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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

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

10. 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, ÷? )

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

12. 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.

15. 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

16. Growth Mindset - showing GRIT!

17. 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