socratic-teaching-scaffolds

# Socratic Teaching Scaffolds

## Table of Contents
1. [Purpose](#purpose)
2. [When to Use](#when-to-use)
3. [What Is It](#what-is-it)
4. [Workflow](#workflow)
5. [Socratic Question Types](#socratic-question-types)
6. [Scaffolding Levels](#scaffolding-levels)
7. [Common Patterns](#common-patterns)
8. [Guardrails](#guardrails)
9. [Quick Reference](#quick-reference)

## Purpose

Socratic Teaching Scaffolds guide learners to discover knowledge through strategic questioning and progressive support removal. This skill transforms passive explanation into active discovery, corrects misconceptions by revealing contradictions, and builds durable understanding through self-generated insights.

## When to Use

**Invoke this skill when you need to:**
- Teach complex concepts where understanding beats memorization (algorithms, scientific theories, philosophical ideas)
- Correct deep misconceptions that resist direct explanation (statistical fallacies, physics intuitions, programming mental models)
- Help learners develop problem-solving skills, not just solutions
- Design learning experiences that build from concrete to abstract understanding
- Onboard professionals through guided discovery rather than documentation dumps
- Create self-paced learning materials with built-in feedback loops
- Mentor through questions that develop independent thinking
- Bridge expertise gaps across different knowledge levels

**User phrases that trigger this skill:**
- "Teach me [concept]"
- "Help me understand [topic]"
- "Explain like I'm [expertise level]"
- "I don't get why [misconception]"
- "What's the best way to learn [skill]?"
- "How should I think about [concept]?"

## What Is It

A teaching framework combining **Socratic questioning** (strategic questions that guide discovery) with **instructional scaffolding** (temporary support that fades as competence grows).

**Core components:**
1. **Question Ladders**: Sequences from simple to complex that build understanding incrementally
2. **Misc