Socratic Seminar.
Those two words are enough to make my stomach queasy and take me back to AP English in 12th grade when my tough-as-nails teacher would sit there and count the number of times we spoke. I loathed those days and usually got an F on the assignment. It wasn't that I didn't have points to say because of course I did, it was AP English and I was scared of my teacher! It was the fakeness of the "discussion" that got to me. It is supposed to be one student bringing up a point with text support and then the other ones continuing on with that point and their own examples. What it turns into is the straight A students jumping in whenever they can to get their required number of speaking points over with. What they don't do is keep the discussion flowing. I, for one, have a problem with jumping in and changing the subject abruptly, even if the point I want to make is a good one. I want to wait for the conversation to digress there naturally.
So last night in my class we had a Socratic Seminar. PRAISE ALLAH it wasn't graded like it was supposed to be. She just started the conversation and kept it going. I got one point in which was more than I thought I would (especilly since I technically had not read my articles, ha!). One girl dominated the discussion, though, and pissed me off partly because she was so into it (weird) and partly because she wouldn't make concise statements, instead taking many minutes to get a simple point out. Another girl came in late, sat down, raised her hand and said her point. Ohhh, suri, too bad someone already said that, but you didn't know that BECAUSE YOU WERE LATE!
Anyway, the point is that classes are long enough as it is (6-8:40pm) and I don't need it made longer by people who just want to hear their own voice.
6 comments:
i hate hate hate it when people talk nothing but complete nonsense just to hear themselves talk.
"if you ain't talking shit, you ain't saying nothing, man!"
don't get me wrong, the socratic thing has its place and time... but as a way to count the number of times a student talks? that's bullshit.
Hate those people.
Minijonb- Well, you're supposed to make a certain number of original points and supported points, etc. I hate it.
Serena- Ask me to imitate her sometime.
those classes can be a mix of fun and boring... and tough when you have 'the talker'
i like to keep people guessing though by argueing agaisnt myself and making conflicting points.
Those people drive me INSANE!!!!! I feel your pain!
Those people drive me INSANE!!!!! I feel your pain!
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