English students deepen understanding with discussions
February 4, 2020
Sophomores Julia Johnson and Jeremy Lin discuss the novel, Night, during a Socratic Seminar in PAP English 2.
Frisco ISD’s first ethnic studies class, African American Studies, went on a field trip to learn about the Pullman Porters.
Sophomore Jeremy Lin listens in on his peers as they engage during a discussion.
An annual project, book clubs, are starting up for English 1 students. From books, I Am Malala, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Hate U Give, to March: Book 1, The Poet X, and Animal Farm, students have many opportunities to learn more about new novels.
Students add to their notes while listening to each other during the seminar.
As PAP English 2 students finish up their book Night, they are coming together to discuss what they’ve learned through a Socratic Seminar.
“So Night is a personal narrative about somebody who survived the Holocaust,” Sophomore Katie Stone said. “The Socratic Seminar requires everyone to be present and involved in the discussion in some way to talk about our thoughts and opinions in the book. I like these activities because it helps open up our eyes and gives us a chance to understand things that we may have not been around to experience yet.”
Teachers like Chad Doty believe the seminar is an opportunity for students to get multiple perspectives and opinions on the novel.
“I think this particular format is helpful because in a whole class setting, students will either hear what I have to say, or they are forced to share with a large class,” Doty said. “These smaller groups allow students to be held more accountable individually or they might feel more comfortable speaking and sharing their ideas with others.”
Nathan Daly, another student in the class, likes the idea of participating in more collaborative class activities.
“It helps you understand the topic more and really invest yourself into the topic and analyze it yourself,” said Daly. “I like the more hands on and interactive stuff because it helps me learn better.”
