Summary of “Students Can Solve Many of Their Own Problems” — Edutopia
Original: Edutopia (approx. 2.4 years ago) Read original
Let Students Try First
Big Idea
Kids build confidence and deeper thinking when they’re allowed to tackle small problems themselves before adults step in.
Key Points
- Teachers often want to help immediately, but holding back lets students explore and make mistakes—essential for growth.
- One simple strategy: Don’t answer student questions right away. Wait a few minutes before responding, or respond with guiding questions ("What do you already know? What part looks familiar?").
- Ask open-ended “thinking questions” that don’t have only one right answer. These invite students to show their thought process.
- Use “scaffolding” — gradual support. Start with more help and slowly withdraw as students become more able.
- Let students self-assess using rubrics or checklists. Then, they can decide what to improve next—with your help as a coach.
Try This
- Next time your child complains, “I can’t do this,” say, “Tell me what you tried so far.”
- Offer them two guiding questions instead of the answer.
- Use a simple checklist: What do I know? What do I need? What will I try next?
Original article: Students Can Solve Many of Their Own Problems, Edutopia — https://www.edutopia.org/article/independent-problem-solving-in-the-classroom/
This summary was created by AI for educational purposes.