I didn’t always take seminars seriously. For years, I saw them as just another checkbox to tick (or avoid completely 😅)- something I attempted but struggled to execute well, especially after Zoom breakout rooms created endless pits of silence as the norm during and post-COVID.
Everything changed when I taught at a Paideia school, which emphasizes critical and creative thinking through Paideia Socratic Seminars. These seminars, as defined by the Paideia National Center, are “collaborative intellectual dialogue facilitated with open-ended questions about a text” and include “multiple close readings of a chosen text prior to discussion, formal speaking and listening during the seminar itself, and [a] post-seminar writing process.”
Let me tell you - when done well, seminars are magic. They foster deep thinking, promote collaboration, and help students develop communication skills they didn’t even know they had.
Yes, they can definitely feel awkward at first, but with the right preparation and structure, you’ll be amazed at what your students can do.
Setting the Stage: Take It Seriously (So Your Students Will Too)
The first step to running a successful seminar is taking it so seriously that your students are like, “Woah, what crawled up her back?” (in a good way, of course). Here’s how I did it:
Circle Up the Room - Rearrange your classroom into a circle. Yes, this means moving desks, but it only has to be done a few times a semester. Trust me, there’s something about the feng shui that really does make a difference. I tested a “turn your chairs” method a few times, but it didn’t work the same. The vibe was too casual, and students didn’t take it seriously. The full circle arrangement creates an atmosphere of focus, community, and respect.
Bonus: Recruit students to help with setup and breakdown.
Announce It in Advance - About a week prior, let students know the seminar is coming and explain the expectations. The day before, I would tell them:
“Tomorrow, the classroom will be arranged in a circle. Leave your belongings in your locker or outside the door. You won’t need your device. Your name will be on a desk with a pencil and paper provided. Please be on time and ready to engage respectfully.”
I also put a note on the door the day of that says something like, “Do not enter with anything but your person and a ready-to-listen attitude.”
Set the Atmosphere - Greet them at the door and reinforce expectations. This creates a sense of occasion and importance. And when students walk in, they see:
Their name tags (made earlier in the year) on desks strategically placed around the circle
Seminar sheets and pencils waiting for them
Lo-fi music playing softly in the background
A timer and seminar goals displayed on the big screen
Once everyone was seated, I would explain that they had 7 minutes (sometimes 10) to choose their seminar goals and complete their pre-seminar questions silently as I walked around the circle marking attendance.
I also gave a mini-spiel before we began about what active listening and respectful engagement looked and sounded like. I reinforced the idea that everyone is entitled to their opinions as long as they are expressed in a respectful manner not meant to belittle anyone else. I also emphasized the importance of conversation and listening and acknowledged that hell yeah, it’s going to feel a little uncomfortable and awkward the first time around especially, but I was so proud of them for engaging in this difficult work and I believed they could all do it.
Pre-Seminar Prep: The Secret Sauce
Successful seminars require thoughtful preparation. Here are what I now consider some non-negotiables:
Pre-Seminar Work - Students complete tasks or questions beforehand, provided by the teacher. These become tangible resources they bring to the seminar, ensuring they’re not scrambling to come up with ideas on the spot. To help with pre-seminar material, ask yourself:
Is there a supplemental text (article, poem, etc.) students can read that relate to the other texts covered in class?
Is there an art piece or media clip that ties in thematically?
Is there a graphic organizer that can help students organize ideas and evidence together?
You can choose to look this work over/grade it before the actual seminar or just leave it as student notes. For students who were absent on pre-seminar day, I would have them complete as much as they could while students were choosing their seminar goals and such the day of.
Provide Sentence Stems - For students who struggle with communication, sentence starters are a lifesaver. Some examples include:
“I agree because…”
“In the text, it said that…, which I took to mean…”
“Thank you for sharing that. It resonated with me because…”
“I actually disagree with that because…”
You can display these in the circle or add it to their seminar day paperwork. Celebrate students when they actively use these during discussion.
Running the Seminar: Facilitator, Not Participant
Once the seminar starts, I act solely as a facilitator. Here’s my process:
Start with a Round Robin Question - As taught in Paideia seminar, this guarantees every student speaks at least once. Make it low-stakes and something you know each student has a short response to.
Facilitate, Don’t Dominate - Sit as part of the circle with a discussion circle outline (that I fill out while students are prepping) and questions, only stepping in when it’s time to move forward or reset expectations. It’s important to sit with the awkward silences and maintain neutral facial expressions.
Handle Challenges with Care - The first seminar for any class is often a struggle. Sometimes I have to reset expectations, de-escalate arguments, or provide more guidance. But it gets easier with practice, which is why I suggest aiming for at least 3 a semester.
Grading Seminars: Keep It Manageable
I assigned two grades: one for seminar participation and one for the post-seminar writing task, but you can also solely give a grade for the writing.
Seminar Participation:
Students start with a 70 for completing pre-seminar work and the round robin question.
If they speak at least once, they bump up to an 80. More meaningful contributions = higher grades.
Post-Seminar Writing:
I based prompts on something a student said during the seminar. This kept the writing reflective and unique to each class.
Sometimes I provided a choice board with 3 prompt options.
Students had the second half of class (in 90-minute class periods) and the next day to complete their responses.
Extra Tips for Success
Give Students Goals - Have students choose a personal seminar goal (e.g., “Speak at least twice” or “Respond directly to another student’s comment”). Post-seminar, they reflect on how they met their goal.
Shoutouts Matter - After each seminar, I gave specific shoutouts to 3 students — usually one for insightful comments, one for achieving their goal, and one for effort. Specificity is key (e.g., “Great job connecting [idea A] with [idea B] during the closing section of the discussion”).
You could also have students submit their votes for Seminar Shout Outs through an anonymous Google Form or similar platform. Be sure to ask for specific reasoning for their nominations.
Digital Tool for Seminars
For older grades and AP classes, I highly recommend Parlay, a digital platform that tracks participation, houses discussion questions, and provides exportable analytics for grading and reflection. It’s free to join and incredibly teacher and student-friendly.
When to Run Seminars
Seminars work best mid-unit, at the end of a unit, or towards the end of a quarter/semester. They’re especially effective for synthesis-based discussions. I would say to keep them no longer than 30 mins., but it’s up to what you know would work best with your particular students.
One of my favorites was one I ran on the first half of Frankenstein, paired with chapter 15 of Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy.
If you’re looking for resources to guide your seminar process, click here to access an example folder, housing the supplemental reading, pre-seminar prep, seminar day doc, and seminar goals.
Seminars aren’t just about discussions; they’re about growth, connection, and empowering students to think critically and creatively. The prep work can feel a little time-consuming in the beginning, but the payoff is worth it when you see your students engaging in meaningful dialogue and developing skills that will serve them far beyond your classroom.
Using templates can also make the follow up seminars feel easier and easier. Once you have your documents, goals, etc. set up once and fine-tune as you run your first batch, you’ll feel like a pro and look forward to the 3 days of seminar work in your classes.
Even if your format isn’t Paideia, any type of structured, collaborative discussion is valuable. I personally saw success with 10th - 12th graders, but I know it can be done with younger grades as well; it just has to become part of a routine.
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