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Standards-based learning calls for students to engage
in rich problem based experiences that are addressed in contexts
that promote problem solving, reasoning, communication, making
connections, and designing and analyzing representations. But how
does a classroom teacher guide students to reach this lofty
goal?
Have you ever noticed that some students in your
classroom understand a problem solving task so poorly that they are
off base before they begin to try to solve it? One of Teacher to
Teacher Publications' consultants, Giny Christensen, wrestled with
this problem in her 5th grade classroom. She decided to create a
Problem Analysis Guide to help her students make the journey from
comprehending the content of the task to beginning the high level of
reasoning required to solve the problem. Her ultimate goal was to
have students reason in complex and meaningful ways, but she knew
that her students had to comprehend the requirements of the task
before they could begin effective reasoning to solve the
problem.
Here's what Giny shared with us about how she
utilizes this guide in her classroom:
- Some students use it once or twice and
then move on. It channels their thoughts and they remember the
path.
- Some student use it each time.
- Some students use part of it and then dive
into their process.
- The teacher is able to see where and why a
student might have gone down the wrong path.
- It is a perfect starting place for an
interview with a student.
- Students usually remember why they wrote
what they did, so both student and teacher have more information
to discuss.
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We asked
Giny how she uses the information she gains from the Problem
Analysis Guide to communicate more effectively with parents. She
said, "When I visit with parents, I share this form and the work the
student did to solve the problem."
- It shows how their student approached the
problem (right or wrong).
- It shows the progression from comprehension to
more complex thinking.
- It may give some parents a better opportunity to
understand the problem.
Download Problem Analysis
Guide
Teachers
who have used the Problem Analysis Guide report that they find it
significantly helps students to understand the requirements of the
task. Then those students are much more successful in progressing to
the deeper levels of thinking required to solve the
problem.
Note: The Problem Analysis Guide is
an example of an advanced organizer. At the National Title I
Conference in February 2009, the use of advanced organizers was one
of the strategies that was encouraged by the National Math Panel
presenters for Title I students and special education students.
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If you or a colleague will be
attending the NCTM Conference in Washington D.C., in April,
please visit us at Booth 1039.
If you would
like to learn more about our program, please contact Teacher
to Teacher to schedule an online meeting:
e: office@teachertoteacher.com
p:
503-659-5616 | |
