic seminars students will use their creative thinking skills. The seminars are set in a stress-free environment that is conducive to sharing thoughts and asking questions. There are no assessments or judgments.
Social Skills
Social Skills as defined in The Walker Social Skills Curriculum is a “a set of competencies that (a) allow an individual to initiate and maintain positive social relationships, (b) contribute to peer acceptance and to a satisfactory school adjustment, and (c) allow an individual to cope effectively with the larger social environment.” Lack of Social Skills can prevent students from reaching their full potential.
During THINK socratic seminars students will have the opportunity to practice his or her Social Skills in a peer setting. Each seminar is limited to ten students of the same grade level and for eight 75-minute seminars the students will interact closely with their peers and the seminar leader.
Vocabulary Skills
Vocabulary is the foundation of a person’s English skills. Without a large vocabulary, even the best understanding of English grammar will not allow you to speak English. Students learn much of their vocabulary on their own as they read and communicate.
During THINK socratic seminars students will develop their Vocabulary Skills. After they read the selection, they will communicate with their peers in an engaging dialogue. A thesaurus will be supplied to each student as a tool of reference so they will be able to clarify word meanings and usage.
Reflective Thinking Skills
Reflective Thinking is part of the critical thinking process that specifically refers to analyzing and making judgments about what students have read or what has occurred. Reflective Thinking is important in problem-solving situations because it gives students the opportunity to take a step back and think about how they can solve or achieve a goal.
During THINK socratic seminars students will use their Reflective Thinking Skills after the reading and in the exchange of ideas during the dialogue.
Annotation Skills
Annotating is a writing-to-learn strategy that helps students’ understanding while they are reading. It is marking the text to identify important information and record the reader’s ideas and questions. It is a skill. Highlighting key ideas helps students make connections, interpret ideas, and make sense of the reading.
During THINK socratic seminars students will quietly read and annotate a short reading that will be the subject of the peer dialogue that follows.