Socratic Seminar — Defend What You Know
Parent asks probing questions about a topic the tween knows well. The child defends, refines, and deepens their understanding through sustained questioning. This activity reveals depth of understanding, intellectual humility, and quality of response to challenge — can the child distinguish between what they truly know and what they only think they know?
Free to do together whenever you like.
What you'll need
No materials needed. Let the child choose a topic they feel confident about — a favourite subject, a game they play extensively, a sport they know inside out, a historical period they're interested in, or any area of genuine expertise. The activity works best when the child starts confident. The parent doesn't need expertise in the topic — curious questioning from a novice can be more revealing than expert interrogation.
How it works
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.