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See Figure 6 for a sample of a student’s reflection at the end of the year about the value of Socratic Circles.

FIGURE 6

Besides gains in student achievement, student behavior also changed. When in the outer circle, students dedicated their energies to detailed observations about body language and it effect upon the dialogue. Outer circles noticed and commented upon participants’ lean- ing forward, or shifting weight, crossing and uncrossing legs depending upon idea changes. I found myself introducing vocabulary such as “segues,” “innuendo,” “concatenation,” and “poetic license.” Students were astonished to note that “leaders” in groups generally invited others into the discussions, while “blending in ideas.” Not bad for eighth graders who are often accused of “egocentric knowledge.”

Overall, once the “groups” began exchanging insights about body language, verbal commu- nication, and “invitations to join dialogue,” I found the tone of the classroom shifted also. Stu- dents were more patient with each other, allowing more “think time” to “find the right word, or perfect phrase. Students sought help from each other more; students who had been deemed

Virginia Educational Leadership

Vol. 7 No. 1

Spring 2010

52
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