The Learner’s Companion:

A Student Reference Guide to Foundation Skills at the

School of Environmental Studies

2003-2004

CONTENTS

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING IN A GROUP……………………… 2

GUIDELINES FOR SOCRATIC SEMINAR…………………………… 3

GUIDELINES FOR FISHBOWL DISCUSSIONS…………………… 5

GUIDELINES FOR LEARNING CIRCLES…………………………… 6

STEPS IN CRITICAL READING………………………………………… 7

ACTIVE READING GUIDELINES……………………………………… 7

JOURNALING AT SES……………………………………………………8

FIELD WRITING………………………………………………………… 9

DOCUMENT CONVENTIONS AT SES…………………………………10

GUIDELINES FOR THE WRITING PROCESS…………………………11

CHECKLIST FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING…………………………… 12

HELP WITH EDITING……………………………………………………12

TIPS FOR REVISION: THE ACADEMIC ESSAY………………………13

GUIDELINES FOR COMPUTER USE AT SES…………………………14

GUIDELINES FOR DATA COLLECTION………………………………14

GUIDELINES FOR THE RESEARCH PROCESS……………………… 15

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY & RESPONSIBILITY……………………… 16

DOCUMENTATION GUIDE (MLA STYLE)…………………………… 17

DOCUMENTATION GUIDE (APA STYLE)…………………………… 19

CHECKLIST FOR EFFECTIVE SPEAKING…………………………… 20

GUIDELINES FOR USING THE MINNESOTA ZOO………………… 21

A MODEL FOR A WRITING & THINKING PROCESS FOR SES…….22

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING IN A GROUP

Good Working Groups… Ineffective Working Groups...

Are cooperative Are competitive

Make constructive use of conflict Let conflict divide the group

Distribute power among many Limit power to a few

Make optimum use of all resources Make limited use of resources

Encourage freedom of expression Inhibit expression of ideas

Follow an orderly problem-solving sequence Reflect disorderly, nonlogical thinking

Give all participants the chance to satisfy their Give only a few the chance to satisfy

personal needs their personal needs

Provide some opportunity for training in Disregard the need for training

leadership skills in leadership skills

Move toward removing feeling of dependency Increase the dependency on a single

on one leader leader

Reflect a willingness of all to accept Develop a disregard for individual

responsibility for accomplishing group tasks responsibility toward the group’s goals

Enable the group to make decisions affecting its Leave all decisions affecting the group’s

progress process to a few

Provide maximum opportunity for the Increase feelings of threat and defense

development of feelings of security

Reflect active emotional and intellectual Reflect disinterest and a noncommittal

involvement in the subject attitude toward the subject

Nine Strategies for Creating Trust on a Team

1. Have clear, consistent goals

2. Be open, fair, and willing to listen

3. Be decisive (and decide as a group how you will make decisions)

4. Support all other team members

5. Take responsibility for team actions

6. Give credit to team members

7. Be sensitive to the needs of team members

8. Respect the opinions of others

9. Empower team members to act

(from Why Teams Don’t Work, Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley, 1995)

GUIDELINES FOR SOCRATIC SEMINAR

“I would contend at all costs both in word and deed as far as I could that we will be better humans, braver and less idle, if we believe that one must search for the things one does not know, rather than if we believe that it is not possible to find out what we do not know and that we must not look for it.” (Socrates, in Plato’s Meno)

Almost 2,500 years ago, Socrates walked his students through the city streets of ancient Greece and encouraged them to ask questions about everything they saw.  The students discussed possible answers to questions and constructed their own understanding of the truth.  Socrates’ philosophy of teaching was quite simple: as human beings, we possess an amazing amount of knowledge and understanding; however, we often fail to realize how much we already know. He believed that through the process of dialogue, where all parties to the conversation were forced to clarify their ideas, the final outcome of the conversation would be a clear statement of meaning. Socrates would feign ignorance about a subject and try to draw out from the other person his fullest possible knowledge about it. If the human mind was incapable of knowing something, Socrates wanted to demonstrate that, too. One of his core beliefs was, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” (from http://www.secondaryenglish.com/dream_is_the_truth.htm)

What is a Socratic Seminar?

A Socratic Seminar is…

A specialized form of DISCUSSION, in which a group attempts to

Create a DIALECTIC (the art or practice of examining opinions or ideas logically, often by the

method of question and answer, so as to determine their validity)

In regards to a specific TEXT (thought-provoking, multi-leveled primary texts are best)

To collectively seek deeper UNDERSTANDING of complex ideas

Through rigorously thoughtful DIALOGUE

Dialogue is characterized by:

· Suspending judgment

· Examining our own work without defensiveness

· Exposing our reasoning and looking for limits to it

· Communicating our underlying assumptions

· Exploring viewpoints more broadly and deeply

· Being open to disconfirming data

· Approaching someone who sees a problem differently not as an adversary, but as a colleague in common pursuit of a better solution

· Developing the voice of each participant

TRADITIONAL DISCUSSION Vs. SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Teacher leads the discussion	Teacher facilitates the discussion
Teacher is separate from students	Students and teacher are in a circle
97% teacher talk	97% student talk
Average student response time is 8-12 seconds	Average student response time is 2-3 seconds
Teacher affirmation of correctness is expected	Affirming feedback from teacher is taboo
“Rightness” is paramount	Thinking, supported with evidence, is paramount
Students listen to the teacher, who has the answer	Students listen primarily to peers
Teacher has ownership for the “flow”	Students have ownership for the “flow”
This table adapted from http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/web/2000/kajder/studentresp.html

DIALOGUE Vs. DEBATE

Collaborative: multiple sides work toward shared understanding.	Oppositional: two opposing sides try to prove each other wrong.
One listens to understand, to make meaning, and to find common ground.	One listens to find flaws, to spot differences, and to counter arguments.
Enlarges and possibly changes a participant's point of view.	Defends assumptions as truth.
Creates an open-minded attitude: an openness to being wrong and an openness to change.	Creates a close-minded attitude, a determination to be right.
One submits one's best thinking, expecting that other people's reflections will help improve it rather than threaten it.	One submits one's best thinking and defends it against challenge to show that it is right.
Calls for temporarily suspending one's beliefs.	Calls for investing wholeheartedly in one's beliefs.
One searches for strengths in all positions.	One searches for weaknesses in the other position.
Respects all the other participants and seeks not to alienate or offend.	Rebuts contrary positions and may belittle or deprecate other participants.
Assumes that many people have pieces of answers and that cooperation can lead to a greater understanding.	Assumes a single right answer that somebody already has.
Remains open-ended.	Demands a conclusion.
This table adapted from http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/wjhs/depts/socialst/ams/Skills/SocraticSeminar/SocraticSeminarIntro.html

What is my Role as a Participant in a Socratic Seminar?

Prepare Individually

· Read the text carefully, following the steps to critical reading

· Try to understand the basic ideas, concepts and vocabulary of the text

· Think of questions that the text raises for you

Engage in Shared Inquiry

· Keep the discussion focused on the text.

· Ask thoughtful questions that raise issues, lead to further questions, and require more than a “yes or no” answer (remember Socrates’ idea of the dialectic).

· Support your views with evidence from the text.

· Seek to understand everyone’s views and questions. Ask for clarification,;restate ideas.

· Use “intellectual etiquette”---be patient and polite as if the conversation were happening with guests at your dinner table.

· Observe the group carefully---be aware of body language as well as what is said.

· Be skeptical of unsupported statements; but never criticize the person.

· Follow the conversation closely; keep adding to it without repeating ground that’s already been covered. Taking notes will help your trace the discussion.

· Include everyone in the group; encourage everyone to participate.

· Be prepared to change your mind as a result of the conversation; be open to new views.

· Take risks; there are no wrong answers.

· Have fun!

GUIDELINES FOR FISHBOWL DISCUSSIONS

What is a “fishbowl” discussion?

A student-led, shared inquiry into a text or topic, like a Socratic Seminar. Like a Socratic Seminar, the teacher’s role is to get the conversation started and to step in only when the discussants are stuck. Unlike a Socratic Seminar, students discussing in a “fishbowl” are observed by other students, whose role is to examine the process of the discussion and provide feedback.

Why do we have “fishbowl” discussions?

• To practice your critical thinking and discussion skills
• To receive feedback on your behaviors and contributions during a discussion
• To help you improve in your ability to participate in academic conversation

Here’s how a “fishbowl” works:

Half the group will sit in a circle; they will be the discussants (“fish” in a “fishbowl”). The other half will sit in a circle around the discussants; they will be the observers (“fisherpersons” studying the “fish”).

Guidelines for the “Fisherpersons”:

Your task is to chart and evaluate the process of the discussion as well as its contents, and then after the discussion, to share what you have observed with the “fish,

· Listen and observe carefully.

· Take detailed notes so that you can accurately summarize the process.

· Offer positive feedback and constructive criticism---your goal is to help the “fish” improve their discussion skills.

Guidelines for the “Fish”:

Your task is to conduct an in-depth, interesting discussion on the designated topic(s). Follow the guidelines below:

Guidelines for Effective Discussions

· You should only be a “fish” if you have prepared for the discussion (you should have notes, annotations, journal entries or other assigned work as evidence of preparation).

· Take detailed notes to trace lines of thinking, to help yourself avoid making repetitive or “dead-end’ comments, and to help yourself remember the discussion later.

· Offer specific examples and evidence from your reading to support your contributions.

· Encourage those who are monopolizing to share, and those who are quiet to speak up.

· Ask questions to allow the discussion to expand.

· Restate ideas and ask clarifying questions.

· Keep the discussion moving.

· Maintain an open mind.

· Disagree with a person’s ideas, but avoid criticizing the person.

· Listen carefully.

· Communicate clearly.

· Have fun.

GUIDELINES FOR LEARNING CIRCLES

What is a Learning Circle?

Learning Circles are rooted in the practice of democratic education.  As teachers, we find that we don’t get to hear from our students enough.  We spend time talking and explaining what we think you need to hear to better understand the curriculum.  This is why a learning circle is exceptionally refreshing.  It guarantees every single person a chance to voice their thoughts on the same subject.  In light of democratic education, every person has reserved air space to voice their opinion or tell their story without it getting interrupted or vacuumed up by the surrounding voices.

Learning Circles center around a predetermined prompt shared by a facilitator.   Prompts are most effective and least controversial when people are asked to tell some sort of story about their life experience.  Brain research also affirms that most learning is connected to our emotional memory in some way and thus, connections between our personal lives and new experiences can provide powerful learning experiences.

What are my responsibilities as a facilitator?

· The biggest responsibility of the facilitator is to create a space for everyone to be heard.  Facilitators introduce the prompt, give people a chance to write or think about their response, and then begin by going clockwise around the circle encouraging people, one by one, to share their thoughts. 

· The facilitator carefully listens to the comments shared by EACH group member. 

· By carefully hearing what people are saying, the facilitator may choose to offer a follow-up question that addresses some further thoughts on the same or related topic.

· Facilitators must be willing to preserve the topic at hand.  In other words, if a group member is so compelled to speak up and affirm or disagree with what the speaker is saying, then the facilitator must be willing to preserve the original speaker’s air space and ask the interrupter to table the matter for later.  The facilitator should make a conscientious effort and be sure to come back to this tabled matter after the first “go-round” of the circle.

· What’s the point of going around the circle in order?   By going around the circle in order, speakers know when they will speak—it is as simple as that; by going in order people can anticipate when they will be sharing with the group.  If speakers are not ready to talk yet, that’s fine, the facilitator will come back to them. 

· What’s the point of not letting other topics come up?  Actually, other topics do come up in an organic fashion.  Most speakers that share toward the end of the group are likely to have evolved their thought based on what they have heard already.  This is fine—this is the way ideas shape ideas.

· Circle go-rounds: Most facilitators will have at least two circle go-rounds followed by an informal discussion.  If facilitators read their group well, they will be able to come up with another prompt following the first one that pushes the participants to further their insight and thinking process. 

· Whenever actions can connect to what has been discussed, the learner may feel more in control of a situation.  Facilitators should listen carefully to participants and or the reading and consider when a prompt might incorporate actions one can take.  This is where the cycle of transformation/democratic learning gains momentum. 

STEPS IN CRITICAL READING

Knowledge 1. Skim the text

• identify author, context, the general idea

• ask yourself what you will look for as you read

Comprehension 2. Decipher the content

• identify thesis

• identify main ideas, evidence & reasoning

• search for "5 W's & an H" (who?, what?, when?, where?, why?, how?)

Analysis 3. Examine text piece by piece (take it apart)

• what is the writer saying?

• why is s/he saying it? what's the purpose?

• why is s/he saying it in this way? what’s the style?

• what is the effect?

Evaluation 4. Criticize the text

• do you agree or disagree?

• how effectively does the writer convey the message

Synthesis 5. Interpret the text (put it back together)

• explain the ideas in context

• relate the ideas to other ideas, other texts, the real world

• relate the text to yourself & your own life

ACTIVE READING GUIDELINES

“As a reader, you are not a passive receptacle into which meaning is poured. Nor are you a decoder, deciphering the black marks on a page to discover the text’s message. A better analogy for reading is translating: As you read, you transfer into your own words what you understand the page to mean” (Rise Axelrod, Reading Critically, Writing Well)

At SES, we expect students to be active readers; we recommend a two-step procedure:

Step 1: Annotating

Active readers interact with the text by highlighting, underlining and commenting as they read. On photocopied readings or in your own copies of books, you can annotate right on the page. On SES te