The Object of Their Attention.

ABSTRACT : Tishman argues that directing students to closely examine physical objects is an excellent way to motivate and strengthen thinking. Even simple objects reflect the social and physical contexts in which they were created and can spur deeper observations and questions. Teaching thinking through objects appeals to many different kinds of learners and aligns well with a constructivist approach. Tishman describes the increasingly complex observations, questions, and inferences that a group of adolescent students made as they examined a simple sock darner egg (a wooden tool used in mending socks). She discusses two guidelines for effectively tapping the power of objects to increase student thinking?start with learners' observations and encourage expansive thinking?and gives suggestions for choosing an object and guiding student discussion.

Author's note: Ivan Gaskell, Laurel Ulrich, and others in the Making America group contributed to the ideas in this article.