Problem Solving Approach

Some learners in my target group still struggle to talk, participate, or contribute in whole class discussion. These students are new entrants who are not yet confident, don't know the appropriate Maths language to use, and not familiar with the our class norm.

I discussed this problem at our team meeting with the junior teachers and we think the best way is to continue using the Problem Solving Approach but with a little FRONTLOADING at the beginning.

I can't wait to see how ideas above have impact on my students' learning and using of mathematical language; and understanding of strategies used to solve given Maths problems.

I am hoping that at the end of this year, my learners would be able to:

• think independently and confidently
• able to share their thinking using appropriate Maths language
• able to unpack a problem and use appropriate strategy to solve problems

Problem Solving Approach - Increases student participation and engagement

Week 1-4

Goal: Students are not listening during Maths time. They talk but not Maths talk, they are talking about other things. I need to know how am I going to get them to listen and participated actively in group discussion.

Dated: 1 May 2017

Teaching & Learning  (Pedagogy & Ako)

How are you going to do it? What are the deliberate steps.   

(Include DAT, resources, PLD readings, support etc.)

Knowing the learner - LINK

Professional discussions with colleagues

Observation notes (sometimes share with TA about what I have noticed)

Student work and sharing of understanding

(Gap analysis and back mapping - depends on SEA test and anecdotal notes)

Maths planning sheets LINK

Multiple opportunities:  ipad, Problem Solving Approach, Using of materials, Responsibility - managing behaviour, and build a sense of belonging (being inclusive)

Indicators of progress

(What I’m looking for that shows I’m making a difference to student progress)

- all students will participate in terms of talk

- minimal teacher talk and more student talk

- students to elaborate their sentences a bit more

- confident in recording their work on ipads

- confidently use materials to help them explain their thinking

 
 

Problem Solving Approach

5 Parts to a Collaborative Problem Solving Lesson

Launch the Problem

Independent Thinking

Pair Share

Group Discussion

Link the knowledge to the strategy used

5 Practises 

Anticipating likely student responses to challenging mathematical tasks

Monitoring students’ actual responses to the tasks while students work on the tasks in pairs or small groups

Selecting particular students to present their mathematical work during the whole-class discussion

Sequencing the student responses that will be displayed in a specific order

Connecting different students’ responses and connecting

the responses to key mathematical ideas


I have been using this approach for a while and I quiet like it. Problem Solving Approach always go together with Mixed Ability Groupings. It is really hard to establish such approach but I reckon that this is really helpful especially trying to increase student talk and student understanding numbers.

Problems:
- My students year level, they needed to know basic Maths knowledge
- It took a while for the little students to get used to the process
- Creating Rich problem that encourages talking / sharing
- Finding a student who has the courage to talk or share at the beginning
- setting classroom norm that helps managing behaviours


Benefits:

- positive attitudes

- cooperative skills

- interesting and enjoyable.

- student talk increases
- student helping each other in their own language
- no need to teach Maths knowledge separately
- students learn through talking 
- less misbehaving
- students see meaning in numbers
- students are able to make connections between numbers and real life 
- teachers plan collaboratively once a week - share ideas and create problems together
- increases teachers' knowledge about Maths content & curriculum

Problem Solving Approach helps students engagement especially with Pasifika students. 

Problem Solving - Pair Share

After giving my learners time to think independently, they move on to share their ideas with a friend. This is how my learners are talking and sharing their ideas with each other. 

Athena and Faith are sharing their ideas. Faith shares her ideas and then Athena shares her's. At this stage, teacher is monitoring not teaching. It is ok to prompt for more information but this is not a teaching moment.