In Escuela de Guadalupe’s 6th–8th grade English literacy classes, students don’t just read books; they learn how to talk about them in a way that builds confidence, independence, and real intellectual courage. One of the most powerful tools Miss Tegan Voils uses to make that happen is the Socratic Seminar: a structured, text-based discussion where students drive the conversation, wrestle with open-ended questions, and practice responding thoughtfully to one another.
At the start of every seminar, Miss Tegan shares a definition that frames the work ahead. Educator Elfie Israel describes it this way: a Socratic seminar is a formal discussion based on a text, guided by open-ended questions—where students listen closely, think critically, articulate their ideas, and learn to “question intelligently and civilly.”
That definition is the blueprint for what happens in her classroom throughout middle school.
Building the skill from 6th grade through 8th grade
For many 6th graders, the first Socratic Seminar is their first experience with this kind of academic discourse. Miss Tegan is candid about that: the launch can be “a little rough,” and she expects to coach more at the beginning, stepping in briefly to keep things on track, prevent repetitive responses, and model what a meaningful exchange sounds like.
But the goal is always the same: hand students the responsibility.
By the time they reach 8th grade, they’ve typically participated in multiple seminars each year—often three or four per grade level—so the practice compounds. Students become what Miss Tegan calls “old hats,” increasingly able to carry the discussion without looking to the teacher to validate every idea.
From “right vs. wrong” to thinking for themselves
A key reason Socratic Seminars matter is that they disrupt a habit many students bring into school discussions: the instinct to hunt for the “right answer,” or to guess what the teacher wants to hear.
Miss Tegan names that directly. Some students start out seeing class conversations in black-and-white terms, right vs. wrong. But the seminar is deliberately designed to hold more “gray area,” because interpretations of a character, a choice, or a theme can legitimately vary based on evidence and perspective.
This is where the learning shifts. Students begin to realize:
- They’re allowed to form an interpretation, not borrow one.
- Their lived experiences shape what they notice in a text.
- The classroom becomes a place to test ideas, not just repeat them.
And crucially, they start learning from each other, not just from the adult at the front of the room.
The unit leads to the seminar
In Miss Tegan’s classes, seminars aren’t random events. They’re the culmination of a larger unit. Students read a core text (often a full book), and then layer in articles and supporting readings that connect to the unit’s themes and questions. When the seminar arrives, any text from the unit is “fair game,” which pushes students to synthesize across sources instead of relying on a single chapter or scene.
For example, Miss Tegan says that the 8th graders recently finished a unit with the theme, “Encountering Evil.” Students began the unit by watching a documentary called “The Path to Nazi Genocide.” Then they read, The Diary of Anne Frank (the play version), Night by Elie Wiesel, and finally Wiesel’s 1999 White House speech titled, “The Perils of Indifference.” Through these stories, students begin to make connections between the individual lives of real people, the historical context, and the larger truths about what it means to be human.
“We grapple with the question of whether humans are inherently good or evil, or whether it can really be boiled down to something that simple,” says Miss Tegan.
At the end of each unit, students arrive with context, evidence, and a collection of ideas worth putting in conversation.
Preparation is non-negotiable (and visible)
Miss Tegan doesn’t ask students to “just show up and talk.” She teaches them how to prepare, especially for students who feel nervous speaking up.
Before a seminar, students complete a question sheet and bring notes: questions provided by the teacher (to support structure and entry points) as well as questions that students create themselves, based on what they want to explore more deeply.
Their performance is assessed with an Academic Discourse Rubric that makes expectations clear and concrete. Students are evaluated on preparation, vocabulary use, quality and depth of contributions, accuracy with the text, engagement with others’ ideas, and collaborative discussion behaviors.
And after the seminar, students write a reflection. The reflection prompts them to cite a claim they made, evidence they used, and a moment where their thinking changed. Clearly, the point isn’t simply to speak, but to grow through dialogue.
Listening is a skill—not a mood
One of the most important moves Miss Tegan teaches is that participation isn’t only about talking. It’s about listening closely enough to respond to what’s actually being said.
She’s noticed that anxious students sometimes rehearse a point internally, waiting for their chance, only to deliver it after the conversation has already moved on. So she coaches students to track the discussion in real time: to build on others’ ideas, ask follow-up questions, and adjust their thinking as the dialogue evolves.
That’s the kind of listening that becomes a lifelong advantage: listening with the intent to understand, not just to reply.
“We need to hear from everyone”—and here’s why
In seminars, Miss Tegan expects every student to contribute, and she’s honest about the practical reason: she can’t assess your thinking if she never hears it. But the deeper reason is that Miss Tegan knows every student brings a perspective worth hearing.
This is why the rubric doesn’t only reward strong speakers. It explicitly evaluates how students invite others into the discussion. The highest score requires students to actively and effectively bring someone in by asking them a targeted question, not just calling them out.
Miss Tegan teaches students to do this with care, because reluctance usually comes from nerves or uncertainty, not from having nothing to contribute. Her message is clear: they do have an opinion. The class’s job is to create the conditions where it can come out.
Disagreeing—civilly—is part of the assignment
A seminar where everyone agrees might feel “easy,” but it’s not the point.
Miss Tegan actively encourages disagreement, especially because younger students can fall into a “herd mentality,” echoing the first confident speaker instead of thinking independently. She’ll sometimes model a respectful counterpoint just to give permission for a braver, more honest discussion to emerge.
Students learn a simple but essential rule: disagree with the idea, not the person.
That means replacing “that’s a stupid idea” with “I interpreted it differently” or “I see another perspective.” It’s a small shift in phrasing that builds a big shift in culture, one where students can challenge thinking without harming relationships.
Vocabulary belongs in real speech
Another signature feature of Miss Tegan’s seminars: students are expected to use unit vocabulary authentically.
Seminar expectations reward consistent, accurate use of key vocabulary to clarify ideas, not as memorization, but as a tool for thinking and speaking more precisely.
This is how academic language becomes usable language. Students practice sounding like scholars because they’re doing scholarly work.
Why this matters for high school—and life
By the time Escuela students leave 8th grade, they’ve had repeated practice doing something many adults still struggle with: participating in a meaningful conversation where people disagree.
They learn how to:
- enter a discussion prepared and grounded in evidence
- listen actively and respond directly
- ask questions that deepen—not derail—the conversation
- disagree respectfully and stay confident in their own thinking
- collaborate so the discussion becomes a true group effort
Those are high school readiness skills. They’re also leadership skills. And in a world that often rewards loudness over thoughtfulness, Socratic Seminars help Escuela students build something rarer: the ability to think clearly, speak with purpose, and learn from people who aren’t exactly like them.
That’s not just good for English class. It’s good for becoming the kind of person who can navigate complexity with confidence and kindness.
