ATTACHMENT 2

The PURPOSE, GOALS, and OBJECTIVES

of
Strategies for Solving Math Problems at AAE's

" Skill Builder's Workshop "™, MRC

PURPOSE

To provide an environment, curriculum, and opportunity for middle and high school students and their parents to experience the development of their ability to use their knowledge of the problem solving strategies to solve problems.

It is the purpose and intent of the "Skill Builder's Workshop" Coach to...

• provide an environment, curriculum, and opportunity students and their parents to enrich their existing experience, knowledge and application of problem solving strategies.
• be a resource for teachers that are seeking alternative approaches to reaching their specific curricular goals and objectives.
• be a resource for parents who are working at home with their children during their students enrollment in the Strategies for Solving Math Problems course.

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GOALS

For students to ...

• feel comfortable with using various problem solving introduced strategies.
• develop the attributes of a critical thinker.
• have an understanding of the various topics listed in the course overview.
• be able to apply the principles and concepts they have learned to any and all problems.
• develop problem solving skills that they can use throughout their entire lifetime; experience that learning is a lifelong pursuit; the reality that the more they understand about the world around them, the more questions rise to the surface of their perspective and imagination.
• improve their ability to work effectively in a group setting.
• learn how to assimilate knowledge which is presented in a number of different styles.
• experience the pleasure and challenge that doing problem solving can bring.
• experience success by meeting their own personal goals for improving their reasoning, logic and math skills; experience meeting and exceeding the educational standards they have set for themselves, those set by their parents, and the performance standards set by the State of California.
  

OBJECTIVES

In this course, an introduction to strategies for solving math problems, students introduced to a variety of approaches that can be used to work a problem through to a valid solution. These strategies include: drawing diagrams, using systematic lists, eliminating possibilities, using matrix logic, looking for patterns, guess-and -check, recognizing subproblems, using unit analysis, solving easier related problem, constructing physical representations, working backwards, using Venn diagrams, using algebra, recognizing finite differences, organizing information, changing focus or perspective and finally, using spatial drawings, graphs and tree diagrams.

Students in this course receive a thorough grounding in the foundation material for future courses in math and science offered at AAE. Student will gain extensive experience in identifing a problem, developing a plan, communicating their problem solving process through both spoken and written formats, and determining if solutions are valid.

Finally, it is the instructor's intent that students participating in Strategies for Solving Math Problems will develop one or more of the following characteristics of a critical thinking adult*, on that is able to:

• use patterns to provide a way solve a problem or answer a question
• recognize errors in logic, reasoning, or the thought process
• identify what is irrelevant or extraneous information
• recognize their own preconceptions, bias, values and the way that these affect their thinking.
• appreciate that preconceptions and values, along with any inferesnces thereof, are generally limited to or constrained within context of the problem or issue at hand.
• recognize ambiguity - that there may be more than one solution or more than one way to solve a problem.
• can analyze, synthesize and evaluate information.
• approach something new in a logical manner.
• look at how others have approached the same question or problem, but know when they need more information.
• use creative and diverse ways to generate a hypothesis, approach a problem or answer a question.
• can take their critical thinking skills and apply them to everyday life .
• can clarify assumptions, and recognize that they have causes and consequences.
• support their opinions with evidence, data, logical reasoning, and statistical measures.
• can look at a problem from multiple angles.
• can not only fit the problem within a larger context, but decide if and where it fits in the larger context.
• are not uncomfortable with ambiguity and can work with it.

*Adapted from < http://ir.bcc.ctc.edu/library/ilac/critdef.htm >

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