Like Creative Innovator, Strategic Problem-Solver is one of our newest skills. It began its existence when we broke apart the Complex Thinker skill which was an original skill back when they were called Outcomes and Indicators. With the overhaul of the skills in 2014-15, Complex Thinker was broken into three parts: Creative Innovation, Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking. After about a year of this three-part skill we had more insight into the nuances of each component and Creative Innovator and Strategic Problem-Solver were pulled out as their own skill as a result. Critical Thinking (which was really what the Complex Thinker skill originally tried to get at) was removed because the key components and indicators of critical thinking were already a part of our Common Core Standards.
Let’s Start this Month with Some Inspiration
This 2-minutes video could just as easily celebrate innovation as it does problem-solving, but when I first stumbled upon it a couple years ago I tagged it for Strategic Problem-Solving so here you go:
Check It Out
Read the description and review the grade-level checklist for this skill at the Future Ready Skill website. As you do, think about whether you had any misconceptions about strategic problem-solving.Learn More
The University of Kent’s (Great Britain) website includes an Employability Skills section for its students. Many of skills identified are similar to our Future Ready Skills, including Problem-solving and analytical skills. Take a few minutes to read over what they have to say about problem solving at the university level. As you do, consider what might have relevance to your own students and practice.
Next, read this article from the October 2017 issue of Educational Leadership Inviting Uncertainty into the Classroom by Ronald A. Beghetto. How might inviting more uncertainty into your classroom help students develop their problem-solving skills?
Prompt/Activity
Identify at least one big takeaway from this month’s exploration of problem solving and explain the impact it might have on your students.
