Require students to use the problem solving steps  (Page 2/7)

Practical application

Require every student to go through the following problem solving steps with every problem that arises.

Step one: what is your problem? define and agree

It is critical that students identify the problem as their problem. Many want to see the problem as someone else’s and therefore try to exclude themselves from any responsibility. Even if another was aggressive or adding to the problem, they are still having a problem with it. Ownership of the problem is the first step.

It is also critical that the student and the other party agree on what the problem is. Often, different people see the problem quite differently. In requiring agreement of the definition of the problem, each perspective is included. Whether this is between two students, the teacher and the student, or the principal and the student, great learning can occur from consideration of differing perspectives. The students or the adult and student begin to learn about each other and from each other.

In many years of requiring students to define the problem we have learned many things. First, most problems usually are communication problems. This is either miscommunication or lack of communication. The student thought the other student did or said one thing, when if fact, they did or said another. The student thought the teacher meant this, when in fact, the teacher’s intention was quite different. Conversely, the principal and/or teacher believe the student behaved in a certain manner due to some apparent reason, when in fact, it was because of another reason unknown to them.

Principals, teachers, and students report that they were surprised at the new things they learned about and from each other. From our experience and numerous principal and teacher reflections, we believe much of this is due to the new and different expectation and setting for the problem solving discussion. Each person involved in the problem is required to explain him/herself and his or her belief and perspective. The student experiences a more one-on-one encounter with the principal and/or teacher, as opposed to him or her lecturing behind the desk or at the front of the room. We often heard both student and adult comment on how they never realized the other was a real person or very different than expected. Most comments were very positive as each learned more about the other.

In one memorable case in a Texas school, a teacher and student entered the office. The teacher reported that the student was uncooperative and did not want to discuss the problem with her. The principal asked the student what he thought the problem was and he said that a couple of his friends would talk or make jokes and when the teacher saw that he was not paying attention, she would ask him for an answer to what she had just said. He went on to say that this was embarrassing and the teacher made him look stupid when she knew it was his not paying attention that was the problem. “Why doesn’t she just tell the truth and tell me to pay attention, not give me a question to something I didn’t hear?”