Preparation and Procedure for Discussion Seminars

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Preparation and Procedure for Discussion Seminars

Students will participate in discussion seminars on the assigned reading. Students are graded on their active participation in the seminar. Each student will do a Reading Preparation Sheet for the assigned section.

Reading Preparation Sheet (Write Section Title and Page Numbers)

A. Prediction

Read the first three sentences in the assigned text. In two or three sentences explain what you think the reading will be about. Finish reading the section.

B. Quotes

List one quote from the text, with the corresponding page number, which stood out to you. Explain why it stood out to you.

C. Relationship

List one way in which the text relates to life. (Your own life, the life of people you know, society, world events). Use this format: The point about ______relates to ______because______.

D. Questions

ü  Write one informational question. (a question you can find the answer to in the book) Write the answer.

ü  Write one essential question for our discussion. Write you answer to the question.

ü  Write one searching question. (a question about information not found in the book)

Good Essential Questions:

·  Open-ended questions that resist a simple or single right answer

·  Deliberately thought-provoking, challenging, and/or innovative

·  Require students to draw upon content knowledge and personal experience

E. Vocabulary and Lists

Write the vocabulary words with the definitions in your own words. Write “No Vocabulary” in there are no vocabulary words. If there are any lists (numbered, bulleted or grouped) write down the list(s) and in your own words write down an important point about each item on the list.

F. Summary

In three to five sentences, summarize the main points of this section.

G. Application

How can what you learned be applied to your own life or to society?

Rubric for Discussion Seminar (100 points)

Category / Activity / Points
Participating / Being Present
Being Attentive
Active Listening
Follow Guidelines
Taking Notes
(Behavior that is distracting/disruptive/does not comply)
[Sleeping during class results in a 0 for classwork] / 50
(-5 each)
Class Activities / Portfolio Work
Small Group Activities / 20
Listening / Agreeing/Disagreeing with comments from others
Referring to what some else said before commenting
Asking an essential, follow up, or clarification question / 20
Commenting / Answering a question
Making an observation
Expressing an opinion
Comparing/Contrasting the topic to pop culture / 10
Relating / Referring to the Reading
Relating the topic to something in another class
Relating the topic to a current event (news)
Referring to Scripture/Church Documents / 30
Particular Roles / Activity / Points
Moderator / Call on people to participate
Insure that the group is focused
Keep the Discussion Going
Invite those not participating into the discussion
Keep scores / 100
EXTRA CREDIT / Once students have all of their points, they may receive up to 5 points EC by asking sustaining questions / 1 EC

Portfolios

Portfolios are graded for participation. Portfolios are assembled as follows: 1) Prep sheet that was assigned for homework, on the back of the prep sheet students are to write: the focus activity, the daily objective and study notes 2) Daily Activity (foldables, graphic organizers…) on the back of the daily activity students will fill out the note sheet during the discussion. Daily Activities and Notes should be done using different colors.

Discussion Seminar Written Report (optional)

This discussion summary may be complete for up to 20 points towards the discussion seminar grade. It is meant to help those who did not receive full credit for the discussion seminar and is optional. It is due on the next class after the seminar. This must be typed. Late reviews will not be accepted. Sorry, this summary cannot be used as extra credit at this point.

Identify the following:

A)  Date of the Seminar

B)  Topic of the Seminar

C)  Section Title and Page #’s of the corresponding text.

Questions:

1)  Ask someone one of the questions that we discussed during the seminar and write out his or her answer. Put the person’s name after the answer.

2)  In 3-5 sentences write your answer to one of the questions that we discussed during the seminar.

3)  In 3-5 sentences show how what we discussed relates to one of the following categories:

book/poem / current event / movie / song
commercial / art / TV show / person you know
experience you had / our society / today’s world / famous/infamous person
internet / historical event/person / our school / other…(your choice)

Chapter Summary

This must be typed.

A. From the notes, what do you think were the five most important points made in the discussions?

B. Write three short answer test questions (with the answers) based on the discussion notes and book.

C. What is one concept or vocabulary word that you feel needs further exploration or clarification?

D. Find two quotes from the book which support two of the main points listed in the notes. Write the main point, followed by the quote with its corresponding page number.

E. In a paragraph (5 sentences) compare and contrast two main topics from this chapter. (occasionally I will give you a different question)

F. Write and cite a quote from Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict or a current U.S. Bishop that is related to something we read or discussed in the chapter. (This quote maybe from a homily, a document, speech, interview and so on…)

Sustaining Questions (to be used during the seminar to keep the dialogue going):

Agree / Disagree

·  Does anyone have a similar perspective on . . .?

·  Does anyone have a different perspective on…?

Clarification

·  I'm not sure I understand . . .?

·  Tell me more about . . .?

·  Do you see gaps in my reasoning?

·  Are you taking into account something different from what I have considered?

Support Questions

·  Can you give us an example of . . .?

·  Where in the text . . .?

·  What would be a good reason for . . .?

·  What is some evidence for . . .?

Cause and Effect

·  Why do you think that happened?

·  How could that have been prevented?

·  Do you think that would happen that way again? Why?

·  What are some reasons people . . .?

Compare / Contrast

·  How are ______and ______alike? Different?

·  What is that similar to?

·  Can you think of why this feels different than . . .?

·  How does this (poem, book, incident, etc.) remind you of . . .?

Benefits / Burdens

·  What are some of the reasons this wouldn't (would) be a good idea?

·  Would anyone like to speak to the opposite side?

·  Those are some reasons this would work; what reasons might it not work?

Point of View / Perspective

·  How might she/he have felt . . .?

·  What do you think he/she was thinking when . . .?

·  He might not like that, but can you think of someone who would?

·  ______has expressed a different opinion. Are there others?

·  Do you have a different interpretation?

·  Do you have different conclusions?

·  How did you arrive at your view?

Structure / Function

·  If that was the goal, what do you think about . . (the action, reaction)?

·  What were her/his choices of how to . . .?

·  Why was she/he doing that? (Reply gives reason) What do you think of that approach?

·  What better choices could he/she have made?

·  What rules would we need to make sure . . .?

Counterexample

·  Would that still happen if . . . ?

·  What might have made the difference?

Different Situation

·  Can you describe a situation that would . . .?

·  Suppose ______. Would that still be true? Why or why not?

Solicit Questions

·  What are some things that you wonder about?

·  What would you like to know about?

·  Are there questions we should remember now?

Personal Experience

·  What would you do in that situation?

·  Has anything like that ever happened to you?

·  In what way are you alike or different from . . .?

Seven Keys to Listening

1. Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language.

2. Maintain eye contact, to the degree that you all remain comfortable.

3. Respond appropriately to show that you understand. Use non-verbal indicators to show you are listening.

4. Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what you are going to say next. The conversation will follow a logical flow after the speaker makes her point.

5. Minimize internal distractions. If your own thoughts keep horning in, simply let them go and continuously re-focus your attention on the speaker.

6. Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding that you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking.

7. Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but, once again, wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their train of thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying…”

Dialogue Guidelines

1. Always ask for clarification: do not assume someone said something that you thought you heard.

2. Do not assume: make sure you understand what the person meant

3. Do not make it a debate. Allow the person to clarify but do not engage in a back and forth exchange, allow others to contribute. Those who contribute should not take sides but rather address the topic.

4. Keep emotions in check: A person may express an opinion about something about which you feel passionate. They are not attacking you; feelings can help form your thoughts, but remember this is an academic dialogue.

Logic Fallacies

When we are having a discussion, it is important to be logical about our assertions. This is something that is lacking in our society today. Too often people find comfort in the anonymous nature of the online world and they don’t own their statements. Perhaps you have heard the saying “Before you speak ask yourself: is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?” Part of truth is logic.

For instance: on a trip to an Italian region Pope Francis spoke to prisoners saying that we need to work on rehabilitating prisoners and on returning them to society. Later that same day the pope said all members of the Mafia were excommunicated.

There was a comment on a blog that criticized the pope as being hypocritical because, the person asserted, in the US half of all prisoners are members of the Italian Mafia. In fact, the FBI estimates that there are 3000 members of the Italian Mafia operating in the US. There are approximately 2.4 million people in the prison system of the United States.

As you can see the person’s comment is illogical on many levels.

The following is just a sample of logical fallacies with basic definitions. We want to avoid these in our discussions, and they should be politely pointed out when used.

Ad hominem-Attack the person instead of addressing the argument

He is an idiot, it is no wonder he voted that way.

Bandwagon-Because an opinion/belief has growing popularity, it is true.

A growing number of people believe that vaccines are harmful for children, therefore we shouldn’t vaccinate children.

Poisoning the Well-Discounting someone’s argument because of who/what they are

The only reason my dad doesn’t think I should go to a college that has a “party school reputation” is because he is old and has forgotten what it is like to be young.

Red Herring-Using an irrelevant fact or comparison to pull focus off the topic of discussion

Accepting her late project because she has had a lot of family stress is like not punishing someone for mass murder because they have a mental illness.

Straw Man-Reducing an argument to a weak false extreme, and then basing a conclusion on that extreme

Violence is caused by television shows, therefore children should never be allowed to watch TV.

Tu Quoque-Others do/have done/believe it, so it is true/okay to do.

In the Old West people were allowed to carry guns openly wherever they wished, so we should be able to do that today.

Appeal to Authority-Because a supposed expert authority/popular figure said it, it is true. And sometimes the authority we appeal to is ourselves.

My favorite actress uses this beauty product, so it must be the best one.

Does this mean we shouldn’t discuss: the voting public, the use of vaccines, the generation gap, just punishment for the mentally ill, the relationship between violence and the media, gun rights and control, or the merits of a given beauty product? No! We just can’t prove our point using these types of fallacies.