Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.
Learning objective: To encourage students to speak meaningfully and sensibly.
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): In our daily life, what are the topics of discussion in our leisure conversations, and what is its use? Most people talk about the shortcomings of others. If a person becomes habitual of such conversations, his personality becomes negative. Those who are negative are always complaining, stay unhappy and others get distant from them gradually.
Our conversations impact our life hugely. When we discuss the good qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress.
Through the questions in this story, we will aim to encourage the students to engage in positive and useful conversation.
Story
In ancient Greece, there lived the famed philosopher called Socrates. He was very learned and polite. Once, he was passing by a market when he met a person known to him. The person started telling him, “Do you know what your friend was saying about you yesterday?”
Socrates stopped that person in between and said, “Before you tell me what my friend was saying about me, please answer three short questions of mine.” The person, a bit surprised now, said, “Three short questions?”
Socrates said, “Yes. Three short questions.”
“The first is that whatever you are going to tell me, are you sure about its accuracy?”
The man replied, “No, I just heard it from someone.”
Socrates said, “No problem. This means that you are not sure what you’re going to say is accurate or not. Now, answer my second question. Whatever you are going to tell me, does it have significance?” The man immediately said, “No.”
Socrates said, “Alright. Now answer my last question. Whatever you are going to tell me, is it useful for me?” The man said, “No, there appears to be nothing of use for you in what the person said.” Then Socrates said, “A thing which is heard from others, does not hold significance and is not useful to me — what is the use of hearing it?”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. In our daily life, do we decide to have conversations based on these three questions? Discuss.
2. Many of our conversations are not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates. Why do we still indulge in them?
3. Give an example of a recent conversation you were a part of, which was not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates.
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Day 2
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
1. If we always take care of these three elements in our conversation, what impact would this have? How would our friends/family members benefit from it?
2. When we discuss the qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress. Agree/Disagree? Discuss.
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Learning objective: To encourage students to speak meaningfully and sensibly.
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): In our daily life, what are the topics of discussion in our leisure conversations, and what is its use? Most people talk about the shortcomings of others. If a person becomes habitual of such conversations, his personality becomes negative. Those who are negative are always complaining, stay unhappy and others get distant from them gradually.
Our conversations impact our life hugely. When we discuss the good qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress.
Through the questions in this story, we will aim to encourage the students to engage in positive and useful conversation.
Story
In ancient Greece, there lived the famed philosopher called Socrates. He was very learned and polite. Once, he was passing by a market when he met a person known to him. The person started telling him, “Do you know what your friend was saying about you yesterday?”
Socrates stopped that person in between and said, “Before you tell me what my friend was saying about me, please answer three short questions of mine.” The person, a bit surprised now, said, “Three short questions?”
Socrates said, “Yes. Three short questions.”
“The first is that whatever you are going to tell me, are you sure about its accuracy?”
The man replied, “No, I just heard it from someone.”
Socrates said, “No problem. This means that you are not sure what you’re going to say is accurate or not. Now, answer my second question. Whatever you are going to tell me, does it have significance?” The man immediately said, “No.”
Socrates said, “Alright. Now answer my last question. Whatever you are going to tell me, is it useful for me?” The man said, “No, there appears to be nothing of use for you in what the person said.” Then Socrates said, “A thing which is heard from others, does not hold significance and is not useful to me — what is the use of hearing it?”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. In our daily life, do we decide to have conversations based on these three questions? Discuss.
2. Many of our conversations are not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates. Why do we still indulge in them?
3. Give an example of a recent conversation you were a part of, which was not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates.
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
- Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
- Students should discuss the habits they want to give up with their friends.
Day 2
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
- Have some students repeat the story.
- Some other students can share their storytelling experiences at home in small groups. Some of them can share it with the entire class.
- The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.
1. If we always take care of these three elements in our conversation, what impact would this have? How would our friends/family members benefit from it?
2. When we discuss the qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress. Agree/Disagree? Discuss.
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
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- Alexander and Diogenes
- The Mind Palace
- Rabia’s Needle
- What is real and what is fake?
- How much land?
- Ego’s room
- Turban
- My Identity
- Arunima Sinha
- Socrates’ three questions
- Three labourers, three perspectives
- Serene water
- Who is speaking?
- The kite string
- A big man
- Brother, not a burden
- All together
- Sugar in milk
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