The Socratic Method

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a Greek philosopher who sought to get to the foundations of his students' and colleagues' views by asking continual questions until a contradiction was exposed, causing the student to pause and think deeper. This became known as the Socratic Method, and may be Socrates' most enduring contribution to philosophy.

Our scholars will discover quickly that the Socratic Method is a tool - and a good one at that - used to engage a large group of students in a discussion, while using probing questions to get at the heart of the subject matter or expose other perspectives. Our teachers will often play devil’s advocate, forcing students to see material from other perspectives, but they must always be careful to never betray their own biases.

CRLA will continue to train and develop teachers to hone this tool of teaching until it is a hallmark of the academy.

(Adopted from University of Chicago Law School)