Beyond

Solving Word Problems: Establishing and

Supporting a Problem Solving Culture in your Math Class
Mary-Kay Goindi
Tuesday, December 6, 2016

@otf_pd

Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think Einstein

Problem solving forms the basis of effective mathematics programs and should be
the mainstay of mathematical instruction Ontario Curriculum (p. 11)

Cognitive dissonance and a mental struggle are required ingredients of
learning
Avoid the trap of believing that the teachers job is to make each situation so
clear and unambiguous that all students respond in the same way
Math teachers should view their jobs as the hurdle setter uppers make it
high enough that they cant just walk over it, but also not too high taking into
account zone of proximal development

Minds On, Action, Consolidation
1:3:6 ratios for what you should spend on each section
eg. 5 mins for minds on, 15 mins for action, 30 mins for consolidation
-means not all students will get to the answer during the learning process but this is
okay! It is more abut the process
* make a leaner learning goal to fit the whole 3 part lesson into one block this is
how learning is most effective, shouldnt be stretched over multiple days

Consolidation
share and compare
highlight
(teacher highlights the teaching for 10 mins, builds the learning goal, success
criteria, anchor chart)
independent practice

* Minds on should almost always happen in partners and involve talk

After doing word problems on one concept, leave it alone and move
onto a few other concepts THEN COME BACK TO IT
- moving away from teaching units, move in 3 or 4 lesson sections and then return to
different concepts to create cognitive dissonance
- spiraling through the curriculum
- should work to address multiple strands in all lessons

Initially students will rely on intuition create questions that they will
identify with
With exposure, experience, and shared learning they will formalize an
effective approach to solving problems by developing a repertoire of
problem solving strategies that they can use flexibly when faced with new
problem solving situations


Use of textbooks removes the cognitive dissonance from learning no
problem solving involved, just practice which is not bad but also not good if
your intention is to teach from problem solving. Some textbooks, depending
on the community are not relevant! They are also not written just for the
Ontario Curriculum, can teach from it and leave things out that are in our
curriculum
THE PERSON DOING THE TALKING IS THE PERSON DOING THE LEARNING
this is why math classes should not be quiet, also why the teacher should not
be the one talking the whole time

Interactive Whiteboard Apps: explain everything, edu creations, show me
- great to use in the classroom for math talk, minds on, etc.


Scratch or Scratch Jr. : https://scratch.mit.edu/
- coding website, create a coin flipping app problem
- the coding itself is problem solving
- sitting outside your computer and you are trying to tell your computer to do
something. Pulling understanding from other content areas and applying it
- the code itself is also math based probability


Example problem solving question:
Your challenge is to create a marble run that includes at least one of each of the
following straight angle, acute angle, obtuse angle, right angle
- Create a video that proves you have successfully met this challenge

Look for STEM or STEAM challenges on Google for different problem solving
ideas
As a teacher, think about when you use math outside of the classroom
and bring these challenges into the classroom Mary Kay Goindi

Incorporate math games into your classroom they naturally include
problem solving
https://intermediatemathugdsb.wikispaces.com/Math+Games

Assessment:
Gone are the days are just putting great work, or 7/10 on a page
Evidence shows that such comments stops student learning right away

Teachers should focus assessment on descriptive feedback

These comments should come from your success criteria, criteria that
students have had access to in some way
* assess frequently, but grade infrequently
Blog entry on teaching and marking -
http://140pluslearning.tumblr.com/post/145126188676/grades-marksconversations-that-need-to-happen