◆ xviiProblem solving should prepare students for the future. Problem solving is
a big deal around the country and, in fact, around the world. It should be
fun, but oftentimes it is greeted with dismay. Problem solving is about
thinking, reasoning, exploring, hypothesizing and wondering. It takes dedi-
cation and perseverance. It takes “being up for the challenge.” It’s delicate.
There are many aspects. One aspect is word problems. I am writing this
book about how to get all kids to love word problems because I truly believe
it is possible. But, I don’t think we will ever achieve that goal if we keep
doing what we’ve been doing—especially considering who we are working
with these days. Our students are called Generation Z. Generation Z (also
known as iGen, Post-Millennials and Centennials) (https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Generation_Z) is the first generation to be born into a world
where the Internet has always existed.
They are the first truly mobile-first generation, so they place a big
emphasis on personalization and relevance.... Whereas Millen-
nials use three screens on average, Gen Zers use five: a smartphone,
TV, laptop, desktop and iPod/iPad... The average Gen Zer has
the attention span of about 8 seconds...
(http://www.cmo.com/articles/2015/6/11/15-mind-
blowing-stats-about-generation-z.html)Furthermore, Gen Zers are “extremely social and group oriented... prefer
game-like learning situations... they place a value on the speed of their
work, not accuracy” (http://thrivist.com/21-facts-about-generation-z-that-
you-need-to-know/).
They are able to work with people from around the world from the
chairs in their home. They will need to solve problems daily. Most of
what they will do, we have yet to imagine. But what we know for sure
is that they will need to know how to think out loud, explain and justify
their reasoning to others and represent their thinking. So, we have to
take problem solving seriously and do it often. Thomas Frey, one of the
top futurist researchers in the world, noted that “the top three skills
needed for the future [are] adaptability, flexibility and resourcefulness”
(http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2014/11/101-endangered-jobs-by-
2030/).
Given what we know, what are we doing in schools? Why do we teach
students word problems? What are we trying to accomplish? Do we want