Productive Struggle

NCTM Convention--Sharing ideas and learning from thousands of other teachers who love math!

Evening activities--the White House at night

The Lincoln Memorial---Yes, class, it's what we see on the back of the penny!

President Lincoln

The Washington Monument--Yes, class, the same one we read about in our reading story.

The Bible Museum

I don’t usually post about myself, but this past week I attended the annual convention for the National Council for Teachers of Math in Washington, D.C.  I came back with fresh ideas for strategies, activities, games, and songs that will help my students understand math concepts. I want to share one take-away from the convention that has applications in life.

“Productive struggle.” 

That’s the latest buzz word in education. As teachers, we shouldn’t be so quick to provide the students with the correct answer or to explain the best method of solving a problem. Instead of jumping in to provide a solution, we need to wait a little longer. Ask some though provoking questions. Allow the students to connect to prior knowledge (another buzz word expression) and try out new strategies. Allow them to collaborate with their classmates and learn from their peers.

Our goal is to help the students become strong, wise problem solvers. To do that, they must lay aside their fear of getting the wrong answer, take risks, and learn from their mistakes. To achieve this, we have to refrain rushing to their aid every time they meet an obstacle.

 It takes patience on our part to allow the child to figure things out. It takes time.

Our kids won’t grow if we do everything for them.

We want the kids to have knowledge…to be aware of certain facts and truths. We want them to have understanding…going beyond just reciting and memorizing to that place where they have a depth of comprehension. But most of all we want them to have wisdom.

Wisdom goes beyond knowledge. It kicks it up to the next level by adding the component of application. Wisdom involves sound judgement and good decision making-- taking what you know and applying it. Or, as we tell the kids, making good choices.

God allows productive struggle in our lives. So many times, when I’ve had to make a decision or solve a problem, I’ve wished that God would just send me an email saying: “The correct choice is___(fill in the blank with the best course of action).”  But He doesn’t do that. I wish he’d remove the problem, but He doesn’t. He allows us to struggle so that we’ll grow. But He gives us tools. He gives us the Bible, chock full of principles and truths that we can apply to our particular situation. He gives us wise counselors…friends and experts who can share their wisdom. He gives us His Holy Spirit, the Ultimate Counselor, and He gives us a sound mind.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 

II Timothy 1:7 NKJV

He wants us to be strong and brave, not timid and cowering. He wants us to use the brain He’s given us to make good choices.

This is true in the academic realm and in the spiritual realm. We want our children to know what the Bible says, and beyond that, we want them to understand what God is telling us and how we can apply those truths to our lives. Ultimately, we want them to use that knowledge and understanding to make wise choices.

Productive struggle.  It’s necessary for problem solving in the classroom, and necessary for growth.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 1:2 NKJV

Here are a few pictures from Tuesday's Science Lab.  Our little problem solvers are learning about motion and figuring out ways to make their airplanes go higher and their marshmallow guns shoot farther.