Developing Problem-Solving Skills for Kids | Strategies & Tips
Unleashing the potential of young minds, we delve into the art of nurturing problem-solving skills in children. Discover strategies and tips that empower kids to tackle challenges head-on, fostering resilience and independence for a lifetime of success.
Problem-Solving Skills for Kids: The Real Deal
The process of grappling with an assignment’s content can be more important than completing the assignment’s product.
- Not every student knows how to grapple, or struggle, in order to get to the “aha!” moment and solve a problem independently. Here are strategies, tips, and resources that can help.
Emphasize Process Over Product
Reflecting on the process of solving a problem helps students develop a growth mindset
- Getting an answer “wrong” isn’t a bad thing, it’s how they took the steps that matter
- The Power of “yet”
Go Step-By-Step Through The Problem-Solving Sequence
Post problem-solving anchor charts and references on your classroom wall or pin them to your Google Classroom – anything to make them accessible to students.
- When they ask for help, invite them to reference the charts first
Ask Open Ended Questions
When a student asks for help, it can be tempting to give them the answer they’re looking for so you can both move on.
- This prevents the student from developing the skills needed to solve the problem on their own.
- Instead, try using open-ended questions and prompts.
Revisit Past Problems
Ask, “Have I ever seen a problem like this before? If so, how did I solve it?”
- Chances are, your students have tackled something similar already and can recycle the same strategies they used before to solve the problem this time around.
Grappling
Everything a student might do when faced with a problem that does not have a clear solution
Model The Strategies Yourself!
Model what creative problem-solving looks and sounds like
Document What Doesn’t Work
Have your students attempt to solve a problem at least two different ways before reaching out to you for help.
- Encourage them to write down their “Not-The-Answers” so you can see their thought process when you do step in to support.
“3 Before Me”
Students need to ask 3 other classmates their question before asking the teacher