Reaction: Teachers, Problem Posing and Problem-Solving

Abstract

This chapter identifies common themes among six research papers from around the globe concerning how teachers can support their students’ mathematical problem solving. Three of the studies indicate how teachers’ understanding and awareness of students’ problem solving can be deepened.One approach is to offer deeper practical experience of ‘working like a mathematician’ to teachers so that they can develop sensitivity to their own and to their students’ problem solving experiences. Additionallyteachers’ appreciation of teaching for, about and through problem solving can be stimulated when they study students’ problem solving attempts in depth. Three studies on classroom implementation of problem solving all give attention to making the initiatives an ongoing part of normal teaching practice. This section illustrates that over the three decades since problem solving first rose to international attention, mathematical problem solving has become an important goal in many counties. There are now long-term design research projects working with sizeable groups of ‘ordinary’ teachers to establish practical guidelines for sustainable problem solving initiatives.Problem solving remains an elusive goal, with no silver bullets, but this new phase of research will widen its reach into classrooms.