Sounds like you have a problem.
posted by Sarah @ 10:31 AM
20 Comments
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Previous Posts
- Why did you do that?
- Thank you for sharing that. It's not a choice.
- Please make a different choice
- Choose, decide, and pick
- If I were you...
- I don't want to hear any more tattling!
- Stop that noise and sit down.
- Where were you when I explained this?
- You're Late
- How would it change your day if your role were to ...
Subscribe to
Comments [Atom]
20 Comments:
This made a lot of sense to me. I learned from my own son, he often has solutions that I hadn't thought of. We need to give the kids credit for their own problem solving skills.
I agree with Catherine, and know I need to improve in this area. I often try to make students 'comfortable' by solving their problem. Specifically, the pencil example from the book made me realize I do exactly what I shouldn't. I often just hand students a new or sharp pencil. Room for improvement on this one!
I agree with all of the above! It is so easy to simply "solve" a problem for our students, and I realize how important it is for us to take the few moments and let the students generate solutions. It really is amazing the ideas that they have! We should give students more credit in their abilities to solve problems, even in a minor situation such as broken pencil.
I like this idea. I'm using it in class. Kids do need the chance to solve their own problems when they can.
Knowing that we should give students more time to problem solve and actually allowing them to is difficult because we are so hurried all of the time. Being in the moment is the essential but it is a struggle for all of us I think.
Time is sometimes a challenge in teaching. This is a good reminder to give students the time to solve their own problems.
This comment has been removed by the author.
….And your solution is? When a student comes with a problem I try to respond with this phrase. I have frequently been amazed at the ability of students to come up viable solutions. I know that I need to continue to work with my students in this area though. Often they have a solution yet come to me out of a need to have it validated. My goal is for them to choose their solution and be confident with their choice rather than needing validation by another.
This reminds me of that video clip of the people "stuck" on the escalator. If we always solve our students problems for them, that is how they will end up. Sometimes I just pause and give the child a questioning "hmmm" to let them think about how to deal with the problem. Most of the time they can come up with a solution.
This does make me stop and think too! It is so automatic for most of us to solve problems for everyone because we are educators and it comes naturally! We wouldn't have gone into teaching if we didn't want to help others!!!
Yes! This is what the kids need to empower themselves to be good problem solvers. So many times, I will see a student just sitting there. "What should you be doing?" "My pencil broke" "What can you do to solve the problem?" I like the idea of putting it on the student so they can be more proactive.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I have my students solve most of their own problems. Of course, I teach 6th grade, but it's never too early to have students start coming up with their own solutions.
Even with my Kindergarteners, I've tried this the last few days and they really do know the answers to many of their own problems! It just takes a restraint on my part to not blurt out a solution. They impressed me!
There are so many good ideas in this book. I'm thinking I'll need to reread to remind myself of some of them, but then again the common message throughout is making the students responsible for themselves. If we keep focused on that, the language should begin to come more naturally.
I have on several occasions needed to have a student take responsibility for a problem (their physical complaint). Given an opportunity they will have an answer to their “complaint”.
I have used this several times. At first I just got a blank stare. Now there are times when I add "I know you will figure it out." or "I know you will figure it out". The kids seem more confident in trying.
Sometimes kindergarteners need some prompting to start generating ideas. What do you think you should say to him? What do you feel would be the best choice? How have you fixed this problem before? What do you see in the room that might help?
IT is so easy to solve their problems and give them a solution, but I've learned that my solution to their problem isn't always the answer. So for them to solve their own problem, gives them a sense of "ownership" with their solution.
I think it's great to ask the kids how they would solve the problem and have them come up with their own solutions. I'm not sure I would use the exact phrase "sounds like you have a problem" though unless I would follow it with "what do you think you should do". I think it could sound a little like you are trying to brush them off like you don't want to be bothered with their problems
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home