What Is HOTS?
HOTS is a creative program designed to build the thinking skills of educationally disadvantaged students in grades 4-7. It combines the use of computers, drama, Socratic dialogue, and a detailed curriculum to stimulate thinking processes. Computers are not used to present content, but rather to intrigue students and get them involved. Drama, in the form of teacher play-acting sometimes in costume also stimulates students’ interest and curiosity. Some days the teacher may present a lesson as a mysterious situation for which the students’ help is needed. However, HOTS is foremost a program built on Socratic dialogue, creative and logical conversation between teacher and students. While most teachers ask simple questions of educationally disadvantaged students, and are content with one-word responses, HOTS teachers are trained to ask questions that require students to explain and elaborate their answers at length. At first, most students are resistant to expressing their ideas. The comput
