Kids always have questions—often to
the dismay of parents and teachers.
However, utilizing their questions is a way for kids to become leaders
in their learning. Shanna Peeples, 2015 National Teacher of the Year, advocates
the Socratic approach to learning in her book, Think Like Socrates. The author highlights how engaging
students through their questions enhances learning.
Students are more confident and
focused; better discipline is a byproduct.
Their questions are validated; they learn about topics that matter to
them. Teachers get to better know their
students as they listen and respond, while adapting those questions to the
assigned standards/curriculum. This approach can also help parents in the
discovery process of learning while homeschooling or engaging in family
activities.
While this is not the “answer” for
good teaching, it is another productive tool in the teacher’s toolkit, as
highlighted in the design of the book.
The introduction outlines the book and allows the reader to quickly
access the information sought. Pages 8
& 9 provide a brief description of what is the focus of each
chapter—Chapters 1-6 to develop the theoretical foundation, Chapters 7-12 to
apply in specific disciplines, Chapter 13 to apply the approach to the real
world, and Chapter 14 to examine the potential for professional development. It concludes with more than 40 pages of
detailed resources and tools for educators to use. All chapters include examples from actual
classrooms.
The 2020 DKG Educators Book Award committee awarded this book
honorable mention.
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