The path of homeschooling through high school can seem like a daunting mission filled with the “unknown” threatening to unmask the impostor syndrome felt due to our poor education. Our insecurities test our resolve to finish well. How can parents debunk the adage that our education is “an inch deep and a mile wide”? And how can we prepare ourselves to withstand the deluge of negative emotions on that rollercoaster of doubt?
Two words: Socratic circles.
In the following blog post, Nadine Kong and Jessica Weir share their experiences with Socratic circles through the Master of Arts in Classical Studies offered by Classical Conversations in partnership with Southeastern University.
What Are Socratic Circles?
In the Master of Arts in Classical Studies program, parents find strategic ways to prepare to teach their students. One way is the Socratic circle.
With all the regular activities of a typical household- schoolwork, practices, and chores—often, there’s little time to plumb the depths of any subject, topic, or skill. And yet, we set out on this homeschooling journey to provide our children with the richness of truth, beauty, and goodness. In cultivating the wellspring of our hearts, we search for unique ways to go deeper in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
We all want to provide the best for our kids but cannot pour from fractured cisterns. How can we, in the collective moments, gather all that we need to achieve full buckets of wisdom?
We can use the Socratic circle. Let’s examine this classical tool of learning that has helped many parents find the shortest way to lead their children to the deep pools of knowledge.
Those with children in the Challenge years probably have heard of the Socratic circle. But for many of us, it’s a new approach to gaining knowledge, understanding, and wisdom through reviewing a book, diving into a topic, or examining true or false claims of an issue. It’s also a great way to assess how well we are learning and developing in new areas of knowledge.
Named after its inventor, Socrates (a philosopher who lived in ancient times from 470 BC to 399 BC), this method of questioning and listening well impacts the learning process and is used by many still to this day. A Socratic circle uses good questions to awaken wonder and seek the truth about any idea or concept.
Why? The Socratic circle is not just about answering rote questions. Instead, this discussion model focuses intensely on a text and searching out the truth, goodness, and beauty it holds. As students in the Master of Arts in Classical Studies program, Nadine and I have found the adult Socratic circle the shortest means of preparation for homeschooling parents. It’s a way to refine, assess, stay involved, and learn how to lead students stretching from the pre-kindergarten years through graduation.
How Do Socratic Circles Work?
There are two parts to a Socratic circle: the inner circle and the outer circle.
The leader or facilitator poses a question that does not have an innately easy answer or a yes or no response. The inner circle uses reasoning skills and a healthy spirit of inquiry to explore the question together through discussion, listening carefully to one another, and asking further questions, thereby gaining clarity and deeper understanding. The outer circle listens, taking notes as needed, practicing their skills of assessing and reflecting on the inner circle’s dialogue. After a time, the circles come together to resolve important ideas achieved, assess new definitions, and overview discoveries or reveal new ambiguities.
We have found this method to be the most effective and satisfying in enriching our learning and absorbing the copious texts and resources provided in the homeschool curriculum of the high school years. It’s like a shortcut to the preparation necessary for the journey.
Reflections on the Socratic Method
Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
Like food for a weary soul, the Socratic circle strengthened our knowledge. In the MA program, we read and digested the material, and we questioned, discussed, and shared our ideas—like a refreshing drink for the weary homeschool teacher. The Socratic circle is like a weekly devotion to deepening our education. Learning through this method has sustained our delight in educating at home. The community of others in the circle share a similar journey, and together, we wrestle with the ideas shaping our world through the lens of goodness, truth, and beauty.
Classical Conversations’ Master of Arts program opened the door for us to experience the joys and richness of conversation with other adults that comes with Socratic dialogue. The art of dialectic—deeply reading a text and formulating questions that cause us to pause and think—is the preparation we need to run the race and rise to the occasion. Have you envied the Inklings group with C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien? I imagine the fantastic discussions this group of scholars enjoyed together. As MA students, we study the classical model of education and practice the Socratic method with other like-minded CC parents who are discovering its benefits, too. Many professors have said the Socratic circle discussions are the highlight of their week because they represent a place to join the learning community, not just observe.
Nadine recalls attempting to have great conversations with her teens and finding it difficult to assess what is understood. As our children enter the dialectic stage in the early teen years, it becomes increasingly important for parents to have proficient skills in leading a discussion. It used to be an awesome prospect looking back, remembering the valley of wrestling, and discovering new vistas for the future. Together, the way seems lighter, and Socratic discussions are the doorway to great conversations. Learning the “what” and “how” to invest in ourselves is a tough choice, but every nugget of wisdom gained fills our bucket with wonder and beauty. Each Socratic discussion strengthens our understanding of the Christian classical method within a community of adult learners. We learn to ask questions, give deep and meaningful responses, and listen to wisdom unfold while helping our children to do the same.
Frequently Asked Questions about Socratic Circles and the MA in Classical Studies
What do I learn in a Socratic circle?
In a Socratic circle, expect to learn how to respond to good questions, ask them, listen, and ponder. You will learn to look deeply into a text and speak confidently about the topic, not because someone has told you what to think. Your confidence develops because you have thought about it, presented those ideas, and honed the truth together as you listen and assess your understanding. The Socratic circle is genuinely dialectic at work.
Can I participate in a Socratic circle if I am not yet a Classical Conversations or Challenge parent?
Jessica’s children will not begin their Challenge years for quite a while, but the knowledge she has gained from Socratic circles in the MA program helps her prepare herself and her children for the future. Learning how to ask and answer a good question never happens too early. The Foundation years are perfect for building a knowledge stockpile that naturally becomes an excellent source for outstanding questions. Learning how to wonder and wrestle with these questions will help prepare you for when your children are ready to begin wrestling themselves.
Is the master’s for me?
The Master of Arts in Classical Studies allows you to earn university credit alongside homeschooling your children while entering this journey of the “Great Conversation.” Do you love learning, desire to deepen your understanding of classical Christian education, and grow your understanding of what your student will learn in Challenge years? Then, the MA program is definitely for you!
What if I don’t have a bachelor’s?
You can earn a bachelor’s degree with Classical Conversations Plus.
I loved this article! How do I learn more?
If you want a deep dive into this topic, read “Hospitality and Questions in Classical Christian Education,” an MA thesis essay written by Lynn Doto, one of the MA graduates. It’s a great resource!
You can also learn more about Socratic circles in Leigh Bortins’ book, “The Conversation.” Or watch the Classical Conversations’ video, “What are Socratic Circles?”
