Developing Better Problem Solvers

One of the most important goals for middle school math students is to become better problem solvers.  Good problem solvers expect to get stuck from time to time.  They know how to be creative and persistent.  They have strategies to try when the next step eludes them.

That is the spirit of this problem-solving season.  Students in grades 6 through 8 will work on four difficult problems between now and I Love Math Day, February 13.  Each problem requires patience, persistence and creativity.  Students will work in cooperative teams, debate ideas and test theories.  In short, they will do all the things mathematicians do when they solve problems.

Students reading, rereading and discussing the first problem of 2020.

Two weeks ago, students were challenged with "The King's Servants", the first problem.  If you want, you can see it here (the I Love Math blog).

These pictures were taken within minutes of students receiving "The King's Servants."

Mathematicians might draw pictures...

and organize the information in the problem...

and make graphs and charts...

and calculate possible distributions of hats...

and share their thinking...

and organize some more.

Sometimes mathematicians will act out problems.

They gather new insights.

After ten days of hard work, this sixth grade team was ready to turn in its submission with a solution!