Page 127 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

“The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it.”
Alan Saporta, American musician

5 PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

Where Does Your Where Does Your Route 6 Go?
Route 6 Go?
I’d been pouring over maps of the United States in Paterson for months,
Introducing even reading books about the pioneers and savoring names like Platte
Evelyn and Cimarron and so on, and on the roadmap was one long red line called
Route 6 that led from the tip of Cape Cod clear to Ely, Nevada, and there
Problems and dipped down to Los Angeles. I’ll just stay on 6 all the way to Ely, I said
Problem Solving to myself and confidently started.

Critical Reflection: Sal Paradise, On the Road by Jack Kerouac
A Problem Needing
In Jack Kerouac’s classic novel of the Beat Generation, Sal Paradise learns
a Solution there is a vast difference between planning for his journey on “the road of life”
and actually living it. Sal encounters many joys and heartbreaks, meets many
Problem Solving characters, and learns to solve many problems before sadly “growing up” and
Skills departing from the traveling life he is so in love with. He doesn’t ever use the
word “methodology,” but the truth is that Sal actually does develop a method
Profile of a Strong for solving his life’s problems.
Problem Solver
So far in this book, you have explored several different methodologies. You have
Problem Solving applied the Performance Model and practiced the Reading Methodology. You’ve
Methodology reviewed your identity as a learner. You also know the Learning Process Meth-
odology. Now, you’re ready for the next step: learning and applying a Problem
Solving Methodology. You will be able to use this methodology to solve all dif-
ferent kinds of problems, both inside and outside of school.

Discussion of the GLOSSARY Evelyn is an Ojibwe student from Ontario, Canada. She
Problem Solving and her family are very proud of their First Nation’s
heritage. Whenever she has time, Evelyn practices the
Methodology Ojibwe language with her grandparents, who still
live on their home reserve. Evelyn is married and
Assessing has two young children; she and her husband
Problem Solving want them to know their Ojibwe culture and
language, too. She has begun to call her little
LVP: Problem boy Mukwa because he looks like such a little
Solving Strategy bear. To help strengthen the family’s financial
prospects, Evelyn decided to attend college
Activity 5.1 part-time. She is now in her first term as a
freshman, and excited about the future.
Analyzing the Problem
Solving Methodology assumption generalization integration key issues problem validation

Activity 5.2

Applying the Problem
Solving Methodology

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