Socrática Anónima (2007)

My name is Rossana and I am a Socrática Anónima. It has been 3 weeks since I haven´t taught a conventional lesson and I have only one thing to say: I have had the time of my life!

What we experienced in our first seminar was good.  What we experienced in our second seminar was very good.  But to really be teaching the Socratic way is the epitome of excellence.  In just a few classes I have seen many “aha moments” that were only a few during other semesters while teaching the conventional way.  In our first dialogue my students commented on the importance of silence and how crucial it was for the learning process (something we had trouble with during our whole seminar).  In our next class one of my students asked if she could read out loud an “article” from our Constitution, because we were discussing property rights and she thought it might help to enlighten us with a bit of Guatemalan law.  I could name other examples that have come up ever since I have become a Socrática Anónima, a couple of them in every class, actually.

If I said it has been easy, or that my students are completely convinced that this is a better learning method I would be telling lies.  It has been difficult and it has required more effort to prepare and more patience to be part of the learning experience, what we called “teaching with the mouth shut”.

I am reading and learning a lot from Matt Copeland´s “Socratic circles: fostering critical and creative thinking in middle and high school”.  It has been my experience that it was after the seminars in November and March that I have really learned from this book; had I done it before or during the seminars, I wouldn’t have been ready to discover the Socratic learning process.

Are you still telling yourself that you will start your Socratic practice tomorrow?  The first step is to accept that the Socratic practice is better (you know it) and accept that you ARE a Socrático Anónimo.  Be part of our support group (SA) and find “the epitome of excellence” for yourself!