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WHAT IS A PAIDEIA SEMINAR?
A Paideia Seminar is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue facilitated with
open-ended questions about a text. M. J. Adler describes a seminar in his
book, The Paideia Proposal (1982), as a “mode of teaching...by asking
questions, by leading discussions, by helping students raise their minds up
from a state of understanding or appreciating less to a state of
understanding or appreciating more.” Students share insightful ideas during
this intellectual discussion. A seminar is a great way for students to
practice communicating their thoughts and to consider the viewpoints of
others.
Students do not raise their hands during seminars. This is because seminars
teach students the art of conversation. Students practice looking for social cues
such as body language and eye contact to know when it’s time to look and listen
and when it’s time to add comments to the discussion. They rehearse how to agree
and disagree with someone’s comments in a constructive and respectful manner.
Students examine their perspectives deeply and encourage each other to do the
same by asking meaningful questions. Often the most challenging part of a seminar
is learning to keep an open mind.
Students in all grade levels participate in Paideia Seminars. Seminars are
not only seen in the gifted support class but are also used in many homerooms
as a strategy to differentiate the regular education curriculum.
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