This is the third segment in a multi-part series about the MSAD 51 Profile of a Learner (POL). As a reminder, the four tenets of the Greely POL include Effective Communicator, Creative Problem Solver, Lifelong Learner, and Global Citizen.
When we think about what it means to be a Creative Problem Solver, this week's focus, these are the key skills and desired actions we hope our students will continue refining over their K-12 educational journey:
- Developing new ideas and solutions to problems
- Demonstrating resilience and perseverance in solving problems and issues
- Utilizing critical thinking skills to bring resolution to problems and issues
These skills may appear to be self-explanatory, but how do they transfer from being merely something on paper to actionable in students' lives? Each grade span has provided age-appropriate, concrete examples of what it means to be a Creative Problem Solver:
- Students in grades PK-3 practice their ability to be creative problem solvers when building with the LEGO Spike program and cooperating with peers during math games
- Students in grades 4 & 5 practice problem solving through their design of Rube Goldberg creations that demonstrates learning about energy transfer and engagement with the engineering and design process to help solve real-world problems and phenomena
- Students in grades 6-8 demonstrate problem solving when creating ice cube keepers, preventing ice cubes from melting without the assistance of commercial refrigeration
- Students in grades 9-12 practice problem solving by posing scientific questions, designing investigations, analyzing evidence-based data, and solving mathematical calculations
If you missed the first two segments in this series, check them out here:
Effective Communicator
Profile of Learner Introduction
Next week, we'll explore what it means to be a Lifelong Learner as aligned to the Greely Profile of a Learner.