You have heard about the “socratic method” of teaching? No?
Explanation: (lifted from criticalthinking.org)
In Socratic teaching we focus on giving students questions, not answers. We model an inquiring, probing mind by continually probing into the subject with questions. Fortunately, the abilities we gain by focusing on the elements of reasoning in a disciplined and self-assessing way, and the logical relationships that result from such disciplined thought, prepare us for Socratic questioning.
So that means that question follows question follows question until everything that could possibly be wrung out of the teaching point.
A Socratic questioner should:
a) keep the discussion focused
b) keep the discussion intellectually responsible
c) stimulate the discussion with probing questions
d) periodically summarize what has and what has not been dealt with and/or resolved
e) draw as many students as possible into the discussion.
The professor announced at the beginning of the year rather than random calling, he would just go down the rows and call on students one after another. Today it was my turn. So I sat through the beginning portion of the class. Not really worried, but I would rather not open my mouth unless I really feel that I have something to offer.
The hour progressed. We started on the cases. Not deliberately, but for whatever reason he thought I had already taken my turn and moved on to Heather. She looked at me, I looked at her. She was prepared just in case and handled the questioning. When I thanked her for stepping up right after the end of the class, the professor over heard me. He thought I had had a turn. Not to worry, I can be first up on Monday.
As if Monday’s aren’t enough fun on their own……
