SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
Any Human to Another by Countee Cullen
Belonging, Conscience, Democracy, Empathy, Equality
Have students brainstorm a list of five societal issues that they believe truly impact us
all. Have them explain the two they think most important for society to collectively
understand and address—which two call most strongly for empathy and action?
Distribute the text and ask participants to anticipate what they expect this reading to be
like. Read the text together the first time aloud. Number the stanzas 1-5. Note that
stanzas 1-4 are one sentence and stanza 5 has two sentences. Have a participant(s)
read the text aloud again.
Countee (pronounced “Coun-tay”) Cullen (May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946) was an
African-American poet and writer, and a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance.
Cullen received a graduate degree from Harvard. He wrote a column for the National
Urban League. He also studied in France. Instead of teaching at the college level later
in his life (he was offered a position in New Orleans), Cullen chose to stay in New York
City and teach Junior High School instead.
Provide (or mine participants for) definitions for Context Words: marrow, fused, scorned,
unsheathed, bitter aloes, wreathed. Discuss Content Words: (the literary meanings of)
mood and stanza; (also note for social studies content) empathy, democracy, and vital.
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SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
(Post directions.) Have participants read the poem again silently to themselves. Ask
them to paraphrase each stanza with a single word that best represents the idea(s) of
that particular stanza. And then, have participants note (with an exclamation point) the
one stanza that resonates most with them.
“A Paideia Seminar is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue about a text, facilitated with openended questions. The main purpose of seminar is to arrive at a fuller understanding of the
textual ideas and values, of ourselves, and of each other.
“I am primarily responsible for asking challenging, open-ended questions, and I will take a
variety of notes to keep up with the talk turns and flow of ideas. I will help move the discussion
along in a productive direction by asking follow-up questions based on my notes.
“I am asking you to think, listen, and speak candidly about your thoughts, reactions, and ideas.
You can help each other do this by using each other’s names.
“You do not need to raise your hands in order to speak; rather, the discussion is collaborative in
that you try to stay focused on the main speaker and wait your turn to talk.
“You should try to both agree and disagree in a courteous, thoughtful manner. For example,
you might say, ‘I disagree with Joanna because…,’ focusing on the ideas involved, not the
individuals.
“Now, please reflect on how you normally participate in a discussion as a group. What goal can
you set for yourself that will help the flow and meaning of the seminar?
“Please consider the list of personal participation goals – either on the Speaking and Listening
Checklist or on the board.”
To speak at least three times
To refer to the text
To ask a question
To speak out of uncertainty
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SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
“Is there one that is relevant for you? Please choose one goal from the list or that you feel is
best and commit to achieving it during the discussion we are about to have… write down (or
circle) your personal goal.”
For this seminar, I will suggest our group goal (TO BUILD ON OTHERS COMMENTS).
[Set group goal and display it for all to see.]
 What one word best describes the mood of the poem? (round-robin response;
facilitator or a participant records.)
 Why did you choose the word you did for the mood of the poem? (spontaneous
discussion)
 The speaker uses the word must repeatedly. Why might this be? What is implied
in the lines that include must?
 The third stanza of the poem includes a warning. (Reread this sentence “Let no
man be so proud...”) What is being said here?
 Is the poem more about empathy or taking action (or something else)? Use
textual support in your reasoning.
 What are the arguments the speaker is making? (Use the text to support your
thinking.)
 How are the ideas in this poem related to social studies? Explain.
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SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
“Thank you for your focused and thoughtful participation in our seminar.
“As part of the post-seminar process, I would first like to ask you to take a few minutes to reflect
on your relative success in meeting the personal process goal you set prior to beginning the
discussion. Please review the goal you set for yourself and reflect in writing to what extent you
met the goal. In addition, note why you think you performed as you did. (Pause for reflection.)
“Now I would like us to talk together about how we did in relation to the group goals we set for
ourselves (TO UNDERSTAND THE IDEAS IN THE TEXT AND TO BUILD ON OTHERS COMMENTS).
On a scale of one to five, FIVE being perfect, how would you say we did? Why? (Pause for
discussion.)
“Now, would someone be willing to (volunteer) to share your personal self-assessment and
reflection?”
“Keeping in mind, our goal is continuous improvement, let’s make note of what we might focus
on next seminar both as individual seminar participants and as a community of thinkers.
Thank you again for your participation.”
Ask students to revisit their initial list from Pre-Seminar (societal issues), and make
additions based on what they read, heard, and thought during seminar. Set timer for
about 2 minutes.
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SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
Is empathy vital to a democratic society? After reading and discussing “Any Human to
Another,” about empathy and connections, write a short opinion paper in which you
address the question and argue whether empathy is/is not vital to a democratic society.
Verify your position by using the text for support. (Argumentation/Analysis)
Have participants talk in pairs about what this task is asking for and refer back to the list
they have generated to isolate a single societal issue. Challenge students to revisit the
seminar text and think of ways in which ideas from within the text are connected to the
issue they have selected.
Allot a few minutes for all to outline their writing, and refine their thinking. Provide
students an organizational template as needed.
Challenge all to draft their essays by writing sentences in the paragraphs defined by
their outlines.
Have participants work in pairs to read their first drafts aloud to each other. The reader
should make a special note to signify to the listener the argument that empathy is/is not
vital for a democratic society. The listener summarizes:
1. the position heard,
2. a reason that supports the position,
3. a way it connects/refutes a big idea from the seminar text.
Roles are then switched. Give time for full revisions resulting in a second draft.
Once the second draft is complete, have participants work in groups of three or four and
this time take turns reading each other’s second drafts slowly and silently, marking
spelling or grammar errors they find, with a limit of 5-per page. (Have dictionaries and
grammar handbooks available for reference.) Take this opportunity to clarify/reteach
any specific grammar strategies you have identified that your students may need. Give
time for full revisions and editing, resulting in a third and final draft.
Publish (either virtually or on paper) the final copies of the resulting personal essays in a
collection to be shared via the class web site and as exemplary personal essays for
future students. This is unique in that it uses key ideas from literary art as fodder in
addressing what is vital to a democracy.
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SEMINARIO “Enseñanza del Pensamiento Crítico a través del Dialogo Socrático”
Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago de Chile
10 de diciembre 2015
Taller área de Humanidades
Kelly Foster
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