SOCRATIC SEMINAR: WHY STUDY MATHEMATICS?

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SOCRATICSEMINAR WHY STUDY MATHEMATICS?
Meaghan Smith Roger Williams University msmith886_at_
hawks.rwu.edu
Mathematics Lesson Any Class for Grades 9-12
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FOCUS

• Learning Goals and Expectations
• Students will think critically about the purpose
  of taking this class
• Students will feel comfortable questioning the
  goals of learning
• Students will feel comfortable questioning the
  instructor
• Standards
• This lesson does not address any standards
  directly. This lesson is designed to be used
  during the first week of classes, as an
  introductory lesson prior to exposing students to
  any class content. This lesson will allow
  students to think about why they are taking the
  class as opposed to just learning the material
  with no context.
• Although this lesson does not directly address
  any specific mathematics standards, I do think
  that it is extremely important for the students
  so that they begin the year with the
  understanding that it is encouraged that they
  take their learning into their own hands and
  really think about and question what they are
  really there for.

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IMPLEMENTING THE LESSON

• Students will be placed in two groups of nine
  (ideally) and each student will be asked to pick
  an essay to read. This way students are coming
  to the Socratic Seminar with different
  information and new ideas.
• The readings for this lesson were taken from the
  website http//www.math.uakron.edu/norfolk/why223
  f03.pdf.
• Students will complete a Facts, Questions,
  Responses graphic organizer while reading the
  assigned essay.
• During the Socratic Seminar, the students will be
  put into inner and outer circles. The groups
  will switch halfway through to ensure equal
  opportunity to contribute.
• Students will be instructed of their roles and
  the ground rules.
• The role of the inner circle is to discuss the
  guiding questions.
• The role of the outer circle is to listen and
  take notes on key speaking points.
• This Socratic Seminar will last one entire class
  period, with a halfway point designated from the
  beginning as the time in which the inner and
  outer circles will switch.
• Formative assessment will be assigned following
  the Seminar.

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WHY SHOULD ANYONE HAVE TO STUDY MATHEMATICS?

• This collection of student essays has the
  following introduction, which should be shared
  with the students as background information
  regarding their readings
• In Fall 2003, I gave the question above (Why
  should anyone have to study mathematics?) to my
  Honors Calculus III students. After some lively
  discussion, they were asked to write a paper on
  it. The requirements on the paper were very lax
  in terms of length and format. The main
  requirement was that I expected reasoned answers,
  whether the argument was pro- or con-.
• I then solicited those students who were
  interested and willing to submit their papers,
  without correction, for this web page, with the
  understanding that their gender, but not their
  names, would appear.
• Below are some of the 33 essays that I received,
  all of which had interesting points to make. I
  have only changed the formatting, since I was
  working in LaTeX, and most submissions were in
  Microsoft WORD.

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GEORGE WASHINGTONS QUOTE
The investigation of mathematical truths
accustoms the mind to method and correctness in
reasoning, and is an employment peculiarly worthy
of rational beings. George Washington as
quoted in William Dunhams The Mathematical
Universe (http//letsplaymath.wordpress.com/2006/1
2/31/why-study-mathematics/) This quote should
be written on the board throughout the Socratic
Seminar. Following the Socratic Seminar,
students will be asked to write an essay in which
they are asked to react to this quote.
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GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Key Question Why should anyone have to study
  mathematics?
• Why is it important to think about why anyone
  should or should not have to learn mathematics?
• What real life applications does mathematics
  have? Are these valid reasons as to why
  mathematics should be mandatory in high schools?
• What other ways, besides learning high levels of
  mathematics, can students build problem solving
  skills? How do these ways of learning problem
  solving skills compare to learning through
  mathematics?
• How many years / how much mathematics should
  students be required to take in high school (if
  any)? How did you reach this conclusion?
• All the essays that were read for this discussion
  were written by students in an Honors Calculus
  III class. In what ways, if at all, do you think
  this affected their responses?
• One essay states, Arguments against taking
  required mathematics courses can be easily
  dismissed as nothing more than complaints. In
  what ways is this claim valid / not valid?
• Why do you think that the gender of the author
  was given for each essay?

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IMPLEMENTATION, MATERIALS, AND ASSESSMENT

• FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
• Students will be asked to complete a Facts,
  Questions, Responses on their assigned essay. (On
  the next slide)
• In the Seminar, after students leave the inner
  circle, they will be asked to complete a one
  sentence summary of the discussion they were a
  part of.
• As more of a summative assessment, students will
  be asked to write an essay, with the topic being
  a reaction to the quote by George Washington
• Students will be asked to react to the ideas
  behind the quote and how this quote relates to
  the Seminar that the students participated in.
• Students will be asked to make at least two
  references to what they heard in the Socratic
  Seminar, and give proper credit to their
  classmates for shared ideas.
• This essay will serve as a test grade. This way,
  students that do this assignment well will start
  the year with a strong test grade.

• IMPLEMENTATION TIPS
• Students will be reading different essays, which
  will encourage and allow for different opinions
  to be offered throughout the discussion
• Students should be engaged throughout possibly
  have students play devils advocate toward one
  another

• MATERIALS
• Students will need the readings from the link
  provided previously.

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FACTS, QUESTIONS, RESPONSES

• Students will be asked to complete this graphic
  while reading their assigned essay the night
  prior to our Seminar.
• While reading, students should take notes in the
  appropriate category
• Facts Materials presented as truthful items.
  Students can also include items in this category
  that they want to verify or have clarified.
• Questions Items from the text that are confusing
  or for which further information is needed.
• Responses Personal reactions to specific
  sections of the reading.
• 3. Students will be encouraged to use this
  graphic during the Seminar.

Title of Essay Title of Essay Title of Essay
FACTS QUESTIONS RESPONSES



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ACCESSIBILITY

• For those students that are not able, for any
  reason, to read the assigned essay, I will ask
  them to participate in an alternative assignment
  in order to come to the Socratic Seminar
  prepared.
• I would have those students conduct an interview
  with a family member or friend outside of school
  in which the student examines why or why not this
  person feels it is necessary to study mathematics
  in high school. The students will need to
  establish credibility for their interviewee (such
  as previous mathematics courses he/she has taken,
  highest level of education, profession, etc.) and
  be sure to ask for clear and concise answers.
• These students, if capable, will be asked to take
  notes on the interview and still will be required
  to fill in the Facts, Questions, Responses
  graphic prior to the Seminar.

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RESOURCES CREDITS

• SOCRATIC SEMINAR RESOURCES
• Curriki
• Socratic Seminars
• Socratic Seminars Journey to Excellence
• Socratic Seminars International
• Socratic Seminar Grading Rubric
• Socratic Seminar Overview
• Socratic Seminar Study Guide
• The Paideia Philosophy

• CREDITS
• Norfolk, T. S. (2003). Why Study Mathematics
  (2003)? Retrieved November 30, 2008, from Dr.
  Timothy S. Norfolk Web site http//www.math.uakro
  n.edu/norfolk/.

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STUDENT GROUND RULES
Socrates had no syllabus. He wanted Athenians to
think for themselves. No wonder the local
authorities were disturbed. Inevitably, they
decided that Socrates was subversive.
Gray

1. All members of the inner circle are expected to
   participate in the discussion.
2. Anyone who doesnt wish to answer a question
   should so indicate by saying, Id like to pass.
3. Try to direct your comments and questions to each
   other and not to the Seminar leader.
4. Please maintain rules of civil discourse Its
   OK to disagree with a persons ideas, but never
   to criticize the person offering them.
5. Members of the outer circle must maintain silent
   until the seminar is concluded.