What’s in a Seminar?

What are seminars and why are they important?

Seminars are forums in which issues are raised and explored, but not necessarily resolved; they
require you to think, to practice the skills of analysis and synthesis, and by doing so, possibly
leave with more and better ideas than the ones with which you came. Seminars are not
intended as a mechanism for transmitting information; they serve as a means for groups of
students to obtain a set of common experiences, usually based on a text, piece of art, film, etc.
Seminars are not a place for the transmission of data. Ideally they go beyond the sharing of
facts and probe the depths of the subject matter at hand. The success of the seminar is
dependent on the group’s ability to work together and, through intelligent discussion, develop
an understanding of the material that you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.

The Purpose of the Seminar:

Richard Alexander sets out the following general principles for the functions of a seminar:

1. Provide a forum in which each individual student is encouraged (perhaps even forced) to
take personal responsibility for a major contribution, thus leading the student to master
the skills necessary for (a) independent research, (b) coherent organization of thoughts
and findings, (c) useful presentation of the material, (d) personalizing this works, so that
it becomes an expression of that student’s individual learning, goals and experience, and
thus (e) further the goal of the student taking charger of her own education forthrightly
and up to objective standards.

2. Provide a situation in which the students as a group can eventually take charge of their
own education, thus furthering skill in group organization, research, and presentation. I
want the students cooperating with each other in work that meets the group’s needs,
and within that the individual needs of each member.

3. Conversely, to break the students’ dependence on the faculty, and to short-circuit all
those little games and tricks mastered from so long by students whereby they get the
faculty to do all the work and all the thinking for them, and avoid putting themselves on
the line.

4. Incorporate into the seminar tasks which necessarily require writing, reading, research
(of all sorts), verbal communication, both oral and written, and cooperation.

What to do and not do in seminar:

 BE PREPARED! Here are some tips on how to prepare:
o ALWAYS complete assigned reading prior to the seminar!
o Take notes on the assigned reading, and bring those notes, along with assigned

texts, to each meeting of the seminar. Such notes are of two kinds: paraphrases
(glosses), and reflective comments or questions.

o Read specifically for ideas and for key concepts. Make your own index to them in
back of the book.

o Get a study partner, or become part of a study group. Exchange papers or
discuss the book before seminar.

o Bring questions. There are two kinds of questions you can bring to seminar:
logistical questions that have answers, and the really important, open-ended
questions that foster intelligent discussion.

 Be on time. If you must be late, do not join in the discussion until you are certain that
you know exactly what is being discussed.

 Quote from the book and make references to specific passages. This helps to focus the
discussion where it should be – on the text.

 At the center is the subject matter of the text, not personal opinion.
 Listen attentively to what is said by others and take notes on the general discussion.

Taking notes in seminar is even more important, sometimes, than taking notes in
lectures.

 Speak in turn and don’t interrupt another person.
 Respond actively to what another has said before you contribute your own thoughts.
 Don’t be afraid to try out ideas. Nobody expects you to have fully-formed ideas when

you come to seminar.
 Remember to address the entire seminar, not just the faculty member.
 Avoid name calling or putting others down.
 Specifics from your own experience may be relevant. But place a DANGER sign here,

because this is where too many seminars founder. Just talking about your own
experience has little educational value. Your personal experience is relevant only insofar
as you can show how it amplifies the point of the discussion.

 Be respectful of each person’s culture, race, gender and sexual orientation. Don’t expect
that someone will be an expert on a subject simply because of their race, culture, etc.

 Don’t engage in extended arguments. Seminars are for learning and listening, not for
winning a debate.

 If you didn’t read the book, don’t talk. Instead, take notes.
 Don’t engage in side conversations.

A good way to keep focused on the text is to respond to the following three questions:

 What does the text say? Point to the exact page and paragraph so everyone can read.
 What does the text mean? Explain or interpret the passage in your own words.
 Why is this important? Discuss the passage’s importance to the entire text or program

themes.

Tips for creating successful seminars:

 Seminars are collaborative adventures that require everyone’s participation and ideas.
 Everyone is responsible for the creation of a good learning environment.
 Constructive roles in seminar include people who ask questions, people who summarize,

people who refer to material, people who clarify. Try out each of these roles.
 Take advantage of pauses to ask if people who haven’t spoken have anything to add.
 Attempt to give space for others to speak.
 Take personal responsibility for making the seminar a good one!
 If the seminar is not going well, address the group at the end of one of your meetings

to discuss what each person can do to improve the seminar or how your seminar format
could be changed to facilitate more meaningful conversation.

 If problems persist, talk with your faculty member.

Group Discussion

Discussion as part of a group of people with a common interest in a subject and an honest
concern for learning about themselves in relationship to the world is the heart of education.
Thus, group discussion is the class. Group work—like education is generally to Paulo Freire—is
active. It’s participatory. It’s more of a verb than a noun.

In group discussion, you will develop reading, analytical, and discussion skills that will help you
understand more fully what you read and help you communicate your ideas to others through
both speaking and writing. Group discussion requires several abilities: preparing, listening,
speaking, questioning, answering, focusing, relating to or appreciating others, and
summarizing.

Preparing: Group discussion begins with good preparation, and good preparation means good
reading. You should be prepared to discuss ideas and raise questions. This preparation can only
be done prior to the discussion. You should complete all reading and writing assignments. You
should understand the author’s concepts and conclusions. You should think about the material
carefully: How does it relate to your previous reading and learning? Where can you go now with
this new information? How has it changed your perceptions? This questioning is what makes a
good group discussion. If everyone comes prepared, there will be lots of stimulation and plenty
of ideas flowing.

Listening: It’s one thing to listen. It’s another thing to really listen. While the former is hearing
words, the latter is understanding words. The latter is the skill you want to develop. Groups
consist of a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. You must listen carefully to
actually hear what others say so that you hear what they mean.

Speaking: Remember you’re in a discussion, a rather formal setting in that you are speaking to
others in a public sort of way. But say what’s on your mind when it’s appropriate. Ask questions
or provide relevant information. You may give your opinions or ideas. Or you may cite passages
from the reading. Whatever you offer, make sure it relates to what has been previously said.
Like a conversation, the discussion must flow. Interjections that don’t follow the group’s train of
thought will throw everyone off. Remember, your contribution should be clear and well stated.
But be assertive about getting your turn to talk. Your thoughts are valuable, and you’ll get to be
a better speaker through practice.

Questioning: Any question is a good question. Asking is a means of gaining more information.
You can’t make good judgments or decisions without enough information. The same holds true
for discussions. Your questions will clarify your understanding and maybe clarify the
understanding of others. A seemingly awkward question sometimes turns out to be the key to
solving the task of the discussion. Questioning is active learning. Use it!

Answering: Questions need answers when you can give them. You may cite passages from
the text or provide other relevant information. Your insights and views are unique. Such
contributions may be just what others need to clarify their understanding.

Focusing: It’s easy to take off on tangents in group discussion. Someone will say something
that reminds someone else of another unrelated but kind of interesting story and off trudges

the whole discussion. Group dynamics are interesting in this sense. You can bring the discussion
back just as easily. Everyone is responsible for remembering the task at hand. It’s important to
keep the discussion moving in a forward direction or to get it back on track.

Appreciating Others: There’s nothing worse than being criticized for an idea, comment, or
question. We’ve all been criticized and we’ve all given criticism. Having been at both ends of the
stick, we want our ideas to be accepted, but it’s just as important to accept and appreciate the
ideas of others. Criticism can be a positive, constructive tool. So avoid negative put-downs.
Learn to accept the ideas of others and show them how your views differ and why.

Summarizing: The discussion is almost over. Have you completed the task you started? Can
you all agree on a few ideas or concepts? This agreement is closure. It’s putting together all the
bits and pieces. It’s summarizing what you’ve covered. Discussion needs closure, and closure
will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Useful Discussion Skills:

1. Bring copies of what you wrote with you to class and have them available to yourself for
discussion.

2. Paraphrase what others have said as you begin to respond. This helps to develop your
own listening skills and ensures that everyone is hearing correctly.

3. Watch the group—look for expressions indicating that someone wishes to respond or
disagrees strongly.

4. Distinguish “Yes, and…” from “Yes, but…” The latter is a conversation killer; the former
can extend the flow of ideas.

Non-Participation is Not an Option; Common Excuses to Avoid:

1. “I was going to say something but someone else said it first.”
2. “I was going to say something but thought it would sound dumb.”
3. “I wanted to say something but really didn’t have anything to say.”
4. “I wanted to say something but my thoughts aren’t together yet in final form.”
5. “I didn’t read all the stuff but like the social aspect of the seminar forum.”
6. “I don’t get what’s going on.”
7. “I wasn’t in the mood.”
8. “I feel content as a listener and really see no reason why I have to say something.”
9. “I had a thought but then someone changed the subject.”
10. “Someone else always says it better.”

Tips for Response Papers, Discussion Plans, and Chairing:

– Avoid asking “Do you agree?” or any yes/no questions
– Do not summarize the reading except where appropriate for critical discussion
– Use page #’s when referring to specific portions of the text
– Examine the potential ramifications of the author’s ideas and arguments. Ask where they

can lead us. How can they be applied in other contexts? How are these theories useful?

– Compare ideas and authors with each other. Ask what a conversation between one
author and another on a particular topic would be like.

– Conceptualize authors and ideas. Ask about the historical, social and political context of
the book or article. Think about the position from which the author is writing – always
take race, class, sexuality, ethnicity and so forth into account. No one writes from a
neutral position. Also take these things into account when evaluating your own response
to the readings. No one reads from a neutral position either.

– Practice critical thinking. Ask what the ideological assumptions and underpinnings of
the piece are. More importantly, ask what assumptions you as a reader and participant
in the class bring to your interpretation of the reading. ALWAYS BE READY TO
CHALLENGE YOUR OWN ASSUMPTIONS.

– Practice empathetic thinking. Constantly try to imagine what it might be like to be
someone else situated differently from you. Try to understand why a person or group of
people might believe in something, or argue something, that you disagree with. Always
acknowledge your own and others embeddedness in ideology and history.

– Look for absences. What questions, ideas or possibilities does the author leave out?
What is the significance of these omissions?

– Isolate “keywords” and terms and unpack them.
– Ask the class or seminar chair to do a close reading of a passage you consider key.
– Ask whom the author is addressing. What thinkers/writers/theorists is she refuting and

which ones if she building on? Think about the whole field of criminology of which the
piece is a part.