Engaging Young Engineers

Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Through STEM

by Angi Stone-MacDonald, Ph.D. Kristen Wendell, Ph.D. Anne Douglass, Ph.D. and Mary Lu Love, M.S. University of Massachusetts Boston

Excerpted from Engaging Young Engineers: Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Through STEM by Angi Stone-MacDonald, Ph.D.; Kristen Wendell, Ph.D.; Anne Douglass, Ph.D., & Mary Lu Love, M.S. Brookes Publishing | © 2015 | All rights reserved

Contents

About the Forms ... vii
About the Authors ... ix
Foreword Marilou Hyson. ... xi
A Note to the Reader ... xiii
Acknowledgments ... xxi

I Why Engineering and Problem Solving Are Important in Early Childhood Inclusive Classrooms
1 Young Children Are Natural Problem Solvers: A Framework Overview ... 3
2 Universal Design for Learning to Support Engineering Experiences in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings ... 21

II Using the Problem-Solving Framework to Teach Thinking Skills in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings
3 Curious Thinkers ... 39
4 Persistent Thinkers ... 63
5 Flexible Thinkers ... 87
6 Reflective Thinkers ... 111
7 Collaborative Thinkers ... 133
8 Curious, Persistent, Flexible, Reflective, and Collaborative Teachers ... 155

References ... 165
Appendixes ... 173
Appendix A Early Childhood UDL Planning Sheet: Infants (Sample) ... 175
Appendix B Early Childhood UDL Planning Sheet: Toddlers (Sample) ... 176
Appendix C Early Childhood UDL Planning Sheet: Preschoolers (Sample) ... 177
Appendix D Early Childhood UDL Planning Sheet: Blank ... 178
Appendix E Infant Experience Planning Template ... 179
Appendix F Toddler Experience Planning Template ... 180
Appendix G Preschool Experience Planning Template ... 181
Index ... 183

Why Engineering and Problem Solving Are Important in Early Childhood Inclusive Classrooms

The first big idea is that young children can be emergent engineers. Preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants exhibit many foundational skills used in the complex problem-solving activity of engineering design. Teachers and caregivers can support and foster the development of young children's problem-solving skills.

Using the Problem-Solving Framework to Teach

The five thinking skills presented in this book are important professional competencies for educators:

1. Curious Teachers
   • Wonder aloud
   • Ask open-ended questions
   • Talk with excitement about learning and exploring
2. Persistent Teachers
   • Do not give up
   • Believe they can succeed and believe every child can succeed
   • Seek out alternative approaches and solutions
   • Learn from prior attempts
3. Flexible Teachers
   • Are open-minded
   • Consider new and different ideas
   • Change direction or course as needed
   • Are willing to take a risk
4. Reflective Teachers
   • Take time to pause and think about their teaching practices
   • Observe and take notes
   • Wonder why an activity or interaction did or did not go as planned
5. Collaborative Teachers
   • Make time to talk, share, and learn with others
   • Establish shared goals with others
   • Demonstrate respect for differing perspectives and ideas

Case Studies in Teaching

Case of Cassie's Writing

• Curious: Wondered about Cassie's behavior and how it is at home.
• Persistent: Tried multiple strategies to engage Cassie, believing she could succeed.
• Flexible: Was open to generating new approaches to try.
• Reflective: Took observational notes and reviewed prior efforts.
• Collaborative: Met with the team to discuss and pooled knowledge.

Modeling Problem-Solving for Children

• Curious: Wondered aloud what other tools might substitute for a screwdriver.
• Persistent: Did not give up and believed they could find a solution.
• Flexible: Asked for help and tried different new ideas.
• Reflective: Thought out loud about each attempt and explained how it resulted in success.
• Collaborative: Asked for ideas and shared joy at their collective success.

Conclusion

Children's learning of the thinking skills needed for problem-solving and engineering design can be maximized by applying a problem-solving framework to teaching. Through enriching and inclusive learning experiences and modeling of our own problem-solving processes, all children can develop as curious, persistent, flexible, reflective, and collaborative learners.