DA FUQ

Problem-solving lessons can be structured into three main phases: Before, During, and After.

Activate Prior Knowledge:
- Start with a simpler version of the task related to the main problem.
- Connect tasks to students' experiences.
- Encourage brainstorming of approaches and solution strategies.
- Guide students to estimate or predict the nature of tasks (single computation vs. procedural development).
Ensure Understanding of the Problem:
- Have students articulate what the problem is asking.
- Clarify any potentially confusing vocabulary.
- Reinforce that understanding the problem does not equate to explaining how to solve it.
Establish Clear Expectations:
- Inform students how they will work (individually, pairs, or groups) and how they will share their solutions.

Let Go:
- Observe students and refrain from intervening too early to allow them to discover solutions themselves.
Notice Students' Mathematical Thinking:
- Ask questions based on students' responses and work.
  - Example prompts:
    - "Can you tell me what you’re doing?"
    - "What strategy are you using?"
- Support their thinking without providing direct solutions.
- Encourage exploration of different problem-solving strategies (e.g., using diagrams).

Provide Appropriate Support:
- Help students reflect on their thinking and reasoning processes without judgment.
Promote a Community of Learners:
- Foster respectful peer interactions and discussions.
- Avoid grading responses during the discussion, instead focus on sharing ideas.
Summarize and Formalize Main Ideas:
- Help students connect different strategies, reinforce terminology and define key concepts.
- Lay the groundwork for future tasks and activities.

Challenge advanced students with extension questions (e.g., exploring alternative solutions or applications).
Facilitate effective classroom discourse using role-playing and examples to model appropriate interaction.