Course Syllabus:

Problem solving has been defined as knowing what to do when you don't know what to do. As a core human activity, it covers many daily functions such as going to the store, buying ingredients, and cooking a nutritionally sound meal. But beyond just grocery shopping, problem solving is used in every profession from the arts to computer science to politics. Having the skill to solve problems is essential in every work place, as well as having the skills to work collaboratively and communicate your reasoning and solutions.

Problem solving involves struggle: grappling with something that may not, at first, make sense, using what you know, figuring out what you don't know, and trying something to work toward a solution. Problem solving involves failure! Sometimes we have to try out ideas that don't work, learn from the results and decide to try something else. An article in the Harvard Business Review states it: “A tolerance for ‘getting it wrong the first time’ can be the better strategy, as long as people iterate rapidly and frequently, and learn quickly from their failures.*

Unfortunately many students think that math is something you “get” or you don't “get.” They believe the math myth that either you have the ability and can just do problems quickly, or you don't have it and you never will be able to solve math problems. This belief turns out to be false, but for many it has become a mindset! Everybody can solve problems, and there are problem solving strategies for dealing with math and other problems that everyone can learn. This book focuses on strategies for dealing with the hard parts of problems, things to try when you are not sure what to do. Just as importantly, it focuses on building collaborative and communication skills to enable you to convince your peers of your reasoning and solutions with precision and with confidence.

What makes up my grade?

80% EKS (Essential Knowledge & Skills)

10% Habit of Excellence: Connection

10% Habit of Excellence: Accountability

  • Homework: The assignments must be correct, show all work, and demonstrate pride in work. You should do your work in your spiral notebook. Homework will include Problem Sets, Reading Questions, Journals, and Problems of the Day. Doing homework WELL and THOROUGHLY (with annotations) is a key component to success in any mathematics course.

  • Classwork: Participating in classwork is an essential component of this class, and includes: actively engaging in groupwork & classroom discussion, sharing your solutions with the class, sharing group responsibilities, and being present and on time every day. Students should take detailed notes on these activities on graph paper, in your spiral notebook.

  • Strategy Shareout: Sharing your strategies and work from the problems in our class is an essential component to your growth and learning. You will be required to do at least one Shareout every 2 weeks.

Essential Knowledge & Skills:

  1. Understanding the Problem

  2. Naming/Choosing a Strategy

  3. Implementing the Strategy

  4. Getting the Answer

  5. Explanation

Class Expectations

  • Be respectful and courteous of everyone and their right to learn

  • Be on time, ready to learn, and productive during class!

  • Try your best!

Binder & Supplies

  • Spiral or Composition notebook with graph paper

  • 1.5”+ three-ring binder

  • Dividers for each chapter

  • School supplies: pencils, ruler, good eraser, highlighter, colored pencil

Google Classroom Codes

  • (Period 1) Calculus: 3or63ju

  • (Period 2) Calculus: mohtlau

  • (Period 3) Mathematical Problem-Solving: izw2syd

  • (Period 4) Advanced Calculus: u4jaujb

  • NERDFit: 5jhblju

  • Class of 2022: buytrqr

Remind