Problem Solving Strategies

We've been using these mathematical problem solving strategies for a while now, but it's only just recently that we decided to try them as a set of display posters.

We tried a number of varieties, and they all seemed to work well. Here's the first, focussing on the four phases of problem solving:

Problem Solving - Four Phases

 We've found this useful as a classroom label; but also, printed on card and used as a desk resource. Children used a counter and placed it on each section of the card as they worked through each problem. This seemed to help them really focus on what they were doing - it also made it easier for the teacher to 'see where the children were'... which made intervention more purposeful.

Next, we looked more deeply at the strategies to use when attacking a problem and offer the following 10 strategies as classroom prompts or board labels. Clearly, different problems require different strategies, so it's more a 'pick and choose' than a process. With this resource we returned to the mathstick characters as icons (and decoration) for each strategy.

Problem Solving - 10 Strategies

The mathstick faces on the 'Strategies' lables were popular, so we revisited the first label/poster and redesigned it for younger children:

Problem Solving - Four Phases with Expressions

The first two items are on the first pdf download, the second set is a separate attachment. Both of them appear below this post. If you find any of these useful please let us know.

* If you cannot see the Attachement below, then you need to Login|Register. 

If this has been useful please tell your colleagues. You can also use the 'Share This' button, follow us on twitter, subscribe via RSS Feed or become a fan of our FaceBook page.