The Problem Solving Problem

How do we get students to full heartedly engage in problem solving at its fullest?  I am working with my Algebra 2 students to move beyond the complacency of solving equations and the procedural repetitions that we tend to get too focused on.  I would have to say that we have probably spent a good 80% or more of our class time working on the mechanics of graphing/solving linear systems and inequalities.  Even the word problems that we have tackled in class seem very mechanical and my students (those who are doing their work) seem to be able to knock them off fairly efficiently.  Is this all in good faith because we have to prepare them for the MCAII test in April?  I find myself struggling at the moment with what direction I want to take my students.  Many of them would be ok if we simply "did" some math and solved a few problems along the way.  I want to give meaning to the math that we are doing and allow my students to see beyond the equations, to see the bigger picture.

The staff morale in my school (and entire district for that matter) has taken a lot of shots lately as our community has once again voted down an operating levy.  We are facing huge cuts in budget and staff again for next year.  Our class sizes are already growing beyond their means and will no doubt get larger next year.  We are also in a negotiations cycle and have not settled our contract with the school board for this year (and next).  The status of the talks is not good and will probably go on for a long time.  We have been offered "a hard freeze" for the next two years.  This is essentially a fairly big pay cut with the expected increases in insurance.

With that said I can usually find solace in my classroom.  When I close the door and have my students there with me I can let all of those other worries go for the next 50 minutes.  I want this short amount of time to be as meaningful and productive as it can be. Even on those days when my 11th graders are acting as though they have not left the middle school I still feel comfortable within the confines of my room.

Well, enough for now.  As I venture on to the depths of Problem Solving I will continue to keep you posted on my thoughts.