She Is Fierce: Examining Female Voice and Socratic Seminar

Introduction

“Thank you for the chance to be intimidating,” the student said as she walked out the door. The teacher was shocked. She had always used Socratic seminars in her classroom, enjoying the semi-structured discussions and appreciating the insights into students' lives. This was a usually quiet student who frequently stayed silent throughout the class. She came to life in the discussion, referencing the text, double-checking another student's claim, and supporting other students' interpretations. The teacher presumed the seminar had an interesting topic; the teacher had never considered it a means of empowerment. That teacher-turned-researcher began a journey of exploration on that day into the use of Socratic Seminar to empower; this chapter represents a step in that exploration.

Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often do not have equitable access to the same courses as their high SES classmates (An, 2013b). It remains unclear whether enrollment in advanced classes provides a means to determine academic success. Still, the ability to engage students for an extended time can promote retention and matriculation rates (Speroni, 2011). Students with low SES backgrounds seek purposeful learning opportunities that present meaning to their lives outside of academics. Low SES students have added concerns regarding external responsibilities that impede classroom participation and engagement. Kuh (2016) explains that low SES students do not succeed academically at the same rate due to outside obligations and a lack of engagement in a classroom setting. Teacher support provides a means of addressing the disconnect between student expectations and classroom achievement. The financial burden of enrolling in dual credit courses and the cost of AP tests make the opportunities unappealing for low SES students. Attempts to alleviate this discrepancy involve programs designed to increase the number of low SES students within Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses (An, 2013a). Yet this alone does not ensure that students from low SES backgrounds will enroll in advanced classes.

Low SES students require support to understand and believe that classroom lessons serve a clear purpose. The teacher's responsibility is to reevaluate potential biases regarding low SES students who demonstrate characteristics of low intelligence stereotypes or lack of motivation (Hammond & Jackson, 2015). Educational disparities, intentional or not, can result in low SES students feeling unwelcome within the classroom environment (Griner & Stewart, 2013). Chesters (2012) explains that attempts to resolve an undesirable climate for low SES students can be exasperated by forced classroom activities. Participation and engagement issues can be addressed when teachers acknowledge that they can change the classroom's power dynamic (Mockler & Groundwater-Smith, 2015). Traditional classroom environments and assessments rely on objective standards centered around standardized testing.

Students and teachers can develop a critical consciousness of other cultures to maneuver the classroom's inherent obstacles through open communication and discussion (Sleeter & Carmona, 2017). Teacher-student relationships can foster transparency within the classroom and minimize the presence of societal hierarchies. Teachers can utilize conversations to promote equity within the classroom setting. Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) highlight the value of incorporating the knowledge of students within classroom lessons. Knowledge exists outside the standardized curriculum and can provide teachers the chance to find alternative student learning methods. Yosso (2005) prompts teachers to incorporate student knowledge to address a broader range of student identity needs. Promoting inclusive learning environments centered around students' socioemotional needs to support educational development is necessary when addressing the complete student (Brown-Jeffy & Cooper, 2011). Hammond (2015) states that students' brains tend to adapt to the classroom's communal needs. Teachers can use this understanding and center pedagogical practices around collaborative activities to strengthen teacher-student dynamics.