What to Do When You Get Stuck
It happens. You are working with a student and you get stuck.
- Use this as an opportunity to model good problem solving behaviors (do what you do when you get stuck)
- Be honest and don’t give incorrect answers. Say “I don’t know the answer; let’s see if we can figure it out.”
Strategies to Consider
- Have the student state the problem in his/her own words
- Define any unknown terms
- Write the problem in the following form – “Given ‘x’ find ‘y’.”
- Use the student’s resources, ask a lot of questions
- Find out which pieces of the problem the student does understand
- Write out any formulas that may apply
- See if there is a similar example in the book
- Use class notes
- Ask student if he/she has encountered a problem similar to this one
- Draw a picture or graph, make a model
- Break the problem into smaller parts
- Make a numerical example that fits the problem and solve this first
- Look for patterns
- Brainstorm
- Take a break and then come back to it
If you can’t seem to get unstuck, refer the student to their instructor
Source: Bethel University