Stick-to-itiveness

It is interesting to see how students respond to a problem that they cannot figure out quickly. Some move to “I don’t understand” and get stuck there. Others have more stamina for taking on a challenge. They have a stick-to-itiveness that I want all of my students to develop. I want them to learn how to play around with a problem that is hard. The challenge is how to help them do this. I encourage a lot of experimenting and modeling with manipulatives as one way to get them thinking through problems. Viewing problems as puzzles is another way to get them to relax and explore possibilities. Hearing the approaches of other students can help them broaden the strategies they know how to use. I work hard to create an atmosphere where it is okay to take a risk.

When we were last visiting our granddaughters (and their parents, of course), I watched as the six year old once again untangled the Newton’s Cradle that her sister had once again gotten tangled. She clearly viewed it as a puzzle and patiently observed the way the cords connected as she worked out the tangles. A few times she was on the verge of tears, but she calmed herself and proceeded. Once it was restored, she proclaimed that after a challenge, her brain felt good. My hope is that all students can feel the pleasure of taking on a challenge and not just the frustration, perhaps seeing that the frustration can deepen the pleasure when they find a solution.

My husband’s poetic musings on this are on his poetry blog.