Promoting Math Problem Solving Skills in Young Children

From the desk of Leigh Ann…

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” ~ Albert Einstein

The Common Core encourages us to build our students’ math problem solving skills – focusing on the process as much as the outcome.  Modeling math problem solving strategies and talking about the process is a great first step.  In class we work to find the teachable moments and help our children see math problem solving as an integral part of so many of the things we encounter each day at school, at home, or wherever we are.  To show true mathematical understanding we promote discussion of concepts and help students learn to justify why a math statement is true, find rules and patterns, and explain the strategies used to gather information.  Children who can explain and apply their reasoning have a deeper understanding than those who simply state a memorized math fact.

Here are some things you as parents can do to help your children put their problem solving strategies to work:

·    Look for opportunities to talk about math concepts.  (Check out house numbers on your street and discuss if they are odd or even.  Count the number of steps it takes to get to the mailbox.  Name the shapes of the road signs.  Ask questions – If you have $3.50, how many items can you buy at the Dollar Store?)

·    Examine patterns in the calendar, the days of the week, months of the year, and seasons.

·    Count objects.  Play games and use dice to count and move.  Discuss the numbers and what move is greater or less than another.

·    Count in a variety of ways – by ones, twos, fives, or tens.

·    Use manipulatives to help solve problems.  (Manipulatives are pennies, rocks, marbles, or any object that you can use to manipulate and solve a problem)

·    Act out problem solving situations.  If I see two bare feet, how many toes do I see?  How would we model that with math language?  5 + 5 = 10

·    Find shapes in the environment and discuss how they are alike and different.  How many sides do you see?  How many corners? (or vertices – great math language!)

·    Measure and compare when cooking or working on projects.

·    Talk about how you solve problems.  Having discussions about the problem solving process helps your child develop strategies to attack problems independently.

·    Ask your child, “How did you solve that problem?  Can you show me?”  Encourage children to use pictures, numbers, words, or manipulatives to show what they know.

·     Use hints to guide children in their problem solving rather than giving them the answer.

·    Celebrate effort and the inquisitive spirit, encourage perseverance, and help build self-confidence in your child.

It is amazing the problem-solving abilities our young students possess.  As facilitators of their learning we need to model and provide multiple opportunities to enrich and expand their good problem solving skills and work to create a desire to be a lifelong learner.

“Learning is experience.  Everything else is just information.”  – Albert Einstein