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Early Childhood

Problem-Solving

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Taylor Wagner Taylor Wagner 630 Points

Hi, my name is Taylor Wagner and I am a junior Interdisciplinary Studies major at Monmouth University. Recently in my ED361 class, we have been talking a lot about problem-solving. When it comes to problem-solving, it is important for students to think through solutions. For anyone who has worked with the younger grades, how do you implement problem-solving in your classroom in a way that makes it understandable but also allows for cognitive thinking to occur? I have been learning a lot about engineering as well and that it is not all about constructing buildings but finding solutions to work through problems.  What are some ways that engineering can be implemented at the elementary level? Do you think it is essential in this new generation of teaching?
Aleeya Cheney Aleeya Cheney 610 Points

Taylor, 

This is a wonderful question and is really hard to do as a teacher with limited time on their hands. With students of any ages, we should be allowing them to practice how to ask good questions. This is not something they are born with, this is something we need to teach them. What are good questions versus bad questions, open ended versus closed, etc. Early childhood students are naturally curious anyway so do not squash that curiosity! The School system today does a great job in squashing curiousity so allow discussions with your students to occur and have them be leading it the way they are most interested in the subject. Allow time for them to write some questions about a picture you have up on the board so your lesson can be inquiry based. Revise those questions and then have a discussion about it as a class. This gets the conversation going and allows for problem solving, different perspectives to shine through, and metacognition to thrive in your students- even if they don't know it. 

Hope this helps!

Aleeya Cheney
Chloe Nixon Chloe Nixon 950 Points

Hello Taylor! First, I think very young students are already great scientists because they ask so many questions and they want to know the 'why'. I think the best way to implement higher order thinking skills in pronblem-solving is by diving deeper into those questions they have. It also importand for you to model those questioning techniques such as: 'I wonder why....' 'I want to know why....'. In addition, encourage your students to ask questions, then this will help with the problem-solving aspect by finding out the answers to their questions. As for engineering, having them do hands-on learning activities such as building stuff with legos, or even toothpicks and marshmallows, or the aluminum foil boats testing how many pennies can be held. There are so many activities and opportunities for these ages. I hope this helps!

 

Chloe Nixon

Preservice Teacher

Wartburg College '24
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