Why Should Kids Be Taught Problem-Solving Skills In Schools?

13th July 2022

Problem-solving skills are often life skills that help everyone to sustain against strong hindrances. Experts are saying that inculcating problem-solving skills in kids, especially preschoolers will elevate their growth mindset to a huge extent. Finding solutions to problems is not an easy task and we have seen that many people do not know how to chalk out plans to solve problems.

International teaching diploma in Kolkata is encouraging every preschool to include problem-solving activities for kids. Effective problem-solving exercises for students will make them independent, and enhance their confidence level. Problem-solving activities and games for preschoolers trigger kids to identify the problem thereby, looking for potential solutions.

Problem-solving challenges or problem-solving games for kids are pretty interesting and are used as tools in a bunch of contexts. Kids learn from things they see and hence, most of them acquire problem-solving skills by seeing how their parents, teachers, caregivers, etc., are responding to any challenge.

Problem-solving exercises for students mainly revolve around these 3 things:
 

• Seeking information
• Generating new knowledge
• Making decisions

Now then, teaching problem-solving skills to different levels of students has an order of importance. Teacher training institutes are focusing on various strategic approaches to teach such fundamental skills to elementary, middle school, and high school students.

For elementary students:
 

• Kids should be engaged in brainstorming sessions.
• Using students’ imaginations for group thinking is another fabulous method. Teachers can create an imaginary scenario for which students will figure out solutions to the problem.
• Encouraging flexible thinking is also useful.

For middle school students:
 

• To emphasize real-world problems with more advanced problem-solving activities.
• Gene editing is a method that is quite useful. Students talk with researchers who actually worked with gene modification.
• Teachers must start focusing on statistics related to crime and the jury system so that students can get real cases to brainstorm

For high school students:
 

• It is high time that emphasis should be on the development of soft skills.
• Time management, critical thinking, and negotiation skills are other significant things that students must learn.
• Leadership skills like active listening and other communication skills should be given importance so that students can become excellent team leaders in the due course of time.
   

Problem-solving activities that should be taught to students by teachers from the foundation level:

The Egg Drop Challenge: This challenge helps kids to learn how to frame a solution that prevents something from breaking. Kids gain critical thinking capabilities and identify which materials will be the best to protect something fragile like an egg when dropped from a height. It is most suitable for kids in age group 8 or above.

The Balloon Race Challenge: Kids learn about aerodynamics and Bernoulli’s principle while playing this game. It also requires them to generate innovative ideas about how to design a balloon-powered vehicle. Students will have to study and understand what kind of material will be suitable for building a balloon-powered vehicle. Then kids can explain why they think the balloon traveled or did not travel as far as it did.

Picture Pieces Puzzle Game: Critical thinking and a high level of concentration power are required to put the pieces together to create a certain picture. It also helps students learn about shapes, colors, and other concepts. Kids who are below 8 years old should be provided with an easy puzzle task.

Obstacle Course: Encountering challenges in daily life is a part of adulting. If kids do not understand how to overcome obstacles they will be in a big mess. This game will increase the problem-solving skills of students to a great extent.

Team Scavenger Hunt: A student’s investigation and observation skills increase with this game.

The role of parents is also quite gripping when it comes to teaching problem-solving skills to kids. Parents must often use words like IDEAS, CREATE, THINK, SOLVE, FIND OUT, etc., while assigning such activities to kids. Besides, an international teaching diploma in Kolkata is also working on numerous activities by going beyond the orthodox academic syllabus for kids. To know more about it, call our toll-free number 1800-212-6400.
 

Written By : Debolina Chakraborty