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Computational Strategies
Posted:
Apr 17, 1999 5:00 AM
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I feel it is important that students find their own way through a
problem. It is during the sharing time, either with a partner, small
group or the whole class, where students are exposed to other ways of
thinking about a problem. If a student's problem solving is
inefficient, but still gets her the correct answer, she may be
unwilling to try something else until she feels secure with another,
more efficient way. This requires time and lots of experience.
During our sharing time, we talk about the different strategies (I
record on chart paper and post around the room so they are visible
side by side) and the pros and cons of each. The students will often
point out the ones that are ineffecient and full of pitfalls. I find
that pairing students carefully at times will help a child who is
struggling move to a more efficient stategy. However, it will come
only when the child feels comfortable and understands. For some
students, that really takes time.
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