how to promote problem solving in the classroom

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In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

Eight Instructional Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking

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(This is the first post in a three-part series.)

The new question-of-the-week is:

What is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom?

This three-part series will explore what critical thinking is, if it can be specifically taught and, if so, how can teachers do so in their classrooms.

Today’s guests are Dara Laws Savage, Patrick Brown, Meg Riordan, Ph.D., and Dr. PJ Caposey. Dara, Patrick, and Meg were also guests on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

You might also be interested in The Best Resources On Teaching & Learning Critical Thinking In The Classroom .

Current Events

Dara Laws Savage is an English teacher at the Early College High School at Delaware State University, where she serves as a teacher and instructional coach and lead mentor. Dara has been teaching for 25 years (career preparation, English, photography, yearbook, newspaper, and graphic design) and has presented nationally on project-based learning and technology integration:

There is so much going on right now and there is an overload of information for us to process. Did you ever stop to think how our students are processing current events? They see news feeds, hear news reports, and scan photos and posts, but are they truly thinking about what they are hearing and seeing?

I tell my students that my job is not to give them answers but to teach them how to think about what they read and hear. So what is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom? There are just as many definitions of critical thinking as there are people trying to define it. However, the Critical Think Consortium focuses on the tools to create a thinking-based classroom rather than a definition: “Shape the climate to support thinking, create opportunities for thinking, build capacity to think, provide guidance to inform thinking.” Using these four criteria and pairing them with current events, teachers easily create learning spaces that thrive on thinking and keep students engaged.

One successful technique I use is the FIRE Write. Students are given a quote, a paragraph, an excerpt, or a photo from the headlines. Students are asked to F ocus and respond to the selection for three minutes. Next, students are asked to I dentify a phrase or section of the photo and write for two minutes. Third, students are asked to R eframe their response around a specific word, phrase, or section within their previous selection. Finally, students E xchange their thoughts with a classmate. Within the exchange, students also talk about how the selection connects to what we are covering in class.

There was a controversial Pepsi ad in 2017 involving Kylie Jenner and a protest with a police presence. The imagery in the photo was strikingly similar to a photo that went viral with a young lady standing opposite a police line. Using that image from a current event engaged my students and gave them the opportunity to critically think about events of the time.

Here are the two photos and a student response:

F - Focus on both photos and respond for three minutes

In the first picture, you see a strong and courageous black female, bravely standing in front of two officers in protest. She is risking her life to do so. Iesha Evans is simply proving to the world she does NOT mean less because she is black … and yet officers are there to stop her. She did not step down. In the picture below, you see Kendall Jenner handing a police officer a Pepsi. Maybe this wouldn’t be a big deal, except this was Pepsi’s weak, pathetic, and outrageous excuse of a commercial that belittles the whole movement of people fighting for their lives.

I - Identify a word or phrase, underline it, then write about it for two minutes

A white, privileged female in place of a fighting black woman was asking for trouble. A struggle we are continuously fighting every day, and they make a mockery of it. “I know what will work! Here Mr. Police Officer! Drink some Pepsi!” As if. Pepsi made a fool of themselves, and now their already dwindling fan base continues to ever shrink smaller.

R - Reframe your thoughts by choosing a different word, then write about that for one minute

You don’t know privilege until it’s gone. You don’t know privilege while it’s there—but you can and will be made accountable and aware. Don’t use it for evil. You are not stupid. Use it to do something. Kendall could’ve NOT done the commercial. Kendall could’ve released another commercial standing behind a black woman. Anything!

Exchange - Remember to discuss how this connects to our school song project and our previous discussions?

This connects two ways - 1) We want to convey a strong message. Be powerful. Show who we are. And Pepsi definitely tried. … Which leads to the second connection. 2) Not mess up and offend anyone, as had the one alma mater had been linked to black minstrels. We want to be amazing, but we have to be smart and careful and make sure we include everyone who goes to our school and everyone who may go to our school.

As a final step, students read and annotate the full article and compare it to their initial response.

Using current events and critical-thinking strategies like FIRE writing helps create a learning space where thinking is the goal rather than a score on a multiple-choice assessment. Critical-thinking skills can cross over to any of students’ other courses and into life outside the classroom. After all, we as teachers want to help the whole student be successful, and critical thinking is an important part of navigating life after they leave our classrooms.

‘Before-Explore-Explain’

Patrick Brown is the executive director of STEM and CTE for the Fort Zumwalt school district in Missouri and an experienced educator and author :

Planning for critical thinking focuses on teaching the most crucial science concepts, practices, and logical-thinking skills as well as the best use of instructional time. One way to ensure that lessons maintain a focus on critical thinking is to focus on the instructional sequence used to teach.

Explore-before-explain teaching is all about promoting critical thinking for learners to better prepare students for the reality of their world. What having an explore-before-explain mindset means is that in our planning, we prioritize giving students firsthand experiences with data, allow students to construct evidence-based claims that focus on conceptual understanding, and challenge students to discuss and think about the why behind phenomena.

Just think of the critical thinking that has to occur for students to construct a scientific claim. 1) They need the opportunity to collect data, analyze it, and determine how to make sense of what the data may mean. 2) With data in hand, students can begin thinking about the validity and reliability of their experience and information collected. 3) They can consider what differences, if any, they might have if they completed the investigation again. 4) They can scrutinize outlying data points for they may be an artifact of a true difference that merits further exploration of a misstep in the procedure, measuring device, or measurement. All of these intellectual activities help them form more robust understanding and are evidence of their critical thinking.

In explore-before-explain teaching, all of these hard critical-thinking tasks come before teacher explanations of content. Whether we use discovery experiences, problem-based learning, and or inquiry-based activities, strategies that are geared toward helping students construct understanding promote critical thinking because students learn content by doing the practices valued in the field to generate knowledge.

An Issue of Equity

Meg Riordan, Ph.D., is the chief learning officer at The Possible Project, an out-of-school program that collaborates with youth to build entrepreneurial skills and mindsets and provides pathways to careers and long-term economic prosperity. She has been in the field of education for over 25 years as a middle and high school teacher, school coach, college professor, regional director of N.Y.C. Outward Bound Schools, and director of external research with EL Education:

Although critical thinking often defies straightforward definition, most in the education field agree it consists of several components: reasoning, problem-solving, and decisionmaking, plus analysis and evaluation of information, such that multiple sides of an issue can be explored. It also includes dispositions and “the willingness to apply critical-thinking principles, rather than fall back on existing unexamined beliefs, or simply believe what you’re told by authority figures.”

Despite variation in definitions, critical thinking is nonetheless promoted as an essential outcome of students’ learning—we want to see students and adults demonstrate it across all fields, professions, and in their personal lives. Yet there is simultaneously a rationing of opportunities in schools for students of color, students from under-resourced communities, and other historically marginalized groups to deeply learn and practice critical thinking.

For example, many of our most underserved students often spend class time filling out worksheets, promoting high compliance but low engagement, inquiry, critical thinking, or creation of new ideas. At a time in our world when college and careers are critical for participation in society and the global, knowledge-based economy, far too many students struggle within classrooms and schools that reinforce low-expectations and inequity.

If educators aim to prepare all students for an ever-evolving marketplace and develop skills that will be valued no matter what tomorrow’s jobs are, then we must move critical thinking to the forefront of classroom experiences. And educators must design learning to cultivate it.

So, what does that really look like?

Unpack and define critical thinking

To understand critical thinking, educators need to first unpack and define its components. What exactly are we looking for when we speak about reasoning or exploring multiple perspectives on an issue? How does problem-solving show up in English, math, science, art, or other disciplines—and how is it assessed? At Two Rivers, an EL Education school, the faculty identified five constructs of critical thinking, defined each, and created rubrics to generate a shared picture of quality for teachers and students. The rubrics were then adapted across grade levels to indicate students’ learning progressions.

At Avenues World School, critical thinking is one of the Avenues World Elements and is an enduring outcome embedded in students’ early experiences through 12th grade. For instance, a kindergarten student may be expected to “identify cause and effect in familiar contexts,” while an 8th grader should demonstrate the ability to “seek out sufficient evidence before accepting a claim as true,” “identify bias in claims and evidence,” and “reconsider strongly held points of view in light of new evidence.”

When faculty and students embrace a common vision of what critical thinking looks and sounds like and how it is assessed, educators can then explicitly design learning experiences that call for students to employ critical-thinking skills. This kind of work must occur across all schools and programs, especially those serving large numbers of students of color. As Linda Darling-Hammond asserts , “Schools that serve large numbers of students of color are least likely to offer the kind of curriculum needed to ... help students attain the [critical-thinking] skills needed in a knowledge work economy. ”

So, what can it look like to create those kinds of learning experiences?

Designing experiences for critical thinking

After defining a shared understanding of “what” critical thinking is and “how” it shows up across multiple disciplines and grade levels, it is essential to create learning experiences that impel students to cultivate, practice, and apply these skills. There are several levers that offer pathways for teachers to promote critical thinking in lessons:

1.Choose Compelling Topics: Keep it relevant

A key Common Core State Standard asks for students to “write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.” That might not sound exciting or culturally relevant. But a learning experience designed for a 12th grade humanities class engaged learners in a compelling topic— policing in America —to analyze and evaluate multiple texts (including primary sources) and share the reasoning for their perspectives through discussion and writing. Students grappled with ideas and their beliefs and employed deep critical-thinking skills to develop arguments for their claims. Embedding critical-thinking skills in curriculum that students care about and connect with can ignite powerful learning experiences.

2. Make Local Connections: Keep it real

At The Possible Project , an out-of-school-time program designed to promote entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, students in a recent summer online program (modified from in-person due to COVID-19) explored the impact of COVID-19 on their communities and local BIPOC-owned businesses. They learned interviewing skills through a partnership with Everyday Boston , conducted virtual interviews with entrepreneurs, evaluated information from their interviews and local data, and examined their previously held beliefs. They created blog posts and videos to reflect on their learning and consider how their mindsets had changed as a result of the experience. In this way, we can design powerful community-based learning and invite students into productive struggle with multiple perspectives.

3. Create Authentic Projects: Keep it rigorous

At Big Picture Learning schools, students engage in internship-based learning experiences as a central part of their schooling. Their school-based adviser and internship-based mentor support them in developing real-world projects that promote deeper learning and critical-thinking skills. Such authentic experiences teach “young people to be thinkers, to be curious, to get from curiosity to creation … and it helps students design a learning experience that answers their questions, [providing an] opportunity to communicate it to a larger audience—a major indicator of postsecondary success.” Even in a remote environment, we can design projects that ask more of students than rote memorization and that spark critical thinking.

Our call to action is this: As educators, we need to make opportunities for critical thinking available not only to the affluent or those fortunate enough to be placed in advanced courses. The tools are available, let’s use them. Let’s interrogate our current curriculum and design learning experiences that engage all students in real, relevant, and rigorous experiences that require critical thinking and prepare them for promising postsecondary pathways.

Critical Thinking & Student Engagement

Dr. PJ Caposey is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, consultant, and author of seven books who currently serves as the superintendent of schools for the award-winning Meridian CUSD 223 in northwest Illinois. You can find PJ on most social-media platforms as MCUSDSupe:

When I start my keynote on student engagement, I invite two people up on stage and give them each five paper balls to shoot at a garbage can also conveniently placed on stage. Contestant One shoots their shot, and the audience gives approval. Four out of 5 is a heckuva score. Then just before Contestant Two shoots, I blindfold them and start moving the garbage can back and forth. I usually try to ensure that they can at least make one of their shots. Nobody is successful in this unfair environment.

I thank them and send them back to their seats and then explain that this little activity was akin to student engagement. While we all know we want student engagement, we are shooting at different targets. More importantly, for teachers, it is near impossible for them to hit a target that is moving and that they cannot see.

Within the world of education and particularly as educational leaders, we have failed to simplify what student engagement looks like, and it is impossible to define or articulate what student engagement looks like if we cannot clearly articulate what critical thinking is and looks like in a classroom. Because, simply, without critical thought, there is no engagement.

The good news here is that critical thought has been defined and placed into taxonomies for decades already. This is not something new and not something that needs to be redefined. I am a Bloom’s person, but there is nothing wrong with DOK or some of the other taxonomies, either. To be precise, I am a huge fan of Daggett’s Rigor and Relevance Framework. I have used that as a core element of my practice for years, and it has shaped who I am as an instructional leader.

So, in order to explain critical thought, a teacher or a leader must familiarize themselves with these tried and true taxonomies. Easy, right? Yes, sort of. The issue is not understanding what critical thought is; it is the ability to integrate it into the classrooms. In order to do so, there are a four key steps every educator must take.

• Integrating critical thought/rigor into a lesson does not happen by chance, it happens by design. Planning for critical thought and engagement is much different from planning for a traditional lesson. In order to plan for kids to think critically, you have to provide a base of knowledge and excellent prompts to allow them to explore their own thinking in order to analyze, evaluate, or synthesize information.
• SIDE NOTE – Bloom’s verbs are a great way to start when writing objectives, but true planning will take you deeper than this.

QUESTIONING

• If the questions and prompts given in a classroom have correct answers or if the teacher ends up answering their own questions, the lesson will lack critical thought and rigor.
• Script five questions forcing higher-order thought prior to every lesson. Experienced teachers may not feel they need this, but it helps to create an effective habit.
• If lessons are rigorous and assessments are not, students will do well on their assessments, and that may not be an accurate representation of the knowledge and skills they have mastered. If lessons are easy and assessments are rigorous, the exact opposite will happen. When deciding to increase critical thought, it must happen in all three phases of the game: planning, instruction, and assessment.

TALK TIME / CONTROL

• To increase rigor, the teacher must DO LESS. This feels counterintuitive but is accurate. Rigorous lessons involving tons of critical thought must allow for students to work on their own, collaborate with peers, and connect their ideas. This cannot happen in a silent room except for the teacher talking. In order to increase rigor, decrease talk time and become comfortable with less control. Asking questions and giving prompts that lead to no true correct answer also means less control. This is a tough ask for some teachers. Explained differently, if you assign one assignment and get 30 very similar products, you have most likely assigned a low-rigor recipe. If you assign one assignment and get multiple varied products, then the students have had a chance to think deeply, and you have successfully integrated critical thought into your classroom.

Thanks to Dara, Patrick, Meg, and PJ for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

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Center for Teaching

Teaching problem solving.

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Tips and Techniques

Expert vs. novice problem solvers, communicate.

• Have students  identify specific problems, difficulties, or confusions . Don’t waste time working through problems that students already understand.
• If students are unable to articulate their concerns, determine where they are having trouble by  asking them to identify the specific concepts or principles associated with the problem.
• In a one-on-one tutoring session, ask the student to  work his/her problem out loud . This slows down the thinking process, making it more accurate and allowing you to access understanding.
• When working with larger groups you can ask students to provide a written “two-column solution.” Have students write up their solution to a problem by putting all their calculations in one column and all of their reasoning (in complete sentences) in the other column. This helps them to think critically about their own problem solving and helps you to more easily identify where they may be having problems. Two-Column Solution (Math) Two-Column Solution (Physics)

Encourage Independence

• Model the problem solving process rather than just giving students the answer. As you work through the problem, consider how a novice might struggle with the concepts and make your thinking clear
• Have students work through problems on their own. Ask directing questions or give helpful suggestions, but  provide only minimal assistance and only when needed to overcome obstacles.
• Don’t fear  group work ! Students can frequently help each other, and talking about a problem helps them think more critically about the steps needed to solve the problem. Additionally, group work helps students realize that problems often have multiple solution strategies, some that might be more effective than others

Be sensitive

• Frequently, when working problems, students are unsure of themselves. This lack of confidence may hamper their learning. It is important to recognize this when students come to us for help, and to give each student some feeling of mastery. Do this by providing  positive reinforcement to let students know when they have mastered a new concept or skill.

Encourage Thoroughness and Patience

• Try to communicate that  the process is more important than the answer so that the student learns that it is OK to not have an instant solution. This is learned through your acceptance of his/her pace of doing things, through your refusal to let anxiety pressure you into giving the right answer, and through your example of problem solving through a step-by step process.

Experts (teachers) in a particular field are often so fluent in solving problems from that field that they can find it difficult to articulate the problem solving principles and strategies they use to novices (students) in their field because these principles and strategies are second nature to the expert. To teach students problem solving skills,  a teacher should be aware of principles and strategies of good problem solving in his or her discipline .

The mathematician George Polya captured the problem solving principles and strategies he used in his discipline in the book  How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method (Princeton University Press, 1957). The book includes  a summary of Polya’s problem solving heuristic as well as advice on the teaching of problem solving.

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Problem-solving skills are necessary in all areas of life, and classroom problem solving activities can be a great way to get students prepped and ready to solve real problems in real life scenarios. Whether in school, work or in their social relationships, the ability to critically analyze a problem, map out all its elements and then prepare a workable solution is one of the most valuable skills one can acquire in life.

Educating your students about problem solving skills from an early age in school can be facilitated through classroom problem solving activities. Such endeavors encourage cognitive as well as social development, and can equip students with the tools they’ll need to address and solve problems throughout the rest of their lives. Here are five classroom problem solving activities your students are sure to benefit from as well as enjoy doing:

1. Brainstorm bonanza

Having your students create lists related to whatever you are currently studying can be a great way to help them to enrich their understanding of a topic while learning to problem-solve. For example, if you are studying a historical, current or fictional event that did not turn out favorably, have your students brainstorm ways that the protagonist or participants could have created a different, more positive outcome. They can brainstorm on paper individually or on a chalkboard or white board in front of the class.

2. Problem-solving as a group

Have your students create and decorate a medium-sized box with a slot in the top. Label the box “The Problem-Solving Box.” Invite students to anonymously write down and submit any problem or issue they might be having at school or at home, ones that they can’t seem to figure out on their own. Once or twice a week, have a student draw one of the items from the box and read it aloud. Then have the class as a group figure out the ideal way the student can address the issue and hopefully solve it.

3. Clue me in

This fun detective game encourages problem-solving, critical thinking and cognitive development. Collect a number of items that are associated with a specific profession, social trend, place, public figure, historical event, animal, etc. Assemble actual items (or pictures of items) that are commonly associated with the target answer. Place them all in a bag (five-10 clues should be sufficient.) Then have a student reach into the bag and one by one pull out clues. Choose a minimum number of clues they must draw out before making their first guess (two- three). After this, the student must venture a guess after each clue pulled until they guess correctly. See how quickly the student is able to solve the riddle.

4. Survivor scenarios

Create a pretend scenario for students that requires them to think creatively to make it through. An example might be getting stranded on an island, knowing that help will not arrive for three days. The group has a limited amount of food and water and must create shelter from items around the island. Encourage working together as a group and hearing out every child that has an idea about how to make it through the three days as safely and comfortably as possible.

5. Moral dilemma

Create a number of possible moral dilemmas your students might encounter in life, write them down, and place each item folded up in a bowl or bag. Some of the items might include things like, “I saw a good friend of mine shoplifting. What should I do?” or “The cashier gave me an extra $1.50 in change after I bought candy at the store. What should I do?” Have each student draw an item from the bag one by one, read it aloud, then tell the class their answer on the spot as to how they would handle the situation.

Classroom problem solving activities need not be dull and routine. Ideally, the problem solving activities you give your students will engage their senses and be genuinely fun to do. The activities and lessons learned will leave an impression on each child, increasing the likelihood that they will take the lesson forward into their everyday lives.

You may also like to read

• Classroom Activities for Introverted Students
• Activities for Teaching Tolerance in the Classroom
• 5 Problem-Solving Activities for Elementary Classrooms
• 10 Ways to Motivate Students Outside the Classroom
• Motivating Introverted Students to Excel in the Classroom
• How to Engage Gifted and Talented Students in the Classroom

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Teaching Problem-Solving Skills

Many instructors design opportunities for students to solve “problems”. But are their students solving true problems or merely participating in practice exercises? The former stresses critical thinking and decision­ making skills whereas the latter requires only the application of previously learned procedures.

Problem solving is often broadly defined as "the ability to understand the environment, identify complex problems, review related information to develop, evaluate strategies and implement solutions to build the desired outcome" (Fissore, C. et al, 2021). True problem solving is the process of applying a method – not known in advance – to a problem that is subject to a specific set of conditions and that the problem solver has not seen before, in order to obtain a satisfactory solution.

Below you will find some basic principles for teaching problem solving and one model to implement in your classroom teaching.

Principles for teaching problem solving

• Model a useful problem-solving method . Problem solving can be difficult and sometimes tedious. Show students how to be patient and persistent, and how to follow a structured method, such as Woods’ model described below. Articulate your method as you use it so students see the connections.
• Teach within a specific context . Teach problem-solving skills in the context in which they will be used by students (e.g., mole fraction calculations in a chemistry course). Use real-life problems in explanations, examples, and exams. Do not teach problem solving as an independent, abstract skill.
• Help students understand the problem . In order to solve problems, students need to define the end goal. This step is crucial to successful learning of problem-solving skills. If you succeed at helping students answer the questions “what?” and “why?”, finding the answer to “how?” will be easier.
• Take enough time . When planning a lecture/tutorial, budget enough time for: understanding the problem and defining the goal (both individually and as a class); dealing with questions from you and your students; making, finding, and fixing mistakes; and solving entire problems in a single session.
• Ask questions and make suggestions . Ask students to predict “what would happen if …” or explain why something happened. This will help them to develop analytical and deductive thinking skills. Also, ask questions and make suggestions about strategies to encourage students to reflect on the problem-solving strategies that they use.
• Link errors to misconceptions . Use errors as evidence of misconceptions, not carelessness or random guessing. Make an effort to isolate the misconception and correct it, then teach students to do this by themselves. We can all learn from mistakes.

Woods’ problem-solving model

Define the problem.

• The system . Have students identify the system under study (e.g., a metal bridge subject to certain forces) by interpreting the information provided in the problem statement. Drawing a diagram is a great way to do this.
• Known(s) and concepts . List what is known about the problem, and identify the knowledge needed to understand (and eventually) solve it.
• Unknown(s) . Once you have a list of knowns, identifying the unknown(s) becomes simpler. One unknown is generally the answer to the problem, but there may be other unknowns. Be sure that students understand what they are expected to find.
• Units and symbols . One key aspect in problem solving is teaching students how to select, interpret, and use units and symbols. Emphasize the use of units whenever applicable. Develop a habit of using appropriate units and symbols yourself at all times.
• Constraints . All problems have some stated or implied constraints. Teach students to look for the words "only", "must", "neglect", or "assume" to help identify the constraints.
• Criteria for success . Help students consider, from the beginning, what a logical type of answer would be. What characteristics will it possess? For example, a quantitative problem will require an answer in some form of numerical units (e.g., $/kg product, square cm, etc.) while an optimization problem requires an answer in the form of either a numerical maximum or minimum.

Think about it

• “Let it simmer”.  Use this stage to ponder the problem. Ideally, students will develop a mental image of the problem at hand during this stage.
• Identify specific pieces of knowledge . Students need to determine by themselves the required background knowledge from illustrations, examples and problems covered in the course.
• Collect information . Encourage students to collect pertinent information such as conversion factors, constants, and tables needed to solve the problem.

Plan a solution

• Consider possible strategies . Often, the type of solution will be determined by the type of problem. Some common problem-solving strategies are: compute; simplify; use an equation; make a model, diagram, table, or chart; or work backwards.
• Choose the best strategy . Help students to choose the best strategy by reminding them again what they are required to find or calculate.

Carry out the plan

• Be patient . Most problems are not solved quickly or on the first attempt. In other cases, executing the solution may be the easiest step.
• Be persistent . If a plan does not work immediately, do not let students get discouraged. Encourage them to try a different strategy and keep trying.

Encourage students to reflect. Once a solution has been reached, students should ask themselves the following questions:

• Does the answer make sense?
• Does it fit with the criteria established in step 1?
• Did I answer the question(s)?
• What did I learn by doing this?
• Could I have done the problem another way?

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help.  View the  CTE Support  page to find the most relevant staff member to contact. 

• Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Roman, F., & Sacchet, M. (2021). Development of problem solving skills with Maple in higher education. In: Corless, R.M., Gerhard, J., Kotsireas, I.S. (eds) Maple in Mathematics Education and Research. MC 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1414. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81698-8_15
• Foshay, R., & Kirkley, J. (1998). Principles for Teaching Problem Solving. TRO Learning Inc., Edina MN.  (PDF) Principles for Teaching Problem Solving (researchgate.net)
• Hayes, J.R. (1989). The Complete Problem Solver. 2nd Edition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Woods, D.R., Wright, J.D., Hoffman, T.W., Swartman, R.K., Doig, I.D. (1975). Teaching Problem solving Skills.
• Engineering Education. Vol 1, No. 1. p. 238. Washington, DC: The American Society for Engineering Education.

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Developing Problem-Solving Skills for Kids | Strategies & Tips

We've made teaching problem-solving skills for kids a whole lot easier! Keep reading and comment below with any other tips you have for your classroom!

Problem-Solving Skills for Kids: The Real Deal

Picture this: You've carefully created an assignment for your class. The step-by-step instructions are crystal clear. During class time, you walk through all the directions, and the response is awesome. Your students are ready! It's finally time for them to start working individually and then... 8 hands shoot up with questions. You hear one student mumble in the distance, "Wait, I don't get this" followed by the dreaded, "What are we supposed to be doing again?"

When I was a new computer science teacher, I would have this exact situation happen. As a result, I would end up scrambling to help each individual student with their problems until half the class period was eaten up. I assumed that in order for my students to learn best, I needed to be there to help answer questions immediately so they could move forward and complete the assignment.

Here's what I wish I had known when I started teaching coding to elementary students - the process of grappling with an assignment's content can be more important than completing the assignment's product. That said, not every student knows how to grapple, or struggle, in order to get to the "aha!" moment and solve a problem independently. The good news is, the ability to creatively solve problems is not a fixed skill. It can be learned by students, nurtured by teachers, and practiced by everyone!

Your students are absolutely capable of navigating and solving problems on their own. Here are some strategies, tips, and resources that can help:

Problem-Solving Skills for Kids: Student Strategies

These are strategies your students can use during independent work time to become creative problem solvers.

1. Go Step-By-Step Through The Problem-Solving Sequence 

Post problem-solving anchor charts and references on your classroom wall or pin them to your Google Classroom - anything to make them accessible to students. When they ask for help, invite them to reference the charts first.

2. Revisit Past Problems

If a student gets stuck, they should ask themself, "Have I ever seen a problem like this before? If so, how did I solve it?" Chances are, your students have tackled something similar already and can recycle the same strategies they used before to solve the problem this time around.

3. Document What Doesn’t Work

Sometimes finding the answer to a problem requires the process of elimination. Have your students attempt to solve a problem at least two different ways before reaching out to you for help. Even better, encourage them write down their "Not-The-Answers" so you can see their thought process when you do step in to support. Cool thing is, you likely won't need to! By attempting to solve a problem in multiple different ways, students will often come across the answer on their own.

4. "3 Before Me"

Let's say your students have gone through the Problem Solving Process, revisited past problems, and documented what doesn't work. Now, they know it's time to ask someone for help. Great! But before you jump into save the day, practice "3 Before Me". This means students need to ask 3 other classmates their question before asking the teacher. By doing this, students practice helpful 21st century skills like collaboration and communication, and can usually find the info they're looking for on the way.

Problem-Solving Skills for Kids: Teacher Tips

These are tips that you, the teacher, can use to support students in developing creative problem-solving skills for kids.

1. Ask Open Ended Questions

When a student asks for help, it can be tempting to give them the answer they're looking for so you can both move on. But what this actually does is prevent the student from developing the skills needed to solve the problem on their own. Instead of giving answers, try using open-ended questions and prompts. Here are some examples:

2. Encourage Grappling

Grappling  is everything a student might do when faced with a problem that does not have a clear solution. As explained in this article from Edutopia , this doesn't just mean perseverance! Grappling is more than that - it includes critical thinking, asking questions, observing evidence, asking more questions, forming hypotheses, and constructing a deep understanding of an issue.

There are lots of ways to provide opportunities for grappling. Anything that includes the Engineering Design Process is a good one! Examples include:

• Engineering or Art Projects
• Design-thinking challenges
• Computer science projects
• Science experiments

3. Emphasize Process Over Product

For elementary students, reflecting on the process of solving a problem helps them develop a growth mindset . Getting an answer "wrong" doesn't need to be a bad thing! What matters most are the steps they took to get there and how they might change their approach next time. As a teacher, you can support students in learning this reflection process.

4. Model The Strategies Yourself! 

As creative problem-solving skills for kids are being learned, there will likely be moments where they are frustrated or unsure. Here are some easy ways you can model what creative problem-solving looks and sounds like.

• Ask clarifying questions if you don't understand something
• Admit when don't know the correct answer
• Talk through multiple possible outcomes for different situations 
• Verbalize how you’re feeling when you find a problem

Practicing these strategies with your students will help create a learning environment where grappling, failing, and growing is celebrated!

Problem-Solving Skill for Kids

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Thinking Classrooms: How To Promote Critical Thinking In Class

The Thinking Classroom is an approach to teaching that prioritizes the development of students’ critical thinking skills. In this type of classroom, the teacher acts as a facilitator rather than a traditional lecturer. Students are encouraged to actively engage with the material and collaborate with their peers.

The key to a Thinking Classroom is to focus on the process of learning rather than simply the acquisition of knowledge. This means that teachers must create opportunities for students to think critically, solve problems, and reflect on their learning.

We’ve rounded up the 14 practices of a Thinking Classroom below. 

What are the 14 Practices of a Thinking Classroom?

The fourteen principles of a Thinking Classroom are designed to promote a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. 

Here’s a summary of each principle to help teachers create an engaging and effective learning environment:

1. Classroom Culture of Thinking

Create a classroom culture that values thinking, learning, and intellectual development. Start with thinking tasks that are separate from your curriculum. This eases the transition to everyday thinking classroom activities. It’s hard for students to think deeper and for longer periods, so this transition should be gradual. You can start with non-curricular tasks as an ice breaker at the beginning of the school year.

2. Opportunities to Think in Groups

Provide opportunities for students to think and engage in meaningful group learning experiences. The Thinking Classroom practices emphasize “visibly random groups” that change frequently. This reduces social anxiety in the group and decreases communication barriers. 

3. Vertical and Non-permanant Workspaces

You may have noticed that the traditional method of having students sit at their desks and take notes is only sometimes the best way to promote active thinking in your classroom. Recent research has shown that students are more engaged and productive when standing and working on vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPSs) like whiteboards, blackboards, or windows. The fact that the surface is non-permanent encourages risk-taking and experimentation, while the vertical orientation prevents students from disengaging. 

4. Room Layout

Research has shown that traditional, front-facing classrooms promote passive learning. At the same time, a more flexible, de-fronted setup—where students are free to face any direction—can be much more effective in promoting active thinking and engagement. So when designing your classroom layout, it’s essential to consider how the physical space can support the learning you want to see.

5. Answer Questions that Promote Thinking

You answer hundreds of questions each day in class. But not all of the questions encourage your students to keep thinking. Here are the common types:

• Proximity questions: Questions students ask because you’re close by and convenient.
• Stop-thinking questions: Questions students ask so they can mark a task complete. (i.e., Is this right?)
• Keep-thinking questions: Questions that help them along, so they can continue working through a task.

Answer only questions that keep students thinking.

6. Give Tasks in the Right Manner

Give tasks early in class while students are standing around a teacher. Give verbal tasks, and avoid visual cues that promote passive learning. This differs from the traditional manner of giving examples from the textbook or a worksheet.  

7. Homework

Stop giving homework and instead give students opportunities to check their understanding. Make it optional so students can freely engage with authentic practice. 

8. Promote Student Autonomy

As step 5 outlines, don’t solve problems for students. Let them struggle so they build confidence in their independence. This may mean asking a peer for help or looking around the room for a hint. When students are on their own, they take ownership of their learning. 

9. Give Support So Students Can Learn at Their Own Pace

Encourage students to learn at their own pace by creating hints, extensions, and practice that meets them where they are in their learning. This is different from the typical guided practice that occurs in most classrooms. 

10. Consolidate Lessons

Consolidation is crucial to help students combine different parts of a task or activity and ultimately form a more comprehensive understanding of the concept taught. Traditionally, teachers have relied on methods like showing, telling, or explaining to help students achieve their learning objectives.

In a thinking classroom, consolidation takes a different approach. Instead of relying on teacher-led instruction, consolidation works upward from the basic foundation of a concept. By drawing on the student work produced during their thinking on a common set of tasks, teachers can help students develop a deeper understanding of the concept.

To facilitate this process, teachers should provide open-ended questions, encourage peer-to-peer discussions, or engage in activities that allow students to explore and experiment with the concept taught.

11. Give Students Autonomy Over Notes

Only one in five students review their notes again after taking them in class. Give students the option of choosing which notes to take while learning. They are more likely to refer back to notes later.

12. Evaluate Values That Matter Most

If you want your students to participate, take risks, and persevere in the classroom, you should incorporate these values into evaluations. Assessment should go beyond curriculum knowledge. 

13. Bring Students into Formative Assessment

Your students need to understand where they are and where they need to be with their learning. This means that they need to be a partner in formative assessment . Like students taking the lead over homework, they need to take the lead on owning their success in formative assessment. 

14. Assessment Needs to Connect to an Outcome

Use assessments that measure and value thinking and understanding, not just rote memorization. This may look like standards-based grading. Students need to understand what they know and don’t know after they complete an assessment.

By implementing these principles, teachers can create a dynamic and engaging classroom that promotes deep learning and helps students develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

TeacherMade helps teachers infuse technology into their Thinking Classrooms.

TeacherMade does more than convert PDFs into online activities. Teachers use TeacherMade to promote critical thinking skills. You can incorporate the Thinking Classroom practices with TeacherMade:

• Every TeacherMade assignment is a non-permanent surface. Students can complete assignments again and again until they have reached mastery. 
• Create a culture of practice rather than homework and worksheets. With TeacherMade, you can choose to grade or not grade assignments. Students can complete practice as many times as they need.
• TeacherMade supports asynchronous learning so that students can learn at their own pace.
• Students are more involved with formative assessment when they receive instant feedback via auto-grading. 
• You can leave feedback, hints, and notes so that students fully understand their assessment results.

TeacherMade transforms teaching materials into interactive digital lessons and saves teachers time with instant autograding. Our platform integrates seamlessly with major systems for personalized student engagement.

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• Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools »

Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools

Collaborative Problem Solving ® (CPS) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed practice that helps students meet expectations, reduces concerning behavior, builds students’ skills, and strengthens their relationships with educators.

Collaborative Problem Solving is designed to meet the needs of all children, including those with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. It promotes the understanding that students who have trouble meeting expectations or managing their behavior lack the skill—not the will—to do so. These students struggle with skills related to problem-solving, flexibility, and frustration tolerance. Collaborative Problem Solving has been shown to help build these skills.

Collaborative Problem Solving avoids using power, control, and motivational procedures. Instead, it focuses on collaborating with students to solve the problems leading to them not meeting expectations and displaying concerning behavior. This trauma-informed approach provides staff with actionable strategies for trauma-sensitive education and aims to mitigate implicit bias’s impact on school discipline . It integrates with MTSS frameworks, PBIS, restorative practices, and SEL approaches, such as RULER. Collaborative Problem Solving reduces challenging behavior and teacher stress while building future-ready skills and relationships between educators and students.

Transform School Discipline

Traditional school discipline is broken, it doesn’t result in improved behavior or improved relationships between educators and students. In addition, it has been shown to be disproportionately applied to students of color. The Collaborative Problem Solving approach is an equitable and effective form of relational discipline that reduces concerning behavior and teacher stress while building skills and relationships between educators and students. Learn more >>

A Client’s Story

Collaborative Problem Solving and SEL

Collaborative Problem Solving aligns with CASEL’s five core competencies by building relationships between teachers and students using everyday situations. Students develop the skills they need to prepare for the real world, including problem-solving, collaboration and communication, flexibility, perspective-taking, and empathy. Collaborative Problem Solving makes social-emotional learning actionable.

Collaborative Problem Solving and MTSS

The Collaborative Problem Solving approach integrates with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in educational settings. CPS benefits all students and can be implemented across the three tiers of support within an MTSS framework to effectively identify and meet the diverse social emotional and behavioral needs of students in schools. Learn More >>

The Results

Our research has shown that the Collaborative Problem Solving approach helps kids and adults build crucial social-emotional skills and leads to dramatic decreases in behavior problems across various settings. Results in schools include remarkable reductions in time spent out of class, detentions, suspensions, injuries, teacher stress, and alternative placements as well as increases in emotional safety, attendance, academic growth, and family participation.

Educators, join us in this introductory course and develop your behavioral growth mindset!

This 2-hour, self-paced course introduces the principles of Collaborative Problem Solving ®  while outlining how the approach is uniquely suited to the needs of today's educators and students. Tuition: $39 Enroll Now

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The Will to Teach

Critical Thinking in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, teaching students the skill of critical thinking has become a priority. This powerful tool empowers students to evaluate information, make reasoned judgments, and approach problems from a fresh perspective. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of critical thinking and provide effective strategies to nurture this skill in your students.

Why is Fostering Critical Thinking Important?

Strategies to cultivate critical thinking, real-world example, concluding thoughts.

Critical thinking is a key skill that goes far beyond the four walls of a classroom. It equips students to better understand and interact with the world around them. Here are some reasons why fostering critical thinking is important:

• Making Informed Decisions:  Critical thinking enables students to evaluate the pros and cons of a situation, helping them make informed and rational decisions.
• Developing Analytical Skills:  Critical thinking involves analyzing information from different angles, which enhances analytical skills.
• Promoting Independence:  Critical thinking fosters independence by encouraging students to form their own opinions based on their analysis, rather than relying on others.

Creating an environment that encourages critical thinking can be accomplished in various ways. Here are some effective strategies:

• Socratic Questioning:  This method involves asking thought-provoking questions that encourage students to think deeply about a topic. For example, instead of asking, “What is the capital of France?” you might ask, “Why do you think Paris became the capital of France?”
• Debates and Discussions:  Debates and open-ended discussions allow students to explore different viewpoints and challenge their own beliefs. For example, a debate on a current event can engage students in critical analysis of the situation.
• Teaching Metacognition:  Teaching students to think about their own thinking can enhance their critical thinking skills. This can be achieved through activities such as reflective writing or journaling.
• Problem-Solving Activities:  As with developing problem-solving skills , activities that require students to find solutions to complex problems can also foster critical thinking.

As a school leader, I’ve seen the transformative power of critical thinking. During a school competition, I observed a team of students tasked with proposing a solution to reduce our school’s environmental impact. Instead of jumping to obvious solutions, they critically evaluated multiple options, considering the feasibility, cost, and potential impact of each. They ultimately proposed a comprehensive plan that involved water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency measures. This demonstrated their ability to critically analyze a problem and develop an effective solution.

Critical thinking is an essential skill for students in the 21st century. It equips them to understand and navigate the world in a thoughtful and informed manner. As a teacher, incorporating strategies to foster critical thinking in your classroom can make a lasting impact on your students’ educational journey and life beyond school.

1. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment.

2. Why is critical thinking important for students? Critical thinking helps students make informed decisions, develop analytical skills, and promotes independence.

3. What are some strategies to cultivate critical thinking in students? Strategies can include Socratic questioning, debates and discussions, teaching metacognition, and problem-solving activities.

4. How can I assess my students’ critical thinking skills? You can assess critical thinking skills through essays, presentations, discussions, and problem-solving tasks that require thoughtful analysis.

5. Can critical thinking be taught? Yes, critical thinking can be taught and nurtured through specific teaching strategies and a supportive learning environment.

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Developing a classroom culture that supports a problem-solving approach to mathematics

What next? Having investigated what is actually going on in your classroom, take a look at the relevant sections below and see what would help you develop your classroom culture further. ASPECT ONE

C. Mathematical skills Another way of grouping the questions is according to the mathematical skills they encourage.

Adapted from Jeffcoat, M., Jones, M., Mansergh, J., Mason, J., Sewell, H. and Watson, A. (2004) Primary Questions and Prompts. Derby: Association of Teachers of Mathematics.  (See also Watson, A. & Mason, J. (1998) Questions and Prompts for Mathematical Thinking. Derby: Association of Teachers of Mathematics.) ASPECT THREE

ASPECT FOUR

ASPECT FIVE

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3 Ways to Improve Your Students’ Problem-Solving Skills

Teaching problem solving doesn’t have to be something you dread. Students can and should enjoy feeling challenged and having to persevere through a difficult task. In this article, we lay out three ways we have found success for incorporating problem-solving into our teaching. Learn more through an on-demand webinar .

Problem-Solving Challenges

Have you ever wondered why students often struggle with problem solving in math? Well, problem solving is… challenging! Additionally, if problem solving is difficult, then teaching how to solve problems is even more demanding. There are some common reasons we believe teachers struggle to support students in developing problem-solving skills. They are:

• Problem-solving is often taught in conjunction with mnemonics and memorized procedures that are not predictable and that take focus away from the literacy and mathematics of the task
• Problems chosen are often too routine or familiar for students
• Problem structures do not vary enough between tasks chosen
• Instruction seldom includes reflecting and writing about mathematical practices/processes used to problem solve

Even more, word problems...

• have lots of… you guessed it: words! This can be very daunting for all students, especially for linguistic learners who are still mastering the language.

Improving Student Problem-Solving

Based on our experiences and successes, there are strategic ways incorporating problem- solving into our teaching. Here are three ways that you can support students by incorporating problem solving into your teaching.

Way 1: Use high cognitive demand tasks.

It’s called problem-solving for a reason! There must be an actual problem to solve! After all, a problem isn’t a problem if students already know how to solve it!

Thus, it’s very important to use high cognitive demand tasks in your teaching of problem- solving. These types of tasks engage students in mathematical thinking. They also require students to experience some sort of productive struggle. High cognitive demand tasks may have multiple solutions, or solution paths that are not obvious. They may also have constraints that restrict the number of solutions or strategies.

Teachers’ expectations for student success set the benchmark for students to achieve. When that benchmark is low, student achievement is low. When that benchmark is high, students have an opportunity to rise to that higher level. Providing students with types of tasks that they have not encountered before, and challenging students to make sense of a question, places them at the center of the problem-solving process. Ultimately, then, students are required to think mathematically as opposed to memorizing and regurgitating a set of procedures.

Take a look at the following third grade task:

This task is representative of a high cognitive demand task. Here’s why:

• The task has multiple solutions to each question.
• There are various ways to go about solving the problem.
• The task is not about applying a memorized procedure such as how to find the area or perimeter of a rectangle, despite the provided labeled wooden board with dimensions.
• To answer the questions, students are required to use complex thinking as well as a deep understanding of how the concept of fractions connects to geometry

Teaching problem-solving is much more successful when students are provided tasks that require them to think critically.

Way 2: Offer language support, as needed.

Problems can often be wordy and may muddy the water between whether we are assessing reading skills or mathematics. To ensure the focus is on mathematics, we suggest considering which vocabulary words or grammatical structures might present difficulties. This allows teachers to be better prepared to support challenges that students may encounter.

For example, in the Closet Task problem, the word ‘whole’ when read aloud sounds like ‘hole’. The understanding of the word ‘whole’ is vital to the problem—students must comprehend that the whole board represents the denominator, the entire thing. If students are visualizing a wooden board with holes, they will never have the opportunity to show their understanding of the mathematics content.

Therefore, we suggest previewing important vocabulary before students solve a problem in order to ensure understanding of the task at hand. More specifically, we recommend teachers define appropriate Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 vocabulary words, as needed, for the students they serve.

In addition to pre-teaching important vocabulary, we also suggest calling out challenging grammatical structures. These include phrases with modal phrases like “You have to multiply the length by the width to find the area of a rectangle” or conditional phrases such as, “If you multiply any number by zero, then the product will always be zero.”

Way 3: Provide opportunities for students to engage in structured discourse.

Problem-solving is often thought of as an isolated topic in math classes. Some might even imagine it to look like students working independently. When presented with a problem in the real world, we often seek others’ help. Problem-solving in math class should mirror the real world. Collaboration is a vital skill that can provide students with the support they need in developing their own abilities to share their thinking and in listening to one another.

In order to collaborate successfully, students need to be explicitly taught how to have a math dialogue. This is why we suggest teachers provide students with specific sentence frames that allow for students to structure their discourse so their conversations are meaningful. Structured discourse also supports students in having equal airtime. Additionally, it ensures that students are listening to understand, not listening to respond.

For example, take a look at this protocol that features structured sentence frames to be used after students have solved a task independently:

Norris, K. & Kreisberg, H. (2021). Let's Talk Math. TCM: Huntington Beach, CA.

Students know exactly how to engage in the conversation. Each student is held accountable for listening and understanding by being asked to rephrase what their partner said. Students then analyze their own strategies and discuss their problem-solving process. Students' learning deepens when they articulate their own understanding as they progress through a meaningful task, as well as when they draw conclusions based on their work.

Problem-solving skills may be enhanced when students are able to communicate effectively about their problem solving process and the mathematical strategies they used.

Successful Problem-Solving

While teaching problem-solving is no easy feat, it doesn’t have to be something to dread! Students can be successful problem solvers when they

• problem solve using demanding tasks that cause them to critically think
• collaborate to break down language barriers that often prevent them from accessing the task
• use structured protocols that promote meaningful mathematical discourse
• reflect on their problem solving process both orally and in writing

Imagine this:

This scenario illustrates what a classroom can look like where students are active participants in the problem-solving process. In this classroom, students use structured protocols that facilitate them in understanding the task and identifying important information. Students gain self- confidence as they share their thinking and are active listeners in their discussions. They think mathematically, communicate their understandings orally and in writing, and identify connections among mathematical content and strategies.

With the three strategies included in this article, teachers can overcome the challenges of teaching problem-solving and support students in becoming successful, independent problem-solvers. By using high cognitive demand tasks, offering language support, and providing opportunities for students to engage in structured discourse, teachers can empower students to persevere as problem solvers.

Let's Talk Math: Your Guide to Successful Problem-Solving Instruction

Deepen your understanding of teaching problem solving effectively with the authors of Let’s Talk Math , a researched-based, standards-aligned curricular resource for grades K–5. In this webinar, participants will learn:

• three Steps for Problem-Solving Success which puts students at the center of mathematical learning
• how to support learners in becoming more confident mathematical thinkers
• how Let’s Talk Math enhances both students’ mathematical content knowledge and problem-solving skills, as well as oral and written communication skills

Categories:

Author bio:, dr. hilary kreisberg.

Dr. Hilary Kreisberg is the director of the Center for Mathematics Achievement and an assistant professor of mathematics education at Lesley University. Dr. Kreisberg was previously a K–5 math coach and an elementary educator and has a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Special Education, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. An award-winning author, Dr. Kreisberg has been featured in multiple...

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Problem Solving Activities: 7 Strategies

• Critical Thinking

Problem solving can be a daunting aspect of effective mathematics teaching, but it does not have to be! In this post, I share seven strategic ways to integrate problem solving into your everyday math program.

In the middle of our problem solving lesson, my district math coordinator stopped by for a surprise walkthrough. 

I was so excited!

We were in the middle of what I thought was the most brilliant math lesson– teaching my students how to solve problem solving tasks using specific problem solving strategies. 

It was a proud moment for me!

Each week, I presented a new problem solving strategy and the students completed problems that emphasized the strategy. 

Genius right? 

After observing my class, my district coordinator pulled me aside to chat. I was excited to talk to her about my brilliant plan, but she told me I should provide the tasks and let my students come up with ways to solve the problems. Then, as students shared their work, I could revoice the student’s strategies and give them an official name. 

What a crushing blow! Just when I thought I did something special, I find out I did it all wrong. 

I took some time to consider her advice. Once I acknowledged she was right, I was able to make BIG changes to the way I taught problem solving in the classroom. 

When I Finally Saw the Light

To give my students an opportunity to engage in more authentic problem solving which would lead them to use a larger variety of problem solving strategies, I decided to vary the activities and the way I approached problem solving with my students. 

Problem Solving Activities

Here are seven ways to strategically reinforce problem solving skills in your classroom. 

Seasonal Problem Solving

Many teachers use word problems as problem solving tasks. Instead, try engaging your students with non-routine tasks that look like word problems but require more than the use of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to complete. Seasonal problem solving tasks and daily challenges are a perfect way to celebrate the season and have a little fun too!

Cooperative Problem Solving Tasks

Go cooperative! If you’ve got a few extra minutes, have students work on problem solving tasks in small groups. After working through the task, students create a poster to help explain their solution process and then post their poster around the classroom. Students then complete a gallery walk of the posters in the classroom and provide feedback via sticky notes or during a math talk session.

Notice and Wonder

Before beginning a problem solving task, such as a seasonal problem solving task, conduct a Notice and Wonder session. To do this, ask students what they notice about the problem. Then, ask them what they wonder about the problem. This will give students an opportunity to highlight the unique characteristics and conditions of the problem as they try to make sense of it. 

Want a better experience? Remove the stimulus, or question, and allow students to wonder about the problem. Try it! You’ll gain some great insight into how your students think about a problem.

Math Starters

Start your math block with a math starter, critical thinking activities designed to get your students thinking about math and provide opportunities to “sneak” in grade-level content and skills in a fun and engaging way. These tasks are quick, designed to take no more than five minutes, and provide a great way to turn-on your students’ brains. Read more about math starters here ! 

Create your own puzzle box! The puzzle box is a set of puzzles and math challenges I use as fast finisher tasks for my students when they finish an assignment or need an extra challenge. The box can be a file box, file crate, or even a wall chart. It includes a variety of activities so all students can find a challenge that suits their interests and ability level.

Calculators

Use calculators! For some reason, this tool is not one many students get to use frequently; however, it’s important students have a chance to practice using it in the classroom. After all, almost everyone has access to a calculator on their cell phones. There are also some standardized tests that allow students to use them, so it’s important for us to practice using calculators in the classroom. Plus, calculators can be fun learning tools all by themselves!

Three-Act Math Tasks

Use a three-act math task to engage students with a content-focused, real-world problem! These math tasks were created with math modeling in mind– students are presented with a scenario and then given clues and hints to help them solve the problem. There are several sites where you can find these awesome math tasks, including Dan Meyer’s Three-Act Math Tasks and Graham Fletcher’s 3-Acts Lessons . 

Getting the Most from Each of the Problem Solving Activities

When students participate in problem solving activities, it is important to ask guiding, not leading, questions. This provides students with the support necessary to move forward in their thinking and it provides teachers with a more in-depth understanding of student thinking. Selecting an initial question and then analyzing a student’s response tells teachers where to go next. 

Ready to jump in? Grab a free set of problem solving challenges like the ones pictured using the form below. 

Which of the problem solving activities will you try first? Respond in the comments below.

Shametria Routt Banks

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2 Responses

This is a very cool site. I hope it takes off and is well received by teachers. I work in mathematical problem solving and help prepare pre-service teachers in mathematics.

Thank you, Scott! Best wishes to you and your pre-service teachers this year!

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Creative problem solving tools and skills for students and teachers

Creative Problem Solving: What Is It?

Creative Problem Solving, or CPS ,  refers to the use of imagination and innovation to find solutions to problems when formulaic or conventional processes have failed.

Despite its rather dry definition – creative problem-solving in its application can be a lot of fun for learners and teachers alike.

Why Are Creative Problem-Solving Skills Important?

By definition, creative problem-solving challenges students to think beyond the conventional and to avoid well-trodden, sterile paths of thinking.

Not only does this motivate student learning, encourage engagement, and inspire deeper learning, but the practical applications of this higher-level thinking skill are virtually inexhaustible.

For example, given the rapidly changing world of work, it is hard to conceive of a skill that will be more valuable than the ability to generate innovative solutions to the unique problems that will arise and that are impossible to predict ahead of time.

Outside the world of work, in our busy daily lives, the endless problems arising from day-to-day living can also be overcome by a creative problem-solving approach.

When students have developed their creative problem-solving abilities effectively, they will have added a powerful tool to attack problems that they will encounter, whether in school, work, or in their personal lives.

Due to its at times nebulous nature, teaching creative problem-solving in the classroom poses its own challenges. However, developing a culture of approaching problem-solving in a creative manner is possible.

In this article, we will take a look at a variety of strategies, tools, and activities that can help students improve their creative problem-solving skills.

The Underlying Principles of CPS

Before we take a look at a process for implementing creative problem solving, it is helpful to examine a few of the underlying principles of CPS. These core principles should be encouraged in the classroom. They are:

●       Assume Nothing

Assumptions are the enemy of creativity and original thinking. If students assume they already have the answer, they will not be creative in their approach to solving a problem.

●       Problems Are Opportunities

Rather than seeing problems as difficulties to endure, a shift in perspective can instead view problems as challenges that offer new opportunities. Encourage your students to shift their perspectives to see opportunities where they once saw problems.

●       Suspend Judgment

Making immediate judgments closes down the creative response and the formation of new ideas. There is a time to make judgments, but making a judgment too early in the process can be very detrimental to finding a creative solution.

Cognitive Approaches: Convergent vs Divergent Thinking

“It is easier to tame a wild idea than it is to push a closer-in idea further out.”

— Alex Osborn

The terms divergent and convergent thinking, coined by psychologist J.P. Guilford in 1956, refer to two contrasting cognitive approaches to problem-solving.

Convergent Thinking can be thought of as linear and systematic in its approach. It attempts to find a solution to a problem by narrowing down multiple ideas into a single solution. If convergent thinking can be thought of as asking a single question, that question would be ‘ Why ?’

Divergent Thinking focuses more on the generation of multiple ideas and on the connections between those ideas. It sees problems as design opportunities and encourages the use of resources and materials in original ways. Divergent thinking encourages the taking of creative risks and is flexible rather than analytical in its approach. If it was a single question, it’d be ‘ Why not ?’

While it may appear that these two modes of thinking about a problem have an essentially competitive relationship, in CPS they can work together in a complementary manner.

When students have a problem to solve and they’re looking for innovative solutions, they can employ divergent thinking initially to generate multiple ideas, then convergent thinking to analyze and narrow down those ideas.

Students can repeat this process to continue to filter and refine their ideas and perspectives until they arrive at an innovative and satisfactory solution to the initial problem.

Let’s now take a closer look at the creative problem-solving process.

The Creative Problem-Solving Process

CPS helps students arrive at innovative and novel solutions to the problems that arise in life. Having a process to follow helps to keep students focused and to reach a point where action can be taken to implement creative ideas.

Originally developed by Alex Osborn and Sid Parnes, the CPS process has gone through a number of revisions over the last 50 or so years and, as a result, there are a number of variations of this model in existence.

The version described below is one of the more recent models and is well-suited to the classroom environment.

However, things can sometimes get a little complex for some of the younger students. So, in this case, it may be beneficial to teach the individual parts of the process in isolation first.

1. Clarify:

Before beginning to seek creative solutions to a problem, it is important to clarify the exact nature of that problem. To do this, students should do the following three things:

i. Identify the Problem

The first step in bringing creativity to problem-solving is to identify the problem, challenge, opportunity, or goal and clearly define it.

ii. Gather Data

Gather data and research information and background to ensure a clear understanding.

iii. Formulate Questions

Enhance awareness of the nature of the problem by creating questions that invite solutions.

Explore new ideas to answer the questions raised. It’s time to get creative here. The more ideas generated, the greater the chance of producing a novel and useful idea. At this stage in particular, students should be engaged in divergent thinking as described above.

The focus here shifts from ideas to solutions. Once multiple ideas have been generated, convergent thinking can be used to narrow these down to the most suitable solution. The best idea should be closely analyzed in all its aspects and further ideas generated to make subsequent improvements. This is the stage to refine the initial idea and make it into a really workable solution.

4. Implement

Create a plan to implement the chosen solution. Students need to identify the required resources for the successful implementation of the solution. They need to plan for the actions that need to be taken, when they need to be taken, and who needs to take them.

Summary of Creative Problem Solving Process

In each stage of the CPS Process, students should be encouraged to employ divergent and convergent thinking in turn. Divergent thinking should be used to generate multiple ideas with convergent thinking then used to narrow these ideas down to the most feasible options. We will discuss how students go about this, but let’s first take a quick look at the role of a group facilitator.

The Importance of Group Facilitator

CPS is best undertaken in groups and, for larger and more complex projects, it’s even more effective when a facilitator can be appointed for the group.

The facilitator performs a number of useful purposes and helps the group to:

• Stay focused on the task at hand
• Move through the various stages efficiently
• Select appropriate tools and strategies

 A good facilitator does not generate ideas themselves but instead keeps the group focused on each step of the process.

Facilitators should be objective and possess a good understanding of the process outlined above, as well as the other tools and strategies that we will look at below.

The Creative Problem-Solving Process: Tools and Strategies

There are several activities available to help students move through each stage. These will help students to stay on track, remove barriers and blocks, be creative, and reach a consensus as they progress through the CPS process.

  The following tools and strategies can help provide groups with some structure and can be applied at various stages of the problem-solving process. For convenience, they have been categorized according to whether they make demands on divergent or convergent thinking as discussed earlier.

Divergent Thinking Tools:

  ●       Brainstorming

Defined by Alex Osborn as “a group’s attempt to find a solution for a specific problem by amassing ideas ”, this is perhaps the best-known tool in the arsenal of the creative problem solver.

To promote a creative collaboration in a group setting, simply share the challenge with everyone and challenge them to come up with as many ideas as possible. Ideas should be concise and specific. For this reason, it may be worth setting a word limit for recording each idea e.g. express in headline form in no more than 5 words. Post-it notes are perfect for this.

You may also set a quota on the number of ideas to generate or introduce a time limit to further encourage focus. When completed, members of the group can share and compare all the ideas in search of the most suitable.

●       5 W’s and an H

The 5 W’s and an H are Who , What , Where , Why , and How . This strategy is useful to effectively gather data. Students brainstorm questions to ask that begin with each of the question words above in turn. They then seek to gather the necessary information to answer these questions through research and discussion.

●       Reverse Assumptions

This activity is a great way to explore new ideas. Have the students begin by generating a list of up to 10 basic assumptions about the idea or concept. For each of these, students then explore the reverse of the assumption listing new insights and perspectives in the process.

The students can then use these insights and perspectives to generate fresh ideas. For example, an assumption about the concept of a restaurant might be that the food is cooked for you. The reverse of that assumption could be a restaurant where you cook the food yourself. So, how about a restaurant where patrons select their own recipes and cook their own food aided by a trained chef?

Convergent Thinking Tools

●       How-How Diagram

This is the perfect activity to use when figuring out the steps required to implement a solution.

Students write the solution on the left-hand side of a page turned landscape. Working together, they identify the individual steps required to achieve this solution and write these to the right of the solution.

When they have written these steps, they go through each step one-by-one identifying in detail each stage of achieving that step. These are written branching to the right of each step.

Students repeat this process until they have exhausted the process and ended up with a comprehensive branch diagram detailing each step necessary for the implementation of the solution.

●       The Evaluation Matrix

Making an evaluation matrix creates a systematic way of analyzing and comparing multiple solutions. It allows for a group to evaluate options against various criteria to help build consensus.

An evaluation matrix begins with the listing of criteria to evaluate potential solutions against. These can then be turned into the form of a positive question that allows for a Yes or No answer. For example, if the budget is the criteria, the evaluation question could be ‘ Is it within budget? ’

Make a matrix grid with a separate column for each of the key criteria. Write the positive question form of these criteria as headings for these columns. The different options can then be detailed and listed down the left-most column.

Students then work through each of the criteria for each option and record whether it fulfills, or doesn’t fulfill, each criteria. For more complex solutions, students could record their responses to each of the criteria on a scale from 0 to 5.

For example:

Using the example matrix above, it becomes very clear that Option 1 is the superior solution given that it completely fulfills all the criteria, whereas Option 2 and Option 3 fulfill only 2 out of the 3 criteria each.

 ●       Pair & Share

This activity is suitable to help develop promising ideas. After making a list of possible solutions or questions to pursue, each individual student writes down their top 3 ideas.

Once each student has their list of their 3 best ideas, organize students into pairs. In their pairs, students discuss their combined 6 ideas to decide on the top 3 out of the 6. Once they have agreed on these, they write the new top 3 ideas on a piece of paper.

Now, direct the pairs of students to join up with another pair to make groups of 4. In these groups of 4, students discuss their collective 6 ideas to come up with a new list of the top 3 ideas.

Repeat this process until the whole class comes together as one big group to agree on the top 3 ideas overall.

Establish a Culture of Creative Problem Solving in the Classroom

Approaching problems creatively is about establishing a classroom culture that welcomes innovation and the trial and error that innovation demands. Too often our students are so focused on finding the ‘right‘ answer that they miss opportunities to explore new ideas.

It is up to us as teachers to help create a classroom culture that encourages experimentation and creative playfulness.

To do this we need to ensure our students understand the benefits of a creative approach to problem-solving.

We must ensure too that they are aware of the personal, social, and organizational benefits of CPS.

CPS should become an integral part of their approach to solving problems whether at school, work, or in their personal lives.

As teachers, it is up to us to help create a classroom culture that encourages experimentation and creative playfulness.

To do this, we must ensure our students understand the benefits of a creative approach to problem-solving.

CPS should become an integral part of their approach to solving problems, whether at school, work or in their personal lives.

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders: The Crucial Role of Computational and Systems Thinking in Education

the importance of systems thinking and computational thinking strategies for students cannot be overstated, as these skills are integral to navigating the complexities of our rapidly evolving digital landscape. Computational thinking, characterized by algorithmic problem-solving and logical reasoning, equips students with the ability to approach challenges systematically. In an era dominated by technology, these skills are not limited to coding but extend to critical thinking, enabling students to dissect problems, identify patterns, and devise efficient solutions. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected and data-driven, computational thinking provides a foundational framework for students to make sense of information, fostering a generation adept at leveraging technology for innovation.

Simultaneously, systems thinking is indispensable in comprehending the intricate web of relationships within various contexts. It encourages students to view issues holistically, understanding the interdependence of components and the ripple effects of decisions. In an era marked by global challenges, such as climate change and socio-economic disparities, systems thinking instills a proactive mindset. Students equipped with these skills are better prepared to analyze multifaceted problems, appreciate diverse perspectives, and collaborate on sustainable solutions.

Together, computational and systems thinking empower students to navigate an ever-changing world with confidence, adaptability, and a profound understanding of the interconnected systems that shape our future. These skills are not just academic; they are the building blocks of a resilient, innovative, and forward-thinking society.

be sure to check out our great video guides to teaching systems thinking and computational thinking below.

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Problem Solving in the Classroom

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Success Story

Last week during our class meetings, I noticed a disturbing habit developing among my students. Sometimes they don't want to switch seats and move away from their best friends, and sometimes they want to be the last one standing (when we do an activity that has us sit down after our turn). Then we talked about how this might make everyone else feel and how it might affect our class community. We agreed that this was a problem because it did not make everyone feel welcome. Finally, I asked them for suggestions to solve the problem.

We have been working on problem solving all year. I started by teaching my students that solutions always need to be related, respectful, reasonable, and helpful. This is a challenge for students who often think of punishments before solutions. As we started talking about possible solutions to this problem, the first few solutions were not surprisingly more like punishments, such as, having the culprits sit out of future greetings and activities until they were being kind, or skipping offenders in the circle. However, the more we talked, the more they began to consider ways to prevent the problem from even occurring. Eventually we settled on two possible preventative solutions:

1) they could come to the circle separately and choose a place to sit away from close friends so they wouldn't be tempted to resist moving.

2) we could make assigned seats around the circle so that no one would feel uncomfortable about moving if necessary.

At this point, I told the class I would consider both solutions. It seems that I've taught them well about how to solve problems fairly because immediately one student suggested that I let the class vote. It was hard to argue with her logic and truthfully both solutions were acceptable. So this morning we had a vote. I had the kids close their eyes and raise their hands. They voted (20-3) to have assigned seats. When they opened their eyes and I announced the winning solution they started fist pumping with excitement.

I couldn't help but smile. I could never have imagined such a positive reaction to the idea of assigned seats for class activities. In fact, I suspect that had I forced the idea of assigned seats on them as a "punishment" or consequence, I would have heard lots of complaints and frustration. Yet when they could appreciate the problem and come to the solution on their own, they were more than willing to accept the idea. We immediately created a chart with assigned circle seats and by the afternoon they were already reminding each other where they needed to sit. Love it! Sarah Werstuik, Washington, D.C.

Teach Students the 4 Problem-Solving Steps

Another way to solve problems in the classroom is to teach students the 4 Problem-Solving Steps.

Post a copy of the 4 Problem-Solving Steps where students can refer to it (maybe next to a "peace table").

Problem-Solving Steps

• Do something else. (Find another game or activity.)
• Leave long enough for a cooling-off period, then follow-up with the next steps.
• Tell the other person how you feel. Let him or her know you don’t like what is happening.
• Listen to what the other person says about how he or she feels and what he or she doesn’t like.
• Share what you think you did to contribute to the problem.
• Tell the other person what you are willing to do differently.
• Work out a plan for sharing or taking turns.
• Put it on the class meeting agenda. (This can also be a first choice and is not meant as a last resort.)
• Talk it over with a parent, teacher, or friend.

After discussing these skills, have the children role-play the following hypothetical situations. Have them solve each of the situations four different ways (one for each of the steps).

• Fighting over whose turn it is to use the tetherball.
• Shoving in line.
• Calling people bad names.
• Fighting over whose turn it is to sit by the window in the car or bus.

Teachers can put the Four Problem-Solving Steps on a laminated poster for students to refer to. Some teachers require that children use these steps before they put a problem on the agenda. Other teachers prefer the class meeting process because it teaches other skills. Instead of making one better than the other (class meeting or one-on-one), let children choose which option they would prefer at the moment.

This tool and many others can be found in the Positive Discipline Teacher Tool Cards .

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Strategies to Increase Critical Thinking Skills in students

Teach Better Team October 2, 2019 Blog , Engage Better , Lesson Plan Better , Personalize Student Learning Better

In This Post:

• The importance of helping students increase critical thinking skills.
• Ways to promote the essential skills needed to analyze and evaluate.
• Strategies to incorporate critical thinking into your instruction.

We ask our teachers to be “future-ready” or say that we are teaching “for jobs that don’t exist yet.” These are powerful statements. At the same time, they give teachers the impression that we have to drastically change what we are doing .

So how do we plan education for an unknown job market or unknown needs?

My answer: We can’t predict the jobs, but whatever they are, students will need to think critically to do them. So, our job is to teach our students HOW to think, not WHAT to think.

Helping Students Become Critical Thinkers

My answer is rooted in the call to empower our students to be critical thinkers. I believe that to be critical thinkers, educators need to provide students with the strategies they need. And we need to ask more than just surface-level questions.

Questions to students must motivate them to dig up background knowledge. They should inspire them to make connections to real-world scenarios. These make the learning more memorable and meaningful.

Critical thinking is a general term. I believe this term means that students effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate content or skills. In this process, they (the students) will discover and present convincing reasons in support of their answers or thinking.

You can look up critical thinking and get many definitions like this one from Wikipedia: “ Critical thinking consists of a mental process of analyzing or evaluating information, particularly statements or propositions that people have offered as true. ”

Essential Skills for Critical Thinking

In my current role as director of curriculum and instruction, I work to promote the use of 21st-century tools and, more importantly, thinking skills. Some essential skills that are the basis for critical thinking are:

• Communication and Information skills
• Thinking and Problem-Solving skills
• Interpersonal and Self- Directional skills
• Collaboration skills

These four bullets are skills students are going to need in any field and in all levels of education. Hence my answer to the question. We need to teach our students to think critically and for themselves.

One of the goals of education is to prepare students to learn through discovery . Providing opportunities to practice being critical thinkers will assist students in analyzing others’ thinking and examining the logic of others.

Understanding others is an essential skill in collaboration and in everyday life. Critical thinking will allow students to do more than just memorize knowledge.

Ask Questions

So how do we do this? One recommendation is for educators to work in-depth questioning strategies into a lesson launch.

Ask thoughtful questions to allow for answers with sound reasoning. Then, word conversations and communication to shape students’ thinking. Quick answers often result in very few words and no eye contact, which are skills we don’t want to promote.

When you are asking students questions and they provide a solution, try some of these to promote further thinking:

• Could you elaborate further on that point?
• Will you express that point in another way?
• Can you give me an illustration?
• Would you give me an example?
• Will you you provide more details?
• Could you be more specific?
• Do we need to consider another point of view?
• Is there another way to look at this question?

Utilizing critical thinking skills could be seen as a change in the paradigm of teaching and learning. Engagement in education will enhance the collaboration among teachers and students. It will also provide a way for students to succeed even if the school system had to start over.

[scroll down to keep reading]

Promoting critical thinking into all aspects of instruction.

Engagement, application, and collaboration are skills that withstand the test of time. I also promote the integration of critical thinking into every aspect of instruction.

In my experience, I’ve found a few ways to make this happen.

Begin lessons/units with a probing question: It shouldn’t be a question you can answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ These questions should inspire discovery learning and problem-solving.

Encourage Creativity: I have seen teachers prepare projects before they give it to their students many times. For example, designing snowmen or other “creative” projects. By doing the design work or by cutting all the circles out beforehand, it removes creativity options.

It may help the classroom run more smoothly if every child’s material is already cut out, but then every student’s project looks the same. Students don’t have to think on their own or problem solve.

Not having everything “glue ready” in advance is a good thing. Instead, give students all the supplies needed to create a snowman, and let them do it on their own.

Giving independence will allow students to become critical thinkers because they will have to create their own product with the supplies you give them. This might be an elementary example, but it’s one we can relate to any grade level or project.

Try not to jump to help too fast – let the students work through a productive struggle .

Build in opportunities for students to find connections in learning.  Encouraging students to make connections to a real-life situation and identify patterns is a great way to practice their critical thinking skills. The use of real-world scenarios will increase rigor, relevance, and critical thinking.

A few other techniques to encourage critical thinking are:

• Use analogies
• Promote interaction among students
• Ask open-ended questions
• Allow reflection time
• Use real-life problems
• Allow for thinking practice

Critical thinking prepares students to think for themselves for the rest of their lives. I also believe critical thinkers are less likely to go along with the crowd because they think for themselves.

About Matthew X. Joseph, Ed.D.

Dr. Matthew X. Joseph has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation in Milford Public Schools (MA), elementary school principal in Natick, MA and Attleboro, MA, classroom teacher, and district professional development specialist have provided Matt incredible insights on how to best support teaching and learning. This experience has led to nationally publishing articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. He is the author of Power of Us: Creating Collaborative Schools and co-author of Modern Mentoring , Reimagining Teacher Mentorship (Due out, fall 2019). His master’s degree is in special education and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Boston College.

Visit Matthew’s Blog

• ELEMENTARY TEACHING , SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM

SEL Problem Solving: How to Teach Students to be Problem Solvers in 2024

If you are an elementary teacher looking to learn how to help your students solve problems independently, then you found the right place! Problem solving skills prepare kids to face dilemmas and obstacles with confidence. Students who have problem solving skills are more independent than students who do not. In this post, we’ll go into detail about what problem solving skills are and why they are important. In addition, we’ll share tips and ideas for how to teach problem solving skills in an elementary classroom setting. Read all about helping students solve problems in and out of the classroom below!

What Does Solving Problems Mean?

Solving problems means brainstorming solutions to the problem after identifying and analyzing the problem and why it occurred. It is important to brainstorm different solutions by looking at all angles of the problem and creating a list of possible solutions. Then you can pick the solution that fits the best.

Why is it Important for Kids to Solve Problems?

It is important for kids to solve problems by brainstorming different solutions so that they can pick the best solution. This teaches them that there can be many different solutions to a problem and they vary in effectiveness. Teaching kids to solve problems helps them be independent in making choices. 

How Do I Know If I Need to Teach Problem Solving in My Classroom?

The students in your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th grade classroom would benefit from problem solving lessons and activities if any of these statements are true:

• Student confidence is lacking.
• Students are getting into conflicts with each other.
• They come to you to solve problems they could have solved on their own.
• Students are becoming easily frustrated.
• Recess is a hard time for your class.

5 Reasons To Promote Problem Solving In Your Elementary Classroom

Below are 5 reasons to promote problem solving in your elementary classroom.

1. Problem solving builds confidence 

Students’ confidence will grow as they learn problem solving skills because they will believe in their own abilities to solve problems. The more experience they have using their problem solving skills, the more confident they will become. Instead of going to others to solve problems for them, they will look inside themselves at their own abilities. 

2. Problem solving creates stronger friendships

Students who can problem solve create stronger friendships because they won’t let arguments or running into issues stop them from being friends with a person. Instead they work with their friend to get through their problem together and get through the bump in the road, instead of giving up on the friendship. 

3. Problem solving skills increase emotional intelligence 

Having emotional intelligence is incredibly helpful when solving problems. As students learn problem solving skills, they will use emotional intelligence to think about the feelings of others involved in the conflict. They will also think about how the problem is affecting others. 

4. Problem solving skills create more independent kids

Students who can problem solve become more independent than kids who cannot because they will try to solve their problems first instead of going to an adult. They won’t look at adults as being the only people who can solve their problems. They will be equipped with the skill set to tackle the problems they are experiencing by themselves or with peers. However, it is important to make the distinction with kids between problems they can solve on their own and problems they need an adult for. 

5. Teaching problem solving skills causes students to be more reflective 

Reflecting is part of the problem solving process. Students need to reflect on the problem and what caused it when deciding how to solve the problem. Once students choose the best solution to their problem, they need to reflect on whether or not the solution was effective. 

5 Tips and Ideas for Teaching Problem Solving Skills 

Below are tips and ideas for teaching problem solving.

1. Read Aloud Picture Books about Problem Solving Skills 

Picture books are a great way to introduce and teach an SEL topic. It gets students thinking about the topic and activating their background knowledge. Check out this list of picture books for teaching problem solving skills !

2. Watch Videos about Problem Solving Skills 

There are tons of free online videos out there that promote social emotional learning. It’s a fun and engaging way to teach SEL skills that your students will enjoy. Check out these videos for teaching problem solving skills !

3. Explicitly Teach Vocabulary Related to Problem Solving Skills 

Vocabulary words can help students develop understanding of problem solving and create connections through related words. Our problem solving SEL unit includes ten vocabulary cards with words related to the SEL topic. It is important for students to be able to see, hear, and use relevant vocabulary while learning. One idea for how to use them is to create an SEL word wall as students learn the words.

4. Provide Practice Opportunities

When learning any skill, students need time to practice. Social emotional learning skills are no different! Our problem solving SEL unit includes scenario cards, discussion cards, choice boards, games, and much more. These provide students with opportunities to practice the skills independently, with partners or small groups, or as a whole class.

5. Integrate Other Content Areas

Integrating other content areas with this topic is a great way to approach this SEL topic. Our problem solving SEL unit includes reading, writing, and art activities.

Skills Related to Problem Solving

Problem-solving, in the context of social emotional learning (SEL) or character education, refers to the process of identifying, analyzing, and resolving challenges or obstacles in a thoughtful and effective manner. While “problem-solving” is the commonly used term, there are other words and phrases that can convey a similar meaning. These alternative words highlight different aspects of finding solutions, critical thinking, and decision-making. Here are some other words used in the context of problem-solving:

• Troubleshooting: Identifying and resolving problems or difficulties by analyzing their root causes.
• Critical thinking: Applying logical and analytical reasoning to evaluate and solve problems.
• Decision-making: Considering options and making choices to address and solve problems effectively.
• Analytical problem-solving: Using data, evidence, and systematic thinking to address challenges and find solutions.
• Creative problem-solving: Generating innovative ideas and approaches to overcome obstacles and find solutions.
• Resourcefulness: Finding effective solutions using available resources and thinking outside the box.
• Solution-oriented: Focusing on identifying and implementing solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
• Adaptability: Adjusting strategies and approaches to fit changing circumstances and overcome challenges.
• Strategic thinking: Planning and organizing actions to achieve desired outcomes and resolve problems.
• Systems thinking: Considering the interconnectedness and relationships between different elements when solving problems.

These terms encompass the concept of problem-solving and reflect the qualities of critical thinking, decision-making, and finding effective solutions within the context of social emotional learning (SEL) or character education.

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In closing, we hope you found this information about teaching problem solving skills helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts.

• SEL Best Practices for Elementary Teachers
• Social Emotional Learning Activities
• 75+ SEL Videos for Elementary Teachers
• Teaching SEL Skills with Picture Books
• How to Create a Social Emotional Learning Environment

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3 steps to creative problem solving in the classroom

• Teaching Strategies

Bringing creativity into the classroom came naturally to Mark Gura. He began his career as a visual arts teacher in East Harlem, and when his small school asked him to teach other topics like English and social studies, it made sense to integrate some of his artistic skills into his lessons.

“Running a creative classroom was all about the culture I established,” Gura says. “I was bringing the students into another way of being. Not of thinking, but of being.”

To do that requires restructuring “habits of mind,” as Gura puts it. For example, many people think of creativity as a solo endeavor – the artist or writer who paints or writes in solitude. But creativity doesn’t happen in a bubble. Often it’s the result of team collaboration with a lot of brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other.

How can educators best build a creative culture in their classroom? It begins with establishing a creative space where students can share their work. Gura is a fan of blogs, where students can post essays, videos or visual art projects and get real-time feedback.

Educators can also encourage students to come up with multiple solutions to specific situations. Too often, Gura says, students get caught up with finding the single correct answer to a problem. Instead, focus on finding multiple outcomes. Here’s how:

• Develop a strategy. This involves researching the problem and its history to best understand it and then analyzing how others approached the problem and solved it. Look for mistakes made along the way and the gaps left to be filled.
• Create a prototype, test or draft. Once students truly understand the problem, they are ready to solve it. This is where the creative community truly comes into play. Through collaboration, more minds are working on prototype solutions. Not only can students tap into their peers’ ideas, the feedback turns the classroom into a thought incubator where ideas are nurtured and grow.
• Find an audience. Creative communities need a support system, someone outside of the creative team who can bring an unbiased perspective to the problem and solution. This can be done by soliciting feedback through blog posts, in a closed digital community or during classroom presentations. The idea is to use the audience to help refine the prototype or draft.

In creative classrooms, Gura says, the finished product isn’t the most important outcome. It’s the process of getting to a solution and then expanding it in new directions.

“That’s a huge shift in the habits of mind within the classroom,” he adds. “It’s ongoing, with students relying on the community for support.”

Discover ready-to-implement activities for developing student creativity in your school or classroom with Gura’s new book, Make, Learn Succeed: Building a Culture of Creativity in Your School.

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Educationise

11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

Ignite your child’s curiosity with our exclusive “Learning Adventures Activity Workbook for Kids” a perfect blend of education and adventure!

Critical thinking activities encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to develop informed opinions and make reasoned decisions. Engaging in such exercises cultivates intellectual agility, fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues and honing problem-solving skills for navigating an increasingly intricate world. Through critical thinking, individuals empower themselves to challenge assumptions, uncover biases, and constructively contribute to discourse, thereby enriching both personal growth and societal progress.

Critical thinking serves as the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, enabling individuals to dissect challenges, explore diverse perspectives, and devise innovative solutions grounded in logic and evidence. For engaging problem solving activities, read our article problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest.

52 Critical Thinking Flashcards for Problem Solving

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a 21st-century skill that enables a person to think rationally and logically in order to reach a plausible conclusion. A critical thinker assesses facts and figures and data objectively and determines what to believe and what not to believe. Critical thinking skills empower a person to decipher complex problems and make impartial and better decisions based on effective information.

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• 8 Free Math Problem Solving Websites and Applications

Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills cultivate habits of mind such as strategic thinking, skepticism, discerning fallacy from the facts, asking good questions and probing deep into the issues to find the truth. Acquiring critical thinking skills was never as valuable as it is today because of the prevalence of the modern knowledge economy. Today, information and technology are the driving forces behind the global economy. To keep pace with ever-changing technology and new inventions, one has to be flexible enough to embrace changes swiftly.

Today critical thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills by the companies. In fact, critical thinking skills are paramount not only for active learning and academic achievement but also for the professional career of the students. The lack of critical thinking skills catalyzes memorization of the topics without a deeper insight, egocentrism, closed-mindedness, reduced student interest in the classroom and not being able to make timely and better decisions.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills in Education

Certain strategies are more eloquent than others in teaching students how to think critically. Encouraging critical thinking in the class is indispensable for the learning and growth of the students. In this way, we can raise a generation of innovators and thinkers rather than followers. Some of the benefits offered by thinking critically in the classroom are given below:

• It allows a student to decipher problems and think through the situations in a disciplined and systematic manner
• Through a critical thinking ability, a student can comprehend the logical correlation between distinct ideas
• The student is able to rethink and re-justify his beliefs and ideas based on facts and figures
• Critical thinking skills make the students curious about things around them
• A student who is a critical thinker is creative and always strives to come up with out of the box solutions to intricate problems

Read our article: How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples

• Critical thinking skills assist in the enhanced student learning experience in the classroom and prepares the students for lifelong learning and success
• The critical thinking process is the foundation of new discoveries and inventions in the world of science and technology
• The ability to think critically allows the students to think intellectually and enhances their presentation skills, hence they can convey their ideas and thoughts in a logical and convincing manner
• Critical thinking skills make students a terrific communicator because they have logical reasons behind their ideas

Critical Thinking Lessons and Activities

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

We have compiled a list of 11 activities that will facilitate you to promote critical thinking abilities in the students. We have also covered problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest in our another article. Click here to read it.

1. Worst Case Scenario

Divide students into teams and introduce each team with a hypothetical challenging scenario. Allocate minimum resources and time to each team and ask them to reach a viable conclusion using those resources. The scenarios can include situations like stranded on an island or stuck in a forest. Students will come up with creative solutions to come out from the imaginary problematic situation they are encountering. Besides encouraging students to think critically, this activity will enhance teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills of the students.

Read our article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

2. If You Build It

It is a very flexible game that allows students to think creatively. To start this activity, divide students into groups. Give each group a limited amount of resources such as pipe cleaners, blocks, and marshmallows etc. Every group is supposed to use these resources and construct a certain item such as building, tower or a bridge in a limited time. You can use a variety of materials in the classroom to challenge the students. This activity is helpful in promoting teamwork and creative skills among the students.

It is also one of the classics which can be used in the classroom to encourage critical thinking. Print pictures of objects, animals or concepts and start by telling a unique story about the printed picture. The next student is supposed to continue the story and pass the picture to the other student and so on.

4. Keeping it Real

In this activity, you can ask students to identify a real-world problem in their schools, community or city. After the problem is recognized, students should work in teams to come up with the best possible outcome of that problem.

5. Save the Egg

Make groups of three or four in the class. Ask them to drop an egg from a certain height and think of creative ideas to save the egg from breaking. Students can come up with diverse ideas to conserve the egg like a soft-landing material or any other device. Remember that this activity can get chaotic, so select the area in the school that can be cleaned easily afterward and where there are no chances of damaging the school property.

6. Start a Debate

In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science. Encourage students to participate in the debate by expressing their views and ideas on the topic. Conclude the debate with a viable solution or fresh ideas generated during the activity through brainstorming.

7. Create and Invent

This project-based learning activity is best for teaching in the engineering class. Divide students into groups. Present a problem to the students and ask them to build a model or simulate a product using computer animations or graphics that will solve the problem. After students are done with building models, each group is supposed to explain their proposed product to the rest of the class. The primary objective of this activity is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills among the students.

8. Select from Alternatives

This activity can be used in computer science, engineering or any of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) classes. Introduce a variety of alternatives such as different formulas for solving the same problem, different computer codes, product designs or distinct explanations of the same topic.

Form groups in the class and ask them to select the best alternative. Each group will then explain its chosen alternative to the rest of the class with reasonable justification of its preference. During the process, the rest of the class can participate by asking questions from the group. This activity is very helpful in nurturing logical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

9. Reading and Critiquing

Present an article from a journal related to any topic that you are teaching. Ask the students to read the article critically and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the article. Students can write about what they think about the article, any misleading statement or biases of the author and critique it by using their own judgments.

In this way, students can challenge the fallacies and rationality of judgments in the article. Hence, they can use their own thinking to come up with novel ideas pertaining to the topic.

10. Think Pair Share

In this activity, students will come up with their own questions. Make pairs or groups in the class and ask the students to discuss the questions together. The activity will be useful if the teacher gives students a topic on which the question should be based.

For example, if the teacher is teaching biology, the questions of the students can be based on reverse osmosis, human heart, respiratory system and so on. This activity drives student engagement and supports higher-order thinking skills among students.

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

Silence is a great way to slow down thinking and promote deep reflection on any subject. Present a driving question to the students and divide them into groups. The students will discuss the question with their teammates and brainstorm their ideas on a big paper. After reflection and discussion, students can write their findings in silence. This is a great learning activity for students who are introverts and love to ruminate silently rather than thinking aloud.

Finally, for students with critical thinking, you can go to GS-JJ.co m to customize exclusive rewards, which not only enlivens the classroom, but also promotes the development and training of students for critical thinking.

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Thanks for the great article! Especially with the post-pandemic learning gap, these critical thinking skills are essential! It’s also important to teach them a growth mindset. If you are interested in that, please check out The Teachers’ Blog!

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Benefits of Problem-Solving in the K-12 Classroom

Posted October 5, 2022 by Miranda Marshall

From solving complex algebra problems to investigating scientific theories, to making inferences about written texts, problem-solving is central to every subject explored in school. Even beyond the classroom, problem-solving is ranked among the most important skills for students to demonstrate on their resumes, with 82.9% of employers considering it a highly valued attribute. On an even broader scale, students who learn how to apply their problem-solving skills to the issues they notice in their communities – or even globally –  have the tools they need to change the future and leave a lasting impact on the world around them.

Problem-solving can be taught in any content area and can even combine cross-curricular concepts to connect learning from all subjects. On top of building transferrable skills for higher education and beyond, read on to learn more about five amazing benefits students will gain from the inclusion of problem-based learning in their education:

• Problem-solving is inherently student-centered.

Student-centered learning refers to methods of teaching that recognize and cater to students’ individual needs. Students learn at varying paces, have their own unique strengths, and even further, have their own interests and motivations – and a student-centered approach recognizes this diversity within classrooms by giving students some degree of control over their learning and making them active participants in the learning process.

Incorporating problem-solving into your curriculum is a great way to make learning more student-centered, as it requires students to engage with topics by asking questions and thinking critically about explanations and solutions, rather than expecting them to absorb information in a lecture format or through wrote memorization.

• Increases confidence and achievement across all school subjects.

As with any skill, the more students practice problem-solving, the more comfortable they become with the type of critical and analytical thinking that will carry over into other areas of their academic careers. By learning how to approach concepts they are unfamiliar with or questions they do not know the answers to, students develop a greater sense of self-confidence in their ability to apply problem-solving techniques to other subject areas, and even outside of school in their day-to-day lives.

The goal in teaching problem-solving is for it to become second nature, and for students to routinely express their curiosity, explore innovative solutions, and analyze the world around them to draw their own conclusions.

• Encourages collaboration and teamwork.

Since problem-solving often involves working cooperatively in teams, students build a number of important interpersonal skills alongside problem-solving skills. Effective teamwork requires clear communication, a sense of personal responsibility, empathy and understanding for teammates, and goal setting and organization – all of which are important throughout higher education and in the workplace as well.

• Increases metacognitive skills.

Metacognition is often described as “thinking about thinking” because it refers to a person’s ability to analyze and understand their own thought processes. When making decisions, metacognition allows problem-solvers to consider the outcomes of multiple plans of action and determine which one will yield the best results.

Higher metacognitive skills have also widely been linked to improved learning outcomes and improved studying strategies. Metacognitive students are able to reflect on their learning experiences to understand themselves and the world around them better.

• Helps with long-term knowledge retention.

Students who learn problem-solving skills may see an improved ability to retain and recall information. Specifically, being asked to explain how they reached their conclusions at the time of learning, by sharing their ideas and facts they have researched, helps reinforce their understanding of the subject matter.

Problem-solving scenarios in which students participate in small-group discussions can be especially beneficial, as this discussion gives students the opportunity to both ask and answer questions about the new concepts they’re exploring.

At all grade levels, students can see tremendous gains in their academic performance and emotional intelligence when problem-solving is thoughtfully planned into their learning.

Interested in helping your students build problem-solving skills, but aren’t sure where to start? Future Problem Solving Problem International (FPSPI) is an amazing academic competition for students of all ages, all around the world, that includes helpful resources for educators to implement in their own classrooms!

Learn more about this year’s competition season from this recorded webinar:    https://youtu.be/AbeKQ8_Sm8U and/or email [email protected] to get started!

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Rethinking teacher education to foster student creativity OECD Education Podcast

How do you create a classroom where students are actively creating, innovating and problem-solving? A part of the answer involves empowering teachers with the tools and training they need to help students be more creative. But what does that involve? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks to US Primary School Teacher Billie Freeland and Jennifer Mansfield, Senior Lecturer in Science Teacher Education at Monash University in Australia, about how to rethink teacher training so that teachers are better prepared to foster creativity in students.

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19 Ways to Help Elementary Students Self-Regulate

These strategies can help young learners practice an essential life skill—and foster classroom harmony in the process.

School is all about giving students the skills they need to succeed. That certainly applies to reading, writing, and math, but there’s a growing understanding among elementary teachers that schools should also be teaching a more fundamental skill: self-regulation. 

“I found that thinking about behavior objectively—as a skill to be taught rather than simply as good or bad—was immensely helpful in my ability to guide children in learning to control their behavior,” writes special education teacher Nina Parrish .

There are a variety of proactive steps that can help keep students composed. Regularly checking in with kids—and building relationships with them—can increase their sense of safety in the classroom and give them an opportunity to share how they’re feeling, writes educator and principal Jasmine Brann . Plus, sticking to routines and simplifying your classroom expectations can decrease the risk of outbursts born from frustration or confusion, write education researchers Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers .

But even with these proactive practices in place, young students with still-developing brains can struggle to control their own reactions. Here are some teacher-tested strategies that can help endow elementary students with the essential, lifelong skill of self-regulation.

Teach kids about their brains: To better regulate themselves, kids need to understand what’s going on inside their heads. Educator Kathryn Fishman-Weaver recommends teaching the basic structure and function of the limbic system—the brain’s emotional control center. She uses a mnemonic device she developed to help kids distinguish different parts of the system: Hippos’ teeth have awful odor (hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and olfactory bulb). Fishman-Weaver says this crash course helps kids realize not that emotions and thinking are separate processes, but rather that “feelings, thoughts, and behaviors lead to coordinated responses across the brain” that can affect students’ attention span, memory, and executive functioning.

Develop emotional vocabulary: To understand and discuss their emotions, kids need a wider emotional vocabulary, too. Fishman-Weaver challenges students to perform “feeling brainstorms,” in which they’re tasked to “think of 20 types of happy or sad.” As they generate more words and share them among each other, it’s more likely that they’ll begin to use more precise words to describe their own emotions in the future—like “anxious,” “excited,” or “satisfied.” Once students have a healthy emotional vocabulary, tools like mood meters , emotion wheels , and mood scales can help them track how their emotions change day-to-day.

Chat it out with a stuffed animal—or a plant: If students are feeling stressed, they may need to talk through their feelings—but it’s not always necessary that a human be the one listening. When educator and assistant professor of education Lori Desautels’ elementary school gave students stuffed animals to care for and chat with, “we observed a calm in many students that we had not seen before.” Similarly, a pineapple plant (nicknamed Patricia) in Lisa Tiemersma’s fourth-grade class helped calm kids down who were upset and cheer up kids who were sad.

Create a peace corner: At Fall-Hamilton Elementary in Nashville , every classroom has a designated “peace corner”—a space for kids who need to self-regulate, filled with a bean bag chair, sensory toys, stuffed animals, and charts describing calming breathing and counting exercises. Students choose when to go to the corner, and their teacher sets a five-minute timer, but the student can request more time if needed. “I’ve seen a lot of my kids this year—instead of just exploding or getting really upset—say ‘OK, I need to go to the peace corner,’” says fourth-grade teacher Whitney Holland.

Use choice time: Free choice time, when structured well, can help students learn self-regulatory skills. For example, at Charter Oak International Academy in West Hartford, Connecticut, kids can go to various areas of the classroom during free time (like “blocks” or “dramatic play”)—but if that area is at capacity, they can put their name on a waiting list. Students can ask their teacher to set a timer for when they’ll be allowed to switch into the area— “and having that visual of the time getting less and less” allows them to develop their patience, says pre-K teacher Cindy Barron.

Measure the size of a problem: To many young kids, every problem can feel huge, and therefore deserving of a huge reaction. Teachers can help students put things into perspective. For example, Washington elementary teacher Anna Parker has students rate problems—like “Someone took your pencil” and “A family member is in the hospital”—on a scale from 1 to 5 and reflect on what the appropriate response to each might be. Parker discusses calibrating responses throughout the year “so that students in the moment will think, ‘I can take a second, then I can react appropriately.’”

Use picture books: Picture books can help kids learn about emotions and how to deal with them. Educator Kristin Rydholm recommends books like Big Feelings , which “identifies and addresses the intense emotions that children sometimes experience when attempting to work collaboratively.”

Morning check-ins: Quick check-ins at the beginning of the day can help students reflect on what they’re feeling. Ask students to share one “rose” (something they’re excited about) and one “thorn” (something they’re worried or upset about), says educator Alex Venet . UCLA Graduate School of Education instructor Rebecca Alber suggests asking students to describe how they’re feeling in a single word. They might start with words like “good” or “bad,” but with more development of their emotional vocabulary, they might progress to “anxious” or “serene.”

Picture your peaceful place: A moment of mindful meditation can help kids regulate themselves. When kids are overcome by their feelings, occupational therapist Lauren Brukner recommends asking them to close their eyes and “visualize a moment or place that makes them feel the most peaceful,” like a specific room in their house or playing with a particular toy. Picturing every detail—every sound, every smell—can help calm students who are “feeling high levels of emotionality.”

Relaxing body movements: Stretching, bending, and balancing exercises provide sensory input that can help regulate strong emotions, Brukner says . During a transition period in class, for example, ask students to stand straight, then “use your right arm to help you bend your left knee toward your shoulder, and hold this position for five seconds,” before repeating it with the left arm and right knee. Desautels writes that telling students to clench and release the muscles in their hands and faces can have a similar effect.

Write down your values: When a person takes some time to reflect on and write down their core values, research shows this “improves self-esteem, executive function, and inhibitory control,” Brukner writes . She asks students to write down “10 things that define who you are and make you special.” Writing this list helps kids self-regulate in the moment, but Brukner also recommends that students keep it somewhere close so they can refer to it throughout the year, “such as next to your bed or pinned up in your workspace.” Similarly, Desautels asks students to reflect on the “anchors” in their life that stabilize them—people they care about and trust, calming places, or pets. Students can return to this list of anchors—to add to it, or just read over it—whenever they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Leverage the power of nature: Connecting kids with the natural world has wide-ranging mental benefits, research shows —including less overall stress . “If your school doesn’t have easy access to nature, you can still help students experience the magic of nature in many ways,” write Tiemersma and Brown —like growing an avocado plant from its pit, starting a school garden with calming aromatic herbs, or hanging a bird feeder near your window and tracking what different species visit it.

Positive self-talk: Students’ stress often derives from feeling like they’re not good enough—or simply unable to accomplish a given task. Teaching them to develop the habit of positive self-talk in the face of challenges can help. “Tell your students that when they have a negative thought about themselves, they can replace it with an affirmation,” suggests Brukner —like “I can totally do this!” or “I can feel proud that I’m trying my best!”

Simple breathing exercises: Breathing exercises have a calming effect , making them a great tool for self-regulation. Brukner recommends telling students, “Breathe in through your nose slowly for 4 seconds, hold, then breathe out through your mouth slowly for 6 seconds.” As an add-on, Desautels asks students to put one hand on their stomach and one hand in front of their nose: As they breathe in; they feel their stomach expand, and as they breathe out, they feel warm air hit their hand. Prompt students to “exhale away” any negative thoughts they might be feeling, Desautels says.

Sensory brain breaks: Quick brain breaks focused on sensory activities allow students to process what they’ve learned —and reduce stress, Desautels says . Here are some examples:

• Name Scribbles: Have students write their name four times with their dominant hand and four times with the other hand. Afterward, discuss how it felt; which was more difficult? Why?
• The Junk Bag: Desautels has a bag full of junk drawer items—shoelaces, markers, a can opener, etc. She picks an item from the bag and asks students to come up with two ways the object could be used outside of its intended purpose. They can write or draw their answers.
• Invisible Pictures: Pair off students, and have one draw a picture in the air while the other guesses what it is. To narrow the guessing, you can give a category like “food” or “places.”

Calming sounds: Desautels uses a variety of effective sounds in her classroom—rain sticks, bells, chimes, peaceful music—but her go-to is the Tibetan singing bowl . Sitting in a circle and breathing deeply, “students close their eyes and listen to the tone until they can’t hear it any longer,” she writes. “When this happens, they raise their hands in the air.”

Express emotions with art: Artistic activities can help kids process and express emotions, as well as “create a sense of safety and comfort, reducing stress,” writes Desautels . In one activity, she gives students a piece of paper and prompts them to fill it with various colors, lines, and shapes. She then asks students: Which color is angry? Which shape feels left out? Which lines are worried? And why? “You can ask students how their images are like them and how they are different.”

Self-regulating games: Many games require players to exhibit restraint, which can help kids develop discipline over their bodies and brains. For example, games like Red Light, Green Light and Freeze “require participants to exert self-control,” write Wilson and Conyers .

Create time to discuss: Even if you feel like you’ve given your students all the tools they need to self-regulate, some kids are bound to have difficulties. In those cases, it’s helpful to make time to chat with students one-on-one. “Kids need objective, nonjudgmental feedback in order to improve their behavior,” says Parrish . “When a problem arises, find a calm time to discuss what went wrong, why, and how it can be handled differently next time.”

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How to Help Students Think in Morally Complex Ways

Consider this moment in history from a teenager’s perspective. The world inflamed by wars, hatred, and conflict. Social media platforms that encourage individuals to affirm one correct answer to every problem and assume a posture of aggressive self-righteousness in response to every challenge. No one believes anything can really change, and time seems to be running out.

What’s missing from this dire picture is what psychologist Darcia Narvaez calls “ moral complexity ,” or mature moral functioning. This includes practicing emotional regulation to allay reactivity and avoid impulsive judgments; holding multiple, often competing viewpoints in mind while deliberating between them; and, over time, developing head-and-heart expertise through ethical engagement with a specific community or cause.

In other words, being a complex moral agent means being resilient, flexible, pragmatic, and kind. As Narvaez notes, citizenship scholars agree that the skills needed in the 21st century include “critical thinking, cooperation, tolerance, conflict resolution,” and “the skills of a positive, mature moral functioning.” Practiced collectively, these skills could change our world for the better.

Yet it goes without saying that there aren’t enough adult exemplars of these skills visible today. In countless ways, adolescents are led to believe that what’s on offer is what moral maturity looks like. So the cycle repeats, cynicism deepens, and little does change.

Can educators help change that situation? Yes, but the first step is to take students seriously as moral agents.

Learning to “stay human”

Young people are naturally interested in the future they will inherit. For several years at the Millennium School of San Francisco, I co-led an eighth-grade capstone project in which students chose real-world problems to research and ultimately offer some contribution to addressing. We spent about seven weeks developing topics before culminating presentations, where family members, teachers, and fellow students got to see eighth graders share their work and raise awareness about important social issues. Some version of a capstone project can fit within eighth or ninth grade English, Social Studies, or STEM classes, and encouraging students to think in interdisciplinary terms helps broaden opportunities for engagement.

In my capstone classes, we started by watching Michael Franti’s terrific documentary, Stay Human . In the film, Franti, a long-time musician and activist, travels the world and profiles ordinary people struggling with poverty, systemic racism, and environmental devastation. For students, this global survey builds empathy and makes distant others feel more relatable. The throughline that unifies each story is the search for hope and resilience amid the world’s many diverse challenges. Yet Franti himself wrestles with his own inner tension between optimism and cynicism, which presents students with an all-too-human model of moral maturity.

As we watched, I periodically paused the film to ask students to reflect on their own identities, values, and how they connect to the people Franti interviews. As an English and humanities teacher, I find journaling one of the best ways to prompt thinking beyond immediate assumptions. In the context of any class in any discipline, it’s also a great way to explore and clarify the moral dilemmas we all face every day.

According to Narvaez, “moral self-reflection is similar to moral imagination but turned inward.” For example, encountering the history of Apartheid in South Africa, as students do in Stay Human , can prompt them to reflect on how racism still affects their own neighborhoods, as well as what solutions might be possible today. Ideally, Narvaez writes, this kind of thinking and writing evokes “a self-critical attitude that seeks to avoid self-deception and distortions of facts and events,” so that a truer picture of reality emerges.

Looking inward to look outward

At their best moments, students are clearly capable of this kind of self-reflection. And as with other skills, it helps to have regular chances to practice. Daily journal prompts encourage writing proficiency and the development of metacognitive skills , all of which contribute to moral maturity.

I want to share one particular journal prompt I used, which Lindsay Berk and the late great Stephen Lessard developed in earlier iterations of the capstone class we taught:

• Are you more of an optimistic person or more of a cynical person? How do you know?
• Provide an example that illustrates which way you (typically) lean.

This came soon after we started watching Stay Human , in response to Michael Franti posing these same questions to himself. As an opening mindfulness practice at the start of class, students wrote silently in their journals then shared out with their peers. The movement from individual writing to organized sharing and listening works well with middle and high school students, and making this an everyday routine fosters a classroom culture where self-reflection and group deliberation are respected and valued.

I remember a class in the fall of 2021, soon after my school resumed full in-person learning, when the prompt above took us in an unexpected direction. After their share-out, I usually call on a few students to reflect back something they heard at their tables, then we move into a wider discussion or the next activity. But that day students quickly fell into a debate about the meaning of our two key terms. We used Google to establish some definitions: Optimism is “hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something,” while cynicism is “an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest.”

To provide a further common reference point, I drew a glass on the whiteboard with a water line at the midpoint. After apologizing for my poor drawing skills, I asked if they saw the glass as half empty or half full. Again, the room was divided. Several students pointed out that optimism is often unrealistic, and they identified as more cynical because its definition seems closer to reality. In their view, the glass wasn’t full; that’s what mattered.

With this distinction in mind, I asked students if a cynical outlook makes hope for the future futile, and some said yes. To push this line of reasoning further, I picked up a globe and asked them to think of another real-world example: global warming.

“We know our species is in peril,” I said to dramatize the dilemma. “Scientists offer different estimates of how long we have, and what we can do, to limit the worst effects of human-caused climate change. So, do you take the optimistic view that we can and should do something to try and save our natural habitat, or do you take the cynical view that nothing can be done because people are too self-centered to make the effort worthwhile?”

At this point, just about every student said they were willing to do something to limit climate change, but they didn’t trust the rest of humanity to join in. Earlier, I’d introduced the terms egoism and altruism, and a lively discussion sprung up about whether it’s possible to do good for others without trying to benefit oneself. As we moved into our next discussion, this same question resurfaced in the context of global warming.

Greater Good Educators Program (Winter/Spring): Bridging for Belonging

Explore the science of empathy, humility, forgiveness, and hope to develop skills for bridging differences in schools

Conceived at Phillips Exeter Academy, the Harkness method makes the whole classroom into a student-centered space for listening and discussion. Typically the teacher or another student tracks participation using a variety of data gathering devices, which they share with the class during a debrief following the discussion. The purpose of Harkness is to promote student leadership and peer learning as well as accountability and self-reflection, so that one’s participation in discussions grows more thoughtful over time.

On that particular day, I sat outside the circle and let students talk freely. Speaking politely through their masks of different shapes and colors, these pandemic-era eighth graders seemed to have a genuine thirst for moral knowledge. They clearly wanted to know what was true, and within the Harkness container, they engaged each other respectfully. Instead of jumping toward judgment and yelling at each other, as can happen with adolescents in less structured contexts, this group had practiced well enough to regulate their emotions and deliberate carefully.

Think of the contrast here to the discussions that happen on cable news, talk radio, and social media. As Narvaez notes, “truncated moral metacognition occurs when a person follows an ill-informed gut reaction” and takes that as their final conclusion “with little reflection, commitment, or responsibility.”

Too many adults follow that pattern, and they consciously or unconsciously model it for the young. Yet Harkness and other deliberative discussion frameworks create a form of community dialogue that builds moral metacognition and encourages deeper reflection. Particularly for adolescents, doing so collaboratively with peers is one of the best means of inching toward moral maturity. Over the years of discussions that followed watching Stay Human , students often said they came away from it feeling less cynical. They got to work on capstone projects related to climate change and the environment, antiracism, food justice, political polarization, and many other topics. By beginning to study and ground themselves in these issues and the communities they affect, these eighth graders learned to think in morally complex ways. I hope they also touched on a formative experience that will shape their actions for many years to come.

As Narvaez emphasizes, the skills of moral maturity “can be marshaled for moral innovation and moral actions that transform lives for the better, increasing flourishing among the underprivileged, and improving equality and well-being of society as a whole.”


About the Author

Michael Fisher

Michael Fisher, Ph.D. , teaches English at Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, C.A. He has taught writing and humanities to middle school through college students since 2010 with an emphasis on making students’ voices and choices central to the learning process.

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Inquiry-Based Learning in the Young Learner English Language Classroom

Creating space for inquiry-based learning in the English language classroom can be difficult for teachers to navigate.  We often feel caught between the spontaneity of the group before us as we explore an ongoing unit, and our need to meet curricular demands and make the best use of pedagogical materials.  

Once we recognize inquiry in our course materials, we can leverage the materials to develop inquiry thinking in our students.  Making connections between language learning and other class projects or inquiry-based units also allows us to lead more cohesive learning for our students. Read on to learn more about incorporating inquiry-based learning into your classroom!      

What is inquiry-based learning?

Before looking into how inquiry applies to language learning contexts, let’s first review inquiry pedagogy. Inquiry-based learning is a methodology used by educational institutions and educators worldwide, and it is a cornerstone of the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. It is widely recognized as an effective and inclusive approach to learning.  

Inquiry-based methodologies are guided by the inquiry cycle , which begins with student-generated questions and ends with them taking meaningful action based on their learning. Students are, therefore, at the center of their learning journey. Their knowledge and experiences, curiosities, and preferences create the path which the inquiry will take.  

The steps of the Inquiry Learning Cycle include:

• Tuning in : introducing themes and making personal connections, raising previous knowledge and asking initial questions 
• Finding out: engaging in learning experiences, gathering new knowledge 
• Sorting out: deciphering what information is relevant, revisiting initial questions  
• Going Further: creating something new based on new understandings, sharing knowledge  
• Making conclusions: drawing conclusions in relation to a central idea, making clear connections between the learner and the learning     
• Taking meaningful action : changing a behavior or attitude, raising awareness or advocating for others based on our learning 

In the International Baccalaureate framework , Units of Inquiry are driven by this cycle which prompts students to learn, reflect on their learning, and take action. Inquiries may last four to six weeks or longer, as they often do in the IB units of inquiry, or they can be as succinct as a single class period.  Inquiry is a mindset that educators can apply within units of inquiry, or in standalone subject teaching, as we are guided by questions and provoke students to be deeply engaged and responsible for their own learning.

How can we encourage inquiry in an English language learning context?  

The IB describes Inquiry in the following ways: it is purposeful and authentic , it incorporates problem solving , it furthers student learning through the generation of new questions and wonderings, and it connects personal experience to global opportunities and challenges.  

Below we explore examples from the National Geographic Learning Programs Our World , Second Edition and Reach Higher , making connections to the IB’s description of inquiry-based learning, to show how your existing course materials can develop and support inquiry in your classroom. 

Inquiry is purposeful and authentic.

Authentic learning means that what we are learning is relevant and connected to real-world contexts. When students strive to understand global issues such as environmental degradation, climate change, natural disaster response, and technological innovation, seeing them through both local and global lenses, we can be sure that these are worthwhile investigations that have meaning for the student and their community. The activities below help students understand the real-world topics of “lending a hand” to others and caring for animals, prompting students to connect these topics to their own lives.  

Purposeful learning is learning with established, shared success criteria. Students take part in goal setting and receive personal feedback to measure their progress and set next steps. Projects with clear learning objectives, like the one below, help students work toward goals and measure their progress effectively. In this project from Our World, Second Edition , students create a poster about their favorite job and use the ‘Now I can…’ statements to reflect on what they have achieved by completing the project.

Inquiry incorporates problem solving.

Inquiry values problem solving by investigating issues rather than topics. It is important to encourage students to explore challenges and opportunities from multiple perspectives as they become effective problem solvers. Threatened species, for example, can be seen through the lens of conservationists, local residents, farmers, businesses, and national and international governmental initiatives. You might ask your students: “How do we balance each of these groups with their own interests? What is our role?”  

In a language learning context, we can apply problem solving within the unit theme, and in our approach to grammar and language use, when we present students with examples of language constructions from which they will examine, discuss and deduce the pattern or rule.     

Inquiry recognizes that problem solving takes time. This means as teachers we should not rush to give our students answers; instead, we should provide extended time for them to form answers and opinions. We should also expect these opinions to change as students’ understandings of issues, texts, characters, and plot develop over time. 

Critical thinking skills are a necessary part of creative problem solving, and the development of these skills is supported throughout course materials like Reach Higher . The activities below show students how to ask robust questions and how to provide evidence for opinions and arguments, both of which are essential 21 st century skills. 

Inquiry generates new questions and wonderings.   

Inquiry-based learning stimulates curiosity. As teachers, we are brave enough to know that we do not have the answers to all our students’ questions, but we can help them extend their initial questions to deeper thinking and wonderings.    

Encourage curiosity with big, open-ended questions that provoke debate and thought. How do living things depend on each other? Why is the past important? Using strategies like ‘big questions’ and ‘Think, Pair, Share’, the course materials below call on every student to think about the question before sharing with a partner and then the whole group. This encourages all students to see themselves as responsible for contributing to their learning, presents a wide range of perspectives, and uncovers similarities and differences in their views. 

Inquiry makes connections between local and global.

Inquiry calls on us to make connections between global and local contexts in the classroom. For example, this ‘Share What You Know’ unit introduction bridges global and local contexts by encouraging students to reflect on their own cultural traditions while connecting to the common thread of traditions and customs around the world.  

Students are frequently prompted to connect their own experience to the themes that come up in the materials, such as in this activity, where they are activating prior knowledge before reading a text. 

As an educator using inquiry teaching methods, you could explore international characters, art and songs or have your students make their own culturally relevant versions of songs to connect to references that young students are familiar with. This is just one way to celebrate our differences while drawing parallels between global and local cultures. 

 Inquiry is much more than asking and raising questions. It requires us to see learning a journey in which we are continually exploring new territory with our learners.  Inquiry-minded course materials are necessary to create this kind of learning environment. Using materials such as the National Geographic Learning programs Our World and Reach Higher can help prioritize the development of critical thinking, capitalize on curiosity, and provoke students’ observations and wonderings. The rest is up to the magic of the teacher.  

For more on inquiry-based learning, watch Melissa Zaramella’s webinar!

Author: Melissa Zaramella

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More From Forbes

Emrs: a simple ai use case to solve a big problem.

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Alex Waddell, Chief Information Officer, Adobe Population Health Leadership .

Rarely are electronic medical records (EMRs) liked by those who use them. They are often seen as a barrier to care. This is due to two major problems: inaccessible data and the time it takes to chart accurately.

EMRs have a problem with inaccessible data due to the nature of data modeling and user interface design. Often, pertinent information is hidden deep in the chart, and clinicians—who may have five minutes before a visit to brush up on the patient’s history—are stuck fumbling around a system trying to uncover valuable information.

The time it takes to chart is also a difficult problem. No matter how advanced your EMR is, the clinician must still write out their note. They can fill out hundreds of assessment questions as drop downs and check boxes but must sit down and write a text summary of what was captured in those structured data points. They must also provide context in areas that cannot be captured in a drop-down, such as how they addressed an issue. This precious time that should be spent with the patient discussing how to solve complex medical and social challenges is often rushed due to a need to provide the organization with documentation. Those who do not limit time with patients are left charting after the visit to catch up, frustrating the clinician and opening the opportunity for charting mistakes.

So, how does artificial intelligence (AI) help solve this problem? The answer is by using natural language processing for summarization. Imagine a world where a clinician accesses a chart and there is already a summary of the patient's medical history waiting for them, which could stretch across months or years of visits with that person. For those who have the time to deep dive into charts before the visit, this extra time can be spent preparing to see the patient. For those who do not have the time and therefore miss out on the historical context of the patient’s chart, they now have insight into critical data that may change the direction of the visit for the better.

Once a visit is complete, the clinician could trigger a natural language model to collect essential information and pre-fill much of the notes for them. This leaves the clinician with the easier task of simply editing the prompt that the AI created and adding any missing information.

In the healthcare industry, we have spent the last decade creating paper assessments, charts and EMRs to gather and maintain valuable data insights, but in the process, we have created unworkable systems for those on the front lines. As technologists, we must not forget those we build systems for and ensure they help clinicians provide quality care.

In doing this, organizations can reap significant returns in opportunity gains. That may be fitting in another visit or two due to time saved or enabling more informed decisions that could positively impact a patient's life and ultimately reduce costs for the patient and healthcare system.

When considering AI use cases in your organization, do not lose sight of the low-hanging fruit. AI does not need to be complicated or expensive. Start by looking at how you can drive efficiencies within your organization, giving time back to those who do the work.

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How to Solve Virtually Any Business Problem

This simple mindset shift can help propel your success to undreamed of heights..

Have you wondered what it takes to really succeed in business? Often, success requires tinkering with your mindset, so you can accept great success and welcome it into your life. It also requires an openness to new ideas and the ability to adapt and integrate them into your operation.

Here are some ideas that will help you on both dimensions. They'll help you solve virtually any business problem. When you understand them and put them to use, your revenue will skyrocket. These ideas absolutely work. I know this from my own experience and that of dozens of entrepreneurs.

Mindset Shift: Tapping Your Connections

The first idea comes from Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy. Sullivan is the founder of Strategic Coach, a program that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs grow their businesses while simultaneously increasing their leisure time so they can enjoy the money they bring in. Hardy is a prolific blogger and business philosopher. 

Entrepreneurs, when faced with a business problem or crisis, ask "What should I do?" Sullivan and Hardy maintain that this is the wrong question to ask. It leads to stress and wastes many hours in information quests. It frequently leads to poor decisions. These poor decisions can cost you directly, in terms of revenue lost, and indirectly, in terms of opportunities neglected. 

The right question, say Sullivan and Hardy, is "Who can help me?" 

There is, somewhere, a person who knows a great deal about the specific problem you are confronting and the best way to deal with it. This person may even be able to make your predicament disappear. Poof! Just like that. At the very least, they can show you what you need to do and save you endless hours spent in fear and despondency. 

Sullivan and Hardy outline their thinking in their easy-to-read book  Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork . This approach makes sense. But it is easier said than done. How do you find this person who knows all about your problem and how to solve it? How can you persuade them to help you?

Joe Polish has the answers. First, it's important to know a little about him. 

Polish had a troubled upbringing and, when he was younger, he had a substance use problem. That gave him a unique understanding of addiction. A big part of his life today is helping active users get their lives straight. He was a carpet cleaner who wasn't making much money and hated lugging around heavy machinery, especially when he had to climb stairs. He was making around $2,300 a month in 1990 in Mesa, Arizona, when he began. Getting customers was difficult. 

He discovered that making powerful emotional appeals got him more business. One ad he ran asked, "Would you go six months without changing your underwear?" It pointed out that carpets also got dirty, and your kids were crawling on them. Another ad featured an infant and a close-up of a dust mite and asked, "Who's crawling on whom?" His income rose.

It occurred to him that he could teach other carpet cleaners what he was finding out about marketing and he created a course for them. That business took off. More than 12,000 cleaning-and-restoration companies all over the world have used his system.

Polish branched out to helping other companies, in different industries, improve their marketing. Piranha Marketing, the company he created, became a top marketing consulting firm. He has helped thousands of companies of all sizes and varied industries improve their business results.

Polish formulated this principle from the wealth of experience he garnered: Business should be ELF, not HALF.

ELF stands for easy, lucrative, and fun. There will always be hard work but there should be no sense of struggle or of being overwhelmed. There should be money flowing in. Lots of money. And you should thoroughly enjoy what you do. It should be fun. 

But many, probably most, businesses are HALF: hard, annoying, lame, and frustrating. In a HALF business, you are doing things that you dislike and perhaps even hate. You are with people you do not particularly care for and whose company you do not enjoy. Further, growing your company is difficult and frustrating.

Polish says that any business problem can be solved with the right "Genius Network." He defines a Genius Network as a group of high-level entrepreneurs who are givers and not takers. Stay with me. In his book Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, Wharton professor Adam Grant suggests that the business world is divided into givers, takers, and matchers. Givers freely offer advice and help. Takers seek whatever advantage they can get and are reluctant to offer help themselves. Matchers offer help that is calibrated to be equal to the help they receive. 

Polish's bright idea was that if he put together a group of givers, who were also successful entrepreneurs, magic would happen. The collective wisdom in the room would be able to address any issue raised. If no one knew the answer to a problem, there would always be someone who knew someone outside the group who could help. And so it proved. Polish's network now has more than 250 members, each of whom pays $35,000 per year to belong, and there is a waitlist. You do the math. 

There are other similarly minded organizations, such as Entrepreneurs' Organization, Young Presidents' Organization, Vistage, and Tiger 21, as well as the Inc. Masters community.

You can join an existing group or create your own, using the methodology Joe Polish shares in his book  What's in It for Them? Nine Genius Networking Principles to Get What You Want by Helping Others Get What They Want .

How Genius Networks Work

Consider these examples of how these types of groups can get results.

Whitney Jones, a three-time Ms. Fitness Olympia, owned a gym and sold an apparel line before Covid hit. The pandemic decimated her business. Marketers in her Genius Network helped revamp her strategy. Her gym hours expanded to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with video cameras providing security. A member helped find a new apparel supplier in Pakistan when shipments from China got jammed up. Other members showed her ways to reduce costs with bulk orders.

"Without the help I got from Genius Network members, I would not be in business today," says Whitney.

Martha McSally, the first American woman to fly in combat, became an executive coach after leaving the Air Force, focused on helping people, particularly women, cope with and overcome fear and become their best selves. The problem was that she knew nothing at all about marketing, creating a compelling offer, or generating leads. Several members of her Genius Network helped her with everything from website design to social media. 

"I would not even have gotten off the ground if not for the help I received from Genius Network members," says McSally, who notably also served out U.S. Senator John McCain's term after his death.

Serial entrepreneur Cameron Herold had founded the COO Alliance, an organization for chief operating officers of companies with more than $5 million in revenue. Before he exited, he had more than 400 members, each paying a $9,300 annual fee. 

"I got the idea from being in Joe's Genius Network," says Herold. Fellow members who were CEOs and knew the value of such groups "were happy to send their second-in-command executives to the group I formed." Members helped Herold in dozens of ways with his numerous ventures. One became a co-author of his book. Another helped him raise financing for a real estate company. A third helped him create an email marketing campaign.

This stuff really works. If you decide to form your own group, keep these three principles in mind.

First, don't be transactional. Don't admit members who have a transactional mindset and look for instant reciprocity. Instead, cast your bread upon the waters and know that loaves will come back in time. 

Second, be generous and look for a generosity mindset in the members you recruit. Admit only people who have the ability to laugh and laugh at themselves. There are many pompous, self-important people in the world. Wish them well but don't let them into your group. 

Finally, have a cause that brings a greater good to a greater community. You have tremendous flexibility in defining both the "greater good" and the "greater community." But this cause creates a drive that will benefit both yourself and the group you form.

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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