My group, including me, recently finished a Socratic Seminar discussing the first-person narrative novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie. After receiving feedback and thinking back to the Seminar, I noticed parts that needed improvement and did well. During the Seminar, I had done well in part “supported my claims clearly and accurately with a relevant selection of evidence from the text, often citing the page number” (RL10.1). When I stated my point, I backed it up with evidence found in the book. Moreover, for my teammates to easily locate the evidence to comprehend my claim, I began by stating the proof’s location with the page and the chapter number.
The part that I need to work on is to “challenge others’ ideas” (Mr.Dalton) to make efficient conversations with agrees and disagrees from my teammates. Instead of keep using the frame of “I agree with your idea,” keep elaborating on a person’s idea. I can disagree with one’s idea and present opposite ideas. It assembles the Seminar more efficiently but convinces my teammates that one of two different ideas is correct. There would be a back and forth conversation. Furthermore, as one of the most demanding standards to reach, I can “engage with the effect of language, linked to the themes of the novel”. It was easier to present the technique to my teammates, but it was hard to demonstrate the effect of the technique to the readers. I did less on the explanation, which I can do more next time. In addition, to make a successful seminar, it is required for full teammate participation. When people don’t talk much, I can encourage them to engage in the conversation.
My goals for my next Seminar are to present the effect of techniques in the book to the audience. I can reach my goal by preparing thoroughly with annotation of the impact next to a specific technique. Also, challenging others’ ideas with courage is another goal I have for my next Seminar.
As mentioned, preparing thoroughly with complete annotation in the book is a significant step to reaching the goals. Moreover, I can anticipate what my teammates might say and prepare a counterclaim.