A Problem Solving Classroom

 A climate that is conducive to problem solving is as important as the math problems themselves. My goal is for the students to feel comfortable playing around with numbers, problems, and solutions, as well as learning to throw up their hands whenever they hit a bump in the road. They should feel free to experiment, think, talk, talk about their thinking, and make mistakes. Successful problem solving cannot happen in an environment that stresses doing the problem alone, getting the right answer, or doing the problem only one way. When students are encouraged to explore, be open-minded, curious, and make guesses- successful problem solving behavior will flourish :)

One of the many reasons I love teaching math to third graders is because they're capable of understanding an array of methods and ways to reach one common answer. Consulting various resources regarding problem solving, including those within our EnVision curriculum, has shown that there are many different lists of problem solving strategies. 

Because there will more than likely be more than one way to solve any given problem, teaching a variety of these strategies is key.  I've grouped the essential strategies into 5 categories: draw a picture or diagram, use manipulatives, extend a repeating pattern, make a table/list/chart, and choose relevant information.

While the students are learning that they can use whichever strategy works best for them, a few things will always remain consistent.  I refer to these as the 4 stages of problem solving: understanding the problem, devising a plan, solving the problem, and checking the problem. 

At this stage in the game the boys and girls know how to check for understanding of a problem.  We are currently working within the "devise a plan" (pick a strategy) stage, as well as the "solve the problem" stage.

Bumps in the road? Go over or around!

As we move further into the year, I'm realizing the impact that having continuous conversations around persevering and setting goals has on the students.  The best way to connect with the kids on these topics is through example. 

 We started out by looking at the above picture.  I explained that it’d been almost a year since I was able to run, and that it took a lot of seemingly pointless/minor exercises to get me to where I felt strong enough to attempt a run.  We discussed challenging ourselves to do the labor- no matter how simple or difficult it may seem- so that we can then do the fun stuff.  The skills of persevering and honing grit are going to be tremendous assets to the kids for the rest of academic careers.

 Next we talked about how it felt the day of my first run- I was thrilled before and during, but highly disappointed afterward.  In my mind I had set a goal of running 1 mile, and in reality I was unable to reach it.  Defeated and unsatisfied I hung my head (I showed the kids how I looked after my run).  

 When I did that, every student got wide eyes and a few said aloud things like “don’t give up!” or “persevere!”  This allowed us to transition nicely into the conversation of what to do when you hit a bump in the road- something that is an obstacle and makes you feel like you “can’t”.

 The discussion went on and the kids realized by looking at the picture that I didn’t give up and eventually met my goal of 1 mile. We were then able to talk about what would have happened had I accept defeat and not challenged myself and the kids had great things to add.  Some commented on how I was excited, then defeated, then excited again.  Others talked about how the littlest things (stretches etc.) helped me get to “the big mile”. 

 Most importantly was the understanding that when you do your best, even if you fall short and get defeated, you need to be satisfied.  If you are unsatisfied with your best, you create mental bumps in the road that make it very difficult to persevere and try again. The key is to balance satisfaction with motivation.

 I am excited to help support you and your student set and reach their own goals for the upcoming second quarter J

 

Multiplication: Writing to Explain

The boys and girls have learned how to explain their thinking regarding solving multiplication problems.  Today they learned how to write out their thinking.  To start we talked about what makes a good math explanation and came up with: correct, complete, and easy to understand.  Keeping those components in mind, they were given the following problem to solve:

Kay needs $25 to buy a bicycle helmet.  She earns $9 a week babysitting.  How long will it take Kay to earn the money she needs?  Decide how to solve the problem, then write an explanation of your thoughts.   

Students shared their responses and we discussed how there is often more than one good explanation for each problem, since there is often more than one way to solve it.  As the kids shared, the class offered improvements when needed.  Ultimately, all of the explanations were alike in that the answer was the same- Kay needs 3 weeks to earn the money for the helmet. 

One of the key points throughout this unit is going to be the use of *tables.  Tables are great visuals for patterning and showing information in a predictable manner.  As we move through multiplication, the skill of knowing how to create and set up a table is going to be key :)

Winter X-Games

This past weekend I enjoyed watching the Winter X-Games like I do every year J I’m always amazed at the level of difficulty of tricks, the amount of work that must go into preparing, the dedication, and how much fun the participants have! The X-Games also remind me of the power and relevance of goal setting, and how it is never too early to talk about the importance of acting purposefully. Watching 14 yr-old Ayumu Hirano medal in the Super Pipe yesterday drove this point home even more.

I showed the kids highlights from some of Hirano's footage and they were amazed! So much so that they got out of their seats and began imitating him :) Then we talked about how they thought Ayumu got to where he is today and ultimately decided that "hard work and a plan" were the culprits. It was great to see the boys and girls excited about what making goals can lead to.

Setting goals is the first step to achieving them and achieving goals is one of the first steps to success. Having a clear and focused idea of what you’re after is key- essentially placing significant importance outcomes. However, the journey toward that outcome is equally important. It’s especially important for kids because it’s easy to get overwhelmed by concentrating on where you're going instead of how you're going to get there.

It’s critical to set goals for a number of reasons including getting used to thinking/planning ahead, learning to persevere through obstacles, and also to grow to accept failure. The more adaptive students become to the process, the healthier their self-esteem is as they get older. That, and thinking about the future becomes much more fun!

I'm looking forward to discussing your child's progress regarding the goals they set in our previous conferences :)

 

Multiply the Fun!

  What more of an enjoyable way to aid the transition from addition/subtraction to multiplication than some Math Games!  Today the boys and girls were placed with a partner and given a pair of dice, game pieces, and two versions of the game "Toss Up". They worked together to practice the multiplication facts we've learned so far.  

The target for the lesson was NOT rote memorization but for students to learn new vocabulary and how to visualize multiplication.  The easiest way to do this is to think in terms of groups.  For thinking about multiplying in this way they need to understand that 3x5 means 3 groups of 5.  Similarly 5x3 means that you have 5 groups of 3. 

Although the answers are the same and we discussed this, the initial goal is to be able to draw pictures that accurately go along with problems on an assessment.  After we’ve built up a foundation and understanding of what multiplication is, we will work toward more challenging problems and alternate ways to think about multiplication : )

The Seahawk Connection!

In our community we love sharing special moments and yesterday's Seahawk playoff win is no different!  To go along with our school theme this year of perseverance, the kids saw this as they walked into class today :)  It's fun to connect passions to lessons and talk about how we are inspired.  During our Monday meeting several students mentioned different aspects of the game that they enjoyed watching, from the score to certain runs or plays.  Afterward we discussed some of the obstacles the team had to overcome, and what it took to get the win.  We are looking forward to continuing making connections, and the next Hawks game :)

HaPPy BiRThDaY Ben RuSH!

Today we celebrated what would have been Ben Rush’s 267th birthday by learning about who he was, his accomplishments, and by representing our school spirit :)  The kids worked hard to prepare a great skit and chant for the spirit day competition and we won our very first cheetah! 

If you’re like me, you may not know much about Benjamin Rush.  What I’ve learned through being at this school is that he was not only a writer, physician, and educator… but a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Rush was also an opponent of slavery, helped found the first women’s college, and most notably helped mend the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams by encouraging the two to write letters to each other.

We are proud Cheetahs here at Ben Rush Elementary and feel fortunate in the community we’ve all helped to build here :)