Interview: Interactive Materials with Dr. Hoskins

Continue last week’s conversation with Ken Scheel and Dr. Donna Hoskins, a Professor of Education at Bridgewater College.

Below is a summary:

On one of Dr. Hoskins’ typical classroom visits, she begins by observing the classroom dynamic. She follows up by modeling to the teacher what rich discourse looks like by engaging in conversation with the children. She does this by using materials in the classroom that encourage discussion.

From her research, she’s seen that the types of materials in the classroom actually impact the depth of conversation. Toys with batteries or lots of lights and noise are not as exploratory as more simplistic objects. Rather, she prefers materials that allows students to connect objects to the wider world around them. For example, if students are playing with a Bristle Bot, a teacher could say, “Wow, that vibrates just like my electric toothbrush at home.”

At the end of the day, open-ended toys provide for richer conversation because the student has freedom to create and express themselves.

Watch the second part of this interview below;