Problem-Solving Teacher Professional Development Building
Resilience in Children and Young People
Slide 2
Problem-Solving Why Teach Problem- Solving? The coping
repertoire of children and adolescents includes their
problem-solving competencies and skills Problem-solving is
identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a key skill
for health It is important to help students develop their critical
and creative thinking skills Young people need to be able to think
logically and predict and evaluate the consequences of various
actions They benefit from learning a range of problem-solving
techniques that can be applied when confronting personal, social,
and ethical dilemmas Students benefit from applied learning tasks
in which they apply their problem-solving skills to realistic
scenarios
Slide 3
Problem-Solving Why Students need to participate in problem-
identification and problem-solving People tend to resist solutions
that are pushed upon them by others They rebut arguments, highlight
the barriers and end up speaking the argument against change When
the solution is imagined and spoken by the person themselves, then
they are more able to take it up When students identify positive
solutions, they create the possibility of enacting these
strategies
Slide 4
Problem-Solving Activities in Problem-Solving Lessons aim to
assist students to: Recognise the needs and interests of others
Listen to others ideas and recognise that others may see things
differently Identify options when making decisions to meet their
needs and the needs of others Recognise there are many ways to
solve conflict Describe similarities and differences in points of
view between themselves and people in their communities Identify
cooperative behaviours in a range of group activities Practise
individual and group decision-making Practise solving simple
interpersonal problems Identify communication skills that enhance
relationships for particular groups and purposes Describe
characteristics of cooperative behaviour and identify evidence of
these in group activities Contribute to and predict the
consequences of group decisions in a range of situations Identify a
range of conflict resolution strategies to negotiate positive
outcomes to problems Discuss the concept of leadership and identify
situations where it is appropriate to adopt this role Describe and
apply strategies that can be used in situations that make them feel
uncomfortable or unsafe Devise strategies and plans to assist in
the completion of challenging tasks, decisions or problems Identify
factors that influence decision-making Identify causes and effects
of conflict and practice different strategies to diffuse or resolve
it Predict the outcomes of challenges based on problem-solving and
decision-making strategies Assess individual and group
decision-making processes in challenging situations Plan projects,
applying effective problem-solving and team-building strategies
Acknowledge the values, opinions and attitudes of different groups
Foundation Level 9/10
Slide 5
Problem-Solving Models for Problem-Solving Problem-solving can
be broken down into a number of smaller steps: Naming the problem
(no blaming, no emotion, just facts) Brainstorming options (collect
many ideas) Predicting the consequences of the options Appraising
the positive or negative features of each option Evaluating the
practicality of the various ideas (could this one work?) Assessing
what strengths and resources are needed to carry out a particular
choice Choosing the best option Deciding what would need to be
done, by whom, when Trying out the option Assessing the option (Did
it work? If not, repeat the thinking steps)
Slide 6
Problem-Solving Use of Stimulus Scenarios The Building
Resilience Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) lesson materials
provide a number of learning activities to promote the skills of
problem-solving Scenarios are provided to challenge students to
apply their thinking to the types of personal and social situations
that they or their peers might encounter as part of daily life.
They can be modified by the teacher to suit the needs of the class
Use of the scenarios provided permits an externalised focus and
removes the need for students to disclose their personal problems
in the public space of the classroom. This also protects the
privacy of those others who may be involved in the students
personal problems Students are encouraged to use more private
help-seeking pathways in the school to seek assistance with their
own problems
Slide 7
Problem-Solving Examples of problem-solving models: Level 3-4:
The Roads and Roundabouts Model Centre of the roundabout: name the
issue or problem Exit roads: for different options Destinations:
the consequences or the destination the journey will take you to 1.
Students are asked to identify the different options and imagine
the consequences before they decide which destination they will
choose. 2. They take thinking time as they go around the
roundabout. Centre of the roundabout: name the issue or problem
Exit roads: for different options Destinations: the consequences or
the destination the journey will take you to 1. Students are asked
to identify the different options and imagine the consequences
before they decide which destination they will choose. 2. They take
thinking time as they go around the roundabout.
Slide 8
Problem-Solving Examples of problem-solving models: Level 5-6:
The Daisy Model Stem: name the problem Petals: the possible options
Centre of the flower: the chosen option Students are asked to
evaluate the different options before they decide which one to
choose Stem: name the problem Petals: the possible options Centre
of the flower: the chosen option Students are asked to evaluate the
different options before they decide which one to choose
Slide 9
Problem-Solving Examples of problem-solving models: Level 7-8:
The Tree Change Model Students draw a tree outlining the following:
Trunk: name the issue or problem Roots: multiple causes of the
problem Branches: possible options Leaves: possible consequences of
the option chosen The problem tree is used as a thinking tool to
explore a problem and to think through the options before making a
choice about what to do Students draw a tree outlining the
following: Trunk: name the issue or problem Roots: multiple causes
of the problem Branches: possible options Leaves: possible
consequences of the option chosen The problem tree is used as a
thinking tool to explore a problem and to think through the options
before making a choice about what to do
Slide 10
Problem-Solving Teacher Activity: Problem-Solving Choose from:
Roads and roundabouts (Level 3-4) The daisy (Level 5-6) Tree change
(Level 7-8) Choose from: Roads and roundabouts (Level 3-4) The
daisy (Level 5-6) Tree change (Level 7-8) Use one of the
problem-solving models to work through the following scenario:
EXAMPLE SCENARIO: Overstretched Olivia is exhausted. Corrections
are piling up and she has some behaviour management problems with
her class. The Assistant Principal has just asked her to go on a
school camp next week in the place of a sick colleague.
Slide 11
Problem-Solving REFLECT How do you respond to problems in your
day-to- day life? How do you model collaborative problem-solving
within your classroom? What language do you use to assist your
students in developing their ability to articulate when they have a
problem?
Slide 12
6d. Problem-Solving Useful Links Get Ready Drug Education
Resources https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/ Catching On Early and
Catching On Later (Sexuality education activities for primary and
secondary schools)
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/social/physed/pages/r
esources.aspx
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/social/physed/pages/r
esources.aspx Bully stoppers
www.education.vic.gov.au/about/.../bullystoppers/
www.education.vic.gov.au/about/.../bullystoppers/ Bullying. No way!
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/secondary/pages/View.aspx?id..
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/secondary/pages/View.aspx?id
Cybersmart
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/View.aspx?id=4e59b848...
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/View.aspx?id=4e59b848
Esmart Schools https://www.esmartschools.org.au/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.esmartschools.org.au/Pages/default.aspx
