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Problem Solving

This is helpful to know about problem solving.

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RhealynBalboaLopez
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20 views4 pages

Problem Solving

This is helpful to know about problem solving.

Uploaded by

RhealynBalboaLopez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem Solving

Objective

Plan a lesson that uses problem-solving strategy

Introduction

Not all word problems promote problem-solving skills. In this lesson, you will
learn the characteristics of a good word problem, when it is best to give a
word problem and how to process students' varied solutions.

Think

The problem-solving strategy involves students being challenged to


collaborative solve real-world math problems which they have not yet
previously encountered. It is student-centered and promotes critical and
creative thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.
The integral part of this strategy is the time given to the students to struggle
with the problem and its beauty is in the varied solutions that the students
would produce.

There are three main elements of problem-solving that you should take note
of (1) the word problem, (2) the time given for the students to struggle
with the problem and (3) the mathematical discourse (speech, dialogue)
that happens during the struggle and during the processing of the
student-generated solutions.

The word problem

In many Filipino classrooms, word problems are given at the end of the lesson
and students are expected to answer them by applying the concept or skills
that had just been taught to them. In most cases, the teacher first
demonstrates how to solve a problem and then the students would
independently answer a problem. In this practice, the students are not
doing problem-solving-they already know how to solve the problem!
They know that the just-taught lesson is the key to demonstrated. similarly-
structured solve the problem and they pattern their solutions to what the
teacher leausing the problem-solving strategy, the problem serves as the
starting point of the learning experience. Therefore, it is given at the beginning
of the lesson. The challenge for you, the teacher, is to choose or create a
problem, which can be solved using the target concept of the lesson at hand
but can also be answered using previously learned knowledge and skills.

How you present the problem also matters especially for the primary grades.
It is not always helpful to introduce the problem by posting it on the board;
doing this may intimidate some students and reading and comprehension
skills may intervene. Instead, it is suggested to narrate the problem in a story-
telling manner to engage the learners. Encourage the students to imagine the
scenario and allow them to clarify information if they find some details
confusing. Showing drawings or real objects might help.

The time given to struggle with the problem

The goal is for the students to collaborate-share their ideas with each other- to
come up with a solution. Encourage the students to use their previously-
learned knowledge and skills to solve the problem, and to communicate their
ideas with their classmates through words, equations, and/or illustrations. It is
natural for the students to find this phase burdensome especially when it is
their first time to engage in such an activity; critical thinking and
communicating ideas are not easy tasks after all. So, it is the task of the
teacher to encourage the students to think out of the box. Tell the students
that there is more than one way to solve the problem, so they do not need to
worry about their solution being wrong as long as every step they did is
meaningful in solving the problem.

The mathematical discourse

This is the most exciting element of the problem-solving strategy. While the
students are working in small groups to solve the problem, you get to move
around and enjoy the mathematical talk that the students are engaging in . Of
course, you may intervene in the students' discussions when corrections and
clarifications are needed but be careful not to give hints. It may be tempting to
do so especially when the students are struggling but do not. As you
encourage your students to think, believe that they actually can. Allow
yourself to be amazed at how the students would defend their thinking, correct
each other's ideas, and figure things out on their own.

Remember that all the student-generated solutions, as long as correct, can be


directed to the concept or skill that is the objective of the lesson. The
challenge is how you would process those various solutions, make sense of
each of them, and use them to generalize or come up with a solution that
makes use of the knowledge/skill that is the objective of the lesson. In this
phase comes the importance of the teacher's fluency of the subject matter.
Experience

Study the following lesson plan. Take note that the plan only shows the
development of the lesson, which involves the problem-solving strategy. Other
pant are not included.

Topic: Apply properties of multiplication to mentally multiply whole numbers


up to two digits

Grade level: 3

Target learning competency: By the end of the lesson, the learners will be
able to mentally multiply whole numbers up to two digits.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills:

Multiplication of whole numbers up to two digits

Presentation of the problem:

Mentally multiply 18 and 5.

Present the problem above in a narrative approach which will engage the
students. See an example below.

"Hannah is next in line to pay at the counter. She will buy 5 pieces of bread
which cost 18 pesos each. She would like to know how much she needs to
pay for all the bread. Her hands are full so she couldn't write her solution nor
use her phone calculator. She needs to solve mentally! If you were in
Hannah's shoes, how would you solve it?"

Generation of solutions:

Students will work in pairs or triads. Encourage the students to think about the
problem and share their thoughts with their classmates. Assure them that
there is no one right solution. They may do calculations or draw; any solution
is welcome as long as they can explain why they did such.

The problem calls for mental calculations but for the sake of discussion and to
facilitate mathematical communication through writing, instruct the students to
write down their thoughts as they explain to their groupmates/partner.
Summary

Not all word problems develop problem-solving skills. A good use of the
problem solving strategy involves a realistic problem, ample time for students
to think about the problem, and a venue to engage students in mathematical
discourse.

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