Ms. Aretti likes her 7th graders this year, but there is one student, Mira, who is very shy. Mira never speaks up in class. Ms. Aretti can only get her to whisper an answer when called on. There are many ways that Ms. Aretti could try to help Mira, but

Question

the problem calls for creative problem solving—it is not well structured.
Illustrate how two of the following might be helpful to Ms. Aretti's thinking, as she tries to solve her classroom problem: incubation; suspension of judgment; appropriate climates; analysis.
Think of the two strategies you illustrated, as they relate to the IDEAL model of problem solving. For each strategy, explain why it would be relevant when performing one of the steps in IDEAL.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ms. Aretti's first reactions to the problem may not be good solutions. She needs to pause and reflect to give alternative solutions a chance to incubate. She can suspend judgment and list a great many possible solutions, as in brainstorming, before narrowing down the solutions with critical thinking. If Ms. Aretti can find a relaxed atmosphere in which she can analyze the problem, looking at it from different points of view, she will increase her chances of success. The strategies considered are most likely to be helpful in defining and representing the problem, and in exploring possible strategies. At both of these steps it can be important to maintain a reflective, flexible thought process.