Guest Blog: Socrates, The Power of Questions

by Dan Fouts, Maine West High School

Dan Fouts teaches AP Government, Philosophy and US history in the Chicagoland area. His blog, Socrates Questions, shares how students can use “big questions” to shape inquiry, aligning with the new Illinois Social Studies standards. In this guest blog, Dan discusses the importance of using “big questions” in the classroom.
 

Socrates believed that the purpose of education is to facilitate the self-discovery of others through questioning. Smart use of questions, combined with relentless critical thinking, lead us to see knowledge as a continuous journey to understanding. As more individuals embark on this journey, the quality of our civic discussions improves and we become a more just society.

Fortunately, Socrates' mission is gaining great traction in today’s reform environment. Common Core, teacher evaluation frameworks and the recently published C3 Framework standards for social studies all in some way promote the value of teacher and student questioning and critical thinking. A quote from the C3 Framework brings the commitment into focus.


Engaged questioning and critical thinking are indispensable skills as we confront the challenge of a divided America.

We see political divisions in our debates over gun control, and over the legitimacy of our law-enforcement institutions.

We see them in our historical arguments over immigration policies and the competing visions of what role America should play on the world stage.

We see them sociologically in our race relations and culture wars which erupted in Charlottesville, and in the flourishing of the MeToo Movement.

And we feel them psychologically as we struggle with issues of gender identity and defining what it means to be an American.

The time is now for our students to understand these challenges and take informed action to bridge our divides.
For teachers looking to learn more about how to to use “big questions” in the classroom, visit Dan’s blog, “Socrates Questions” for resources, inspiration and professional development opportunities. Together, we can prepare students for college, career and civic life.

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