Abstract
The following chapter looks at some of the teaching methods used at two Greek American schools. More specifically, this chapter explores the use of the Socratic Method when teaching Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad to 7th and 8th grade students at the Socrates and Koraes Greek American Schools in Chicago. This chapter defines the Socratic Method and then discusses some of its limitations. It later shows how the two schools attempt to incorporate this method when teaching the Odyssey and Iliad while using other teaching methods.
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Notes
- 1.
Interview. Mrs. T teaches both the Iliad and Odyssey at Koraes Greek American School (April 23, 2000).
- 2.
Both the Koraes School and Socrates Greek American Schools are affiliated with a Greek Orthodox Church. Interview. School Principal. (April 12, 2000).
- 3.
Haroutunian-Gordon, Sophie, Interpretive Discussion: Engaging Students in Text-Based Conversations (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2014).
- 4.
Ibid., 11.
- 5.
Ibid., 4.
- 6.
Teloh, Henry, Socratic Education in Plato’s Early Dialogues (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1986).
- 7.
Robinson, Richard, Plato’s Earlier Dialectic (London, UK: Clarendon Press, 1984) and Teloh, Henry, Socratic Education in Plato’s Early Dialogues (Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1986).
- 8.
Heckman, Gustav, “Socratic Dialogue,” Thinking, 8, no. 1 (1988): 34–37.
- 9.
Portelli, John P. “The Socratic Method and Philosophy for Children,” Metaphilosophy. 21, no. 1 & 2 (January/April 1990): 141–161.
- 10.
Elenchos means of proving or examination.
- 11.
Logos has several meanings. In most of Plato’s works logos is used to mean discourse or mode of speaking.
- 12.
Ousia in the context of the Platonic works means essence and substance.
- 13.
Gotz, Ignacio, “On the Socratic Method,” Philosophy of Education. 88. no 1 (1999): 84–92.
- 14.
Dries Boele, “The Benefits of a Socratic Dialogue or: Which Results Can We Promise?” Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across Disciplines, 17, no. 3. (1997): 51.
- 15.
Robinson, Richard, Plato’s Earlier Dialectic. (London, UK: Clarendon Press, 1953). 69.
- 16.
Ibid.
- 17.
Ibid.
- 18.
Morse, Fowler Jane, “Socratic Dialectic for the Twenty-First Century.” Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across Disciplines, 17, no. 3. (1998): 9–23.
- 19.
Ibid.
- 20.
Ibid.
- 21.
Portelli, John P. “The Philosopher as Teacher: The Socratic Method and Philosophy for Children,” Metaphilosophy, 21, no. 1 & 2, (January/April 1990): 141–161.
- 22.
Ibid.
- 23.
Interview with Mr. F., 7th grade Greek School literature and history teacher at Socrates Greek American School. (April 14, 2000).
- 24.
Ibid.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Interview. Mrs. S., Principal at Socrates Greek American School and Middle School Greek Language Teacher. (April 14, 2000).
- 27.
From Socrates Greek American School, Church, and School Archival Materials.
- 28.
Interview with a student from Socrates Greek American School. (April 14, 2000).
- 29.
Kopan, Andrew, “The Greeks in Chicago: The Survival of an Ethnic Group Through Education.” The Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora, 16, no. 1–4. (1989): 47–60.
- 30.
Lekkas, Heracles, “The History and Development of the Koraes School of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.” (MA, thesis, DePaul University, 1985).
- 31.
Ibid.
- 32.
Ibid.
- 33.
Ibid.
- 34.
Bodnar, John, The Transplanted: A History of Immigrants in Urban America (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1987).
- 35.
Ibid.
- 36.
“Socrates Greek American School: The Future of Hellenism in Chicago,” School Pamphlet, Church and School Archival Materials.
- 37.
Koraes Greek American School. Church and School Archival Materials.
- 38.
Interview. Mrs. S., middle school literature teacher at Socrates Greek American School (April 12, 2000).
- 39.
The Plato Greek American School was closed in 1998 due to low student enrollment. The school was reopened recently at its new location in Des Plaines, Illinois.
- 40.
Triandis, Harry C. “Education of Greek Americans for a Pluralistic Society,” Education and Greek Americans: Process and Prospects, ed. Spyros D. Orfanos, Harry J. Psomiades & John Spiridakis. 19–34. NY: Pella Publishing Company, Inc., 1987.
- 41.
Kopan, Andrew T. “Education and Greek Immigrants in Chicago, 1892–1973: A Study in Ethnic Survival,” (PhD diss., University of Chicago, 1974).
- 42.
Haroutunian-Gordon, Sophie, Interpretive Discussion: Engaging Students in Text-Based Conversations (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2014).
- 43.
Papacosta, Chryssi, “Teaching Homer’s Iliad: A Comparison of Two Approaches” (MA Thesis, National Louis University, 1990).
- 44.
The Guidelines for the Curriculum and Instruction for Junior High and High School are governed by the laws established by the Greek government. Greek Law 309/1976. The Organization and Administration of the Educational System of Greece. Bulletin of Government Publications 78/1976 vol. A.
- 45.
The names of the students at the Socrates Greek American School have been changed in order to protect the identity of the students.
- 46.
Ibid.
- 47.
Interview. Mr. F., (April 14, 2000).
- 48.
A didactic Socratic discourse is usually teacher centered. The teacher needs to know more on the topic than the students for the discussion to be categorized as such. Essentially, during this type of discussion the teacher leads students to the answer. The Meno by Plato provides examples of this method. A classic example where the method occurs is in the Meno, when Socrates helps a slave boy solve a geometric problem. For an extensive look at the didactic method see, Heckman, Gustav, “Socratic Dialogue,” Thinking, 8, no. 1 (1988): 34–37.
- 49.
It is significant to remind the reader that the Trojan War occurred some 300 years before the time of Homer. Therefore, Homer’s accounts of the war in the Iliad and Odyssey are not first-hand accounts. For example, Homer has been thought to exaggerate the true size of the city of Troy. It is not until 1870, when Heinrich Schliemann excavated the ancient city of Troy, now in modern Turkey, and finds the size of the city to be significantly smaller than what Homer indicates.
- 50.
Interview. Mrs. S., Principal and middle school literature teacher at Socrates Greek American School (April 12, 2000).
- 51.
The names of the students at the Koraes Greek American School have been changed in order to protect the identity of the students.
- 52.
For a more elaborate discussion of the Hutchins-Adler program, see M.J. Adler, Reforming Education: The Opening of the American Mind, ed. A. Van Doren, New York: Macmillan, 1988.
References
Bodnar, John. 1987. The Transplanted: A History of Immigrants in Urban America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Boele, Dries. 1997. The Benefits of a Socratic Dialogue or: Which Results Can We Promise? Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across Disciplines 17 (3): 51.
Gotz, Ignacio. 1999. On the Socratic Method. Philosophy of Education 88 (1): 84–92.
Haroutunian-Gordon, Sophie. 2014. Interpretive Discussion: Engaging Students in Text-Based Conversations. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Heckman, Gustav. 1988. Socratic Dialogue. Thinking 8 (1): 34–37.
Kopan, Andrew T. 1974 Education and Greek Immigrants in Chicago, 1892–1973: A Study in Ethnic Survival. PhD diss., University of Chicago.
Kopan, Andrew. 1989. The Greeks in Chicago: The Survival of an Ethnic Group Through Education. The Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora 16 (1–4): 47–60.
Lekkas, Heracles. 1985. The History and Development of the Koraes School of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. MA thesis, DePaul University.
Morse, Fowler Jane. 1998. Socratic Dialectic for the Twenty-First Century. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across Disciplines 17 (3): 9–23.
Papacosta, Chryssi. 1990. Teaching Homer’s Iliad: A Comparison of Two Approaches. MA thesis, National Louis University.
Portelli, John P. 1990. The Socratic Method and Philosophy for Children. Metaphilosophy 21 (1 & 2): 141–161.
Robinson, Richard. 1984. Plato’s Earlier Dialectic. London: Clarendon Press.
Teloh, Henry. 1986. Socratic Education in Plato’s Early Dialogues. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Triandis, Harry C. 1987. Education of Greek Americans for a Pluralistic Society. In Education and Greek Americans: Process and Prospects, ed. Spyros D. Orfanos, Harry J. Psomiades, and John Spiridakis, 19–34. New York: Pella Publishing Company, Inc.
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Zervas, T.G. (2020). Considering the “Socratic Method” When Teaching the Odyssey and Iliad at the Socrates and Koraes Greek American Schools. In: Soumakis, F., Zervas, T. (eds) Educating Greek Americans. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39827-9_4
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