• Consider changing the context, the names of characters, or the numbers in the problem to make it more suitable for your class.
  Click to download a collection of templates to support you to create your own versions of problems.
   
• Captivate your students (hook them into the problem) with a creative introduction.
   
• Having shared the problem, have your students retell in their own words what the problem is asking them to find out.
  To experience success a student must first fully understand the problem.
   
• Make suitable materials available. Many students solve a problem and demonstrate their solution using materials.
   
• Be clear yourself about exactly what you want your students to learn from their problem solving experience. 
  Make this explicit to your students. (Finding a solution is only part of the learning).
   
• Have key supporting questions ready to ask your students as they work on the problem:
   

  Getting started	While working on the problem	At the finish
  Has anyone seen a problem like this before? What are the important ideas in this problem? Can you rephrase the problem in your own words? What is this problem asking you to find out? What information has been given? What conditions apply? Can you guess what the answer might be? What strategies might you use to get started? Which of these ideas are worth pursuing?	Tell me what you are doing? Why (how) did you think of that? Why are you doing this? What will you do with the result of that work when you’ve got it? Why is this idea better than that one? You’ve been trying that idea for 5 minutes. Is it time to try something else? Can you justify that step?	Have you answered the question? Have you considered all possible cases? Have you checked your solution? Does the answer look reasonable? Is there another answer? Is there another solution? Can you explain your solution to the class? Is there another way to solve the problem? Can you generalise or extend the problem?

   
• Conclude a problem solving session with your students by identifying important learning and together generalize this to other situations.
   
• The problems are set within full lessons which outline a suggested teaching sequence. These are guidelines only.