Helping students get “unstuck” Problem Solving in the Intermediate Classroom Helping students get “unstuck”

What we see Time Management Procedural Relationships Three tiers of problems: Procedural: following directions Time management: making the most of the time given to complete a task - Relationship: solving problems between peers

Why students get stuck? No understanding of task Solution is not readily apparent Rising frustration Looking for someone else to solve a problem (no plan)

Clarify and Understand Plan of Attack! Clarify and Understand Generate Plan Implement Monitor and Adjust Evaluate What’s the problem? What can we do? Try It! Is it working? Success / Try again… Adult Terms Kid Terms

Smart is NOT enough…anymore Imagination Visualization Experimentation Cooperation Communication Integration plus Willingness to embrace failure

Problem Solving in Math Math isn’t just about the numbers. Often the words hold clues that help us to think through the problem. Everything is a test of reading, so reread until you can know: what the problem is (what do I need to find?) what resources I have (what data does the problem supply?) what resources/data are missing (variable, solution?) what operations might I need to perform (+, -. x, ÷? )

What kind of problem-solver are you? Straight Line? A B Not-so-straight? A B

Read the problem (probably more than one time) Take a breath before jumping into that pool—give your brain time to process the problem Read the problem (probably more than one time) Determine what the problem is Underline or pull out and write down the data you know Find clue words that signal operations Use words to articulate the algorithm Join the words with operations Plug in the data values/variables The process of rereading, underlining, making a list of known data, creating a verbal model, and finally, substituting values all allow our brains time to process, test the water, so to speak, before we try to straight-line a solution.

Sharing your pain… The problem with problems are that no two are alike; therefore, There is no algorithm Strategies must change Failure happens But problems, failure, and success allow us to develop and grow emotionally and mentally. Perseverance Self-reliance Power of “Yet” Intrinsic rewards

Growth Mindset - showing GRIT!

How you can help your child get “unstuck” Encourage them to break down their problem *identify the real problem *put it into words *make a plan *put it into action *revisit the plan and modify Allow them to fail Provide them feedback to help them evaluate their options Help them reflect on the choice they have made