Saturday 20 October 2012

Problem Solving

The Middle School administration is really pushing for a holistic approach to education. In practicality, this means that the teachers must focus on certain Expected Student Outcomes (ESOs) throughout the year to encourage curricular, interpersonal, and spiritual growth in their daily lives. One of the ESOs is problem solving: we want our students to become independent and critical thinkers, able so solve tall problems in a single bound. (Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a highly-effective student powered through the heavens by the solid and thorough teachings of his academic mentor!)

Ryland sits in my front row in grammar class, and one day he has a black marker streak across one cheek. "Ryland, you've got marker on your face."
"Where?"
"Right there." I point.
He feels the spot and after some consideration, takes out a marker and draws a line on the other cheek.

Problem: solved.

No comments: