Each session you will be introduced to a new type of mathematical problem. I will conduct a think-aloud and walk you through an example. We will then work together to solve a new problem. Later, on your own, you will solve another problem in your notebook. After you solve the problem, you should reflect on the following ideas in your notebook:
- your solution strategies (what worked?, what did not?)
- your persistence and level of enjoyment, wonder, or frustration
- how the problem might be used in instruction
- the specific mathematical understandings the problem might help to develop in children
For your FIRST entry, write a brief autobiography of your experiences with problem-solving and mathematical puzzles. Here are some questions to consider as you write. You need not answer each one; just use them to guide your entry.
- What kinds of problems did you solve in elementary school?
- Did you play games in math? If so, what kind?
- Did you play games at home that had mathematical connections?’
- Do you solve problems for fun? If so, what kind do you solve?
- How do feel when faced with a problem?
- How do you approach novel problems?
For your FINAL entry, reflect on your problem-solving experience and share your thoughts about using problem-solving activities in the classroom and how you think they might best be implemented.