Solution Seeking

The Solution Seeking Process is a tool to help students develop self-responsibility and a solution seeking mindset. It is exactly what the words suggest — a process for looking for solutions to problems. This process can be used one-on-one between teacher and student, with a group of students who have a similar problem, or with an entire class during a class meeting. Regardless of when it is used, the components remain constant.

Some typical problems that may be addressed using the Solution Seeking Process include:

• Excessive tardies in a high school class.
• Pushing and shoving around the drinking fountain in your fifth-grade classroom.
• Putdowns in a middle school class.
• Talking out in a first-grade classroom.
• The high school student who does not contribute much when working in cooperative groups.
• The middle school student who is a distraction during study time.
• Third-grade students who do not share playground equipment.