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Problem Solving Cards
Rachel is an Advanced Skills teacher who uses problem solving approaches extensively in her teaching. She has written numerous activities which combine both problem solving approaches and the making of connections between mathematical topics. In this session she shared some of the resources she has written with us.
A typical resource would be the one on Pythagoras. The textbook approach can be ineffective and very boring – Rachael’s approach isn’t!
We were first given a set of 18 cards containing statements and questions. We had to work out from the cards where to start. The first task was to solve an equation and then ask Rachel for a worksheet of diagrams – a neat way of assessing how far through the task we were. The worksheet contained a variety of shapes. Our task, using the information on the cards, was to name the shapes and find the lengths of their sides. This involved us in scanning each card to work out where to start, and using the properties of the shapes and Pythagoras Theorem to calculate the lengths. We worked in pairs or threes, with Rachael monitoring our progress and only intervening when absolutely necessary.
Once the card activity was completed Rachael’s usual practice is to issue three or four questions based on the activity for homework. This is either pupil or teacher marked, and provides a more formal record of pupil progress. Where pupils mark their own work, or peer mark, answer sheets may contain deliberate errors, forcing pupils to really engage, to discuss the task in hand and to decide for themselves whether the solution under dispute is correct or incorrect.
I left this session wanting to use this teaching approach tomorrow. Providing the material is correctly pitched to challenge but not overwhelm the learner, (as it was) this is an interesting and stimulating way to learn.