TA training/Manual/MATH Socratic Method

This session describes the Socratic method as a tool to be used in the tutoring centre or more generally as a way to understand how to reach out to our students.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to analyse the quality of feedback in the context of tutoring, explain the four principles of the Socratic method.

New content

A - (5 min) (Tom) We introduce the Socratic method as a much-researched collection of practises that are common to effective tutors/TAs. We tell them the four parts: questions and not directions, hints and not answers, constructive versus non-constructive errors, and pitfalls of feedback.

B - (10 min) Talk about the first one: questions and not directions. Global discussion on why is it better to ask questions than it is to give directions.

C - (5 min) Activity 1: Each small group is given a question that a student might ask, and asked to brainstorm the best way of answering it, focusing on "questions, not directions".

Questions for activity 1 (and activity 2 below): "What is the derivative of x^2?" "How do you find the equation of the tangent line to a parabola?" "I don't understand what I did wrong here?" (add a specific context) "I'm stuck on this problem. How do I get started?" (add a specific context --- related rates will work well) (The context here is to "trick" the TAs into asking questions that are too involved, into doing too much of the work for the student. What we would like is a question that forces the student to do the work. EG for this question, you might simply ask the student to explain the problem to you. Or you might ask the student "what have you tried already?" Etc.) "What does this large ess mean?" (an integration symbol)

D - (15 min) Global discussion comparing each answer to the five questions. Global discussion comparing the two different solutions for each scenario. We let each group describe some of their discussion and we have a discussion on how this improves the quality of the tutoring. If possible, we let this blend in the next topic.

E - (5 min) (Vince) Next topic: hints not answers. Highlight that the topic is distinct from questions not directions, but closely related: they are two aspects of the same thing. Global discussion on why it is better to give hints instead of answers.

F - (5 min) Activity 2: Each small group is then given the same scenario, and asked to brainstorm the best way of handling it, focusing on "hints, not answers".

G - (15 min) Global discussion comparing the two different solutions for each scenario. We let each group describe some of their discussion and we have a discussion on how this improves the quality of the tutoring. If possible, we let this blend in the next topic.

--->5-min break

H - (5 min) (David S) Activity 3: Each small group is given two errors made by two students (below). They are asked to think of how they would respond to the student's questions. Facilitators: Print the two computations directly onto the directions sheet.

Scenarios for activity 3: Present two computations of a derivative of a rational function, both incorrect. In one, the student wrongly performs the derivative of a quotient by calculating the quotient of the derivatives; the other uses the quotient rule correctly, then makes an algebra error. In both cases, the student comes to you to ask if their computation is correct. How do you respond?

I - (15 min) Global discussion to pull the thoughts from each group. The goal is for everyone to share their thoughts and express their concerns or ask questions if needed. (Make sure context of how many/often you've pointed out errors already comes up)

J - (10 min) Next topic: constructive versus non-constructive errors. Explain what a constructive error is, and explain what a non-constructive error is. EG: give example of David #2 (though the better of both Davids) fucking up his English grammar, and David #1 correcting his grammar instead (obvious behaviour since he's a prick) of accepting the idea he tried to communicate.

K - (10 min) (David K) Next topic: pitfalls of feedback. Wax philosophical about TAs as feedback-generating machines. Have you ever received harmful feedback? Can positive feedback be harmful? Keep the discussion tidy and focused. We ask if there are questions about how feedback can be harmful.

L - (5 min) Conclude by revisiting the four parts in summary. Mention how in-depth (really?) that reflexion can be; we've mostly discussed extremely contrasted cases, real life doesn't always come that way.

M - (5 min) In their small groups, participants are asked to go round the table and share what part of this module has been the most influential on them (as a way to prepare for the comic strip activity).

N - (25 min) Activity 4: Comic strips. For the facilitators: pass out about 15 small-sized cue cards to each table, and a pack of the thinner crayola markers. Assign each small group one of the four topics above. Each group is then supposed to draw three little comic strip: one illustrating the successful use of the Socratic method, one illustrating an unsuccessful use of the Socratic method, and one illustrating the silliness and creativity of the participants.

O - (10 min) gallery walk

P - (5 min) feedback + reflection

Materials cue cards (150) thinner markers flip charts pens