5 opportunities to build problem solvers each unit
1) Give the Mind Workout from the textbook [Solved in Groups]
2) Give the Mind Workout from the workbook [Solved Independently]
3) Review the Mind Workout Strategies from the workbook [Solved in Groups]
4) The Novel/Complex Problems on the Unit Assessment [Solved Independently]
5) Review the Novel/Complex Problems Strategies from the Unit Assessment [Solved in Groups]
We get better when we have more opportunities to build the thinking around these types of problems. Remember to create anchor charts with strategies, model the metacognitive thought process, and take time to reflect after the experience to allow students to hear other thinking and ways to attack novel problems. The worst thing you can do is skip the Mind Workouts as well as remove the problems from the assessment. Each time this happens, we have robbed the child of the opportunity to build the thought process required to attack these problems. If we capitalize on 5 opportunities per unit, we are providing approximately 60 opportunities a year that we focus on this practice. We can expect better outcomes!