ABSTRACT
The word discussion is derived from the Latin verb discutere, to shatter, to break apart. Everyone knows that discussion can explode a topic in unforeseen directions, and for many, this can be a source of disorientation and frustration. But discussion splits the education atom, and in its energy authors discover valuable new perspectives. In Socratic discussion, the teacher seeks to guide and facilitate this effort, keeping it relevant and open. Different groups of students will need different styles of leadership. Students who have not developed the requisite skills and maturity will need more guidance from the teacher, and the readers will assume a more autocratic style to maintain order and guide the students to progress. The guidelines are very important to make explicit and discuss. Students must feel and understand that there is a safe environment for personal disclosure.
