Student Contributor: M. Nelson
This tool will be helpful because students will be able to write down the problems they are having inside or outside the classroom and then the teacher and the students will work together to find a solution. Some students may be scared to share their problems or an incident that has occurred this problem-solving box can help students feel safe to share without feeling pressured or feeling embarrassed.
This should be introduced during the beginning of the school year; however, the problem would have already occurred before a student is able to write a note about their problem and stick it into the box. Students will anonymously write the problem that has occurred on a piece of paper and at the end of the day when you have your community circle the teacher will take the problem box and read out each problem one by one. When the teacher reads a problem the teacher and students will brainstorm together on ways the problem can be solved.
When I was in 5th grade we had a wooden box labeled “problem box” and I remember that this management tool was really helpful because when things would happen on the playground we were able to solve them anonymously which made me feel better knowing that no one would know it was me.
I have placed this tool inside the corrective phase because the problem has already occurred, and it needs to be corrected. If the problem hasn’t occurred yet then this tool would be placed in the supportive phase. This fits best with the collaborative and teacher-directed theories because the teacher is allowing students to write down their problems the teacher reads them to the class and the whole class brainstorms ways this problem can be solved. The teacher directs and observes the meeting while students are brainstorming and if the students are struggling to find solutions the teacher will step in and give more solutions. The teacher and students are working together to solve the problems.
More Information –
Tool Source: My 5th grade teacher
