What Is The Private Tutoring Model?

What Is The Private Tutoring Model?The private-tutoring model is a system that uses the expertise of an assistant to offer free, expert tutoring to those in need. This could be in the form of individual tuition, or group tuition. There are no fee students.Private-tutoring firms were initially founded as foster care agencies. The idea was to help children who were facing discrimination by being placed in foster homes. Many of these foster families were underfunded and lacked the appropriate training for their children.These foster care models proved so successful that they became very popular with many other private tutoring organizations. But it was only later that they began to offer courses to all kinds of students. After all, the children were just too young to take up private tutoring courses.Tutoring is now offered to kids of all ages. There are tutoring centers that focus on teaching and developing self-esteem in the child, while others will focus on helping develop academic sk ills and prepare children for college. In addition, there are tutoring centers that will offer specialty areas such as organic chemistry, music and general education. These centers will usually also specialize in tutoring specific types of kids, such as Spanish speaking kids or dyslexic kids.All of these tutoring centers are still available to children and families looking for free or low-cost tutoring. You can find a tutor by browsing a directory or checking with local tutoring centers. One thing you should know is that the fees are not set in stone, so it is important to ask about them before taking on a private tutor.The best way to get started is to ask your family members and friends who they use for tutoring. If you cannot find anyone in your area that meets your needs, then ask your friends and acquaintances to recommend private tutors for you. The people that you will ask are most likely the ones who have the experience and expertise needed to help you. Make sure to choose a reputable private tutor and make sure that they are licensed.A parent needs to understand that the teacher and the tutor may have very different agendas. The teacher will be more involved in the lesson and the process of learning for their student. The tutor will be more hands on in teaching the student. The teacher may use more specialized materials and give more extensive and involved attention to specific types of learning.Private-tutoring offers many benefits to children and families. They are inexpensive, and often times do not require any certification or licensing. They offer you the advantage of high quality tuition that will prepare your child for college or beyond.

Does Linear Algebra Helps Computer Sciecne?

Does Linear Algebra Helps Computer Sciecne?If you're a computer programmer or have programmed computers before, you may have wondered if there was anything of value in using Linear Algebra to help your development. Here is what you need to know.It's easy to forget that math is just math. If you've ever learned math, then you know how important it is to be able to memorize things quickly. It is the single most valuable skill that you can possess in the world of computing. By learning more efficient methods of math, programmers can make applications more efficient, use fewer tools, and avoid wasting time on things they cannot easily solve.How useful is Linear Algebra? Read on to find out.A lot of programmers use linear algebra to learn about different types of vectors and how they can help them compute functions. If you're a programmer who has just started programming, it would be helpful if you have a grasp of this form of mathematics. You can use the various examples found in many bo oks, as well as online.You should use this math to check for the possible uses of vectors, since these are used so often in computer programs. In fact, a very large amount of computer programs include this type of information. The main reason for using this type of mathematics is that it is the one we use in calculus, but the problems come into play when the functions are computed. Vector addition and vector subtraction are using to calculate for addition and subtraction.Before using linear algebra, programmers will want to verify that they understand the basics of vector addition and subtraction. When you use linear algebra, you can figure out whether or not it will give you the answers you need. You can also see how you can use this information to find the answers you need. Of course, you can't go into an unknown area without being sure you have the knowledge and skills you need.Although this may sound easy, it is important to use this information for several reasons. Linear algeb ra is the math used in many scientific and engineering applications, and with today's technology, we will probably be using it for quite some time. The reason why it is important to learn it now is because our programs will need to know this information in the future.

Difference Between Studying and Tutoring in a Different Field

Difference Between Studying and Tutoring in a Different FieldThere are two types of learning on the internet, and these are college and bebko tutoring services. These are two different fields of studying. However, they share similar characteristics.Sorting out the differences between college and schooling is difficult, at least for me. I can definitely think of different activities that you can do at college, while I cannot really think of a single activity that I enjoy as much as schooling. These two topics are entirely different areas of study. One can learn all sorts of things in schooling, but you can't learn what you do not learn. So, if you want to make a career out of it, you need to be able to learn.Education doesn't have to be theoretical. It can involve practical exercises that you can go through on a daily basis. You can work with your classmates or students to create a lesson plan for the next day. Or, you can teach them how to do something while you are teaching them. Th e whole point of schooling is to learn, so you have to enjoy this aspect of your education.Classroom management is another difference between schooling and tutoring. Schools need to maintain order in the classrooms, and in the student body. If there is a lot of class variability, or a student is having difficulty paying attention, then the class management is essential to the success of the school.Bebko tutoring services, like any other educational institution, have the need to manage their classroom. If you are working with a tutor, it is important to remember to always keep the course and the daily schedule in your mind. Nothing could be more detrimental to a school than a chaotic environment. Good tutors are used to being able to adapt to this, so they know where to meet the needs of their students.You may also want to consider whether the classes are available to you or not, before choosing a Bebko tutor. You should be able to attend their classes if you can afford the time to g o to them. There are some tutors who will offer an hour of lesson per week, and this can be a great benefit to someone who is having trouble fitting into their schedule.If you are looking for a career, taking classes in one of the many Bebko tutoring services will help you hone your knowledge of the language. You will also gain the skills that you need to get ahead in the workforce. Keep up your studies and find a Bebko tutoring service that suits your needs.

Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis

Blood Chemistry and CBC AnalysisBlood chemistry and CBC analysis can be an invaluable aid in the early detection of medical conditions. When a patient experiences a life-threatening condition, blood is tested to make sure that their system is not suffering from any major illness.If the laboratory results show that the patient's blood is carrying an illness it can be quite dangerous for them. As these tests are sensitive, it can indicate the presence of infectious diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, or HIV. In many instances, once a patient has been exposed to an illness that cannot be treated with the medications that they already have, they are at risk of being so severely ill that their organs will fail.One of the best ways to protect yourself is to have your blood tested on a regular basis. If the results are negative, it is important to talk to your doctor about alternative treatments. A positive test means that the disease is under control and the body can fight off all th e symptoms that the test indicates.In addition to the knowledge of what these tests can do for you, CBC can give you a general idea of how healthy your immune system is. People who suffer from the flu and other common illnesses may show low CBC values. On the other hand, people who are healthy may have high values indicating that their immune system is strong.Patients should also have their CBC checked when they are at home. Sometimes the test is able to show a decline in an organ that is considered very important to your overall health.Blood chemistry and CBC analysis can tell you a lot about how well your body is functioning and how healthy you are. For those who have never had this test, they may be afraid to talk to their doctor about their findings. However, by getting the help of a physician or a licensed technician, they can learn more about their health and live healthier lives.A properly done blood chemistry and CBC analysis can be very helpful in determining the cause of m any different health problems. It can determine whether a patient is at risk for an infection, whether they have a disorder, or if they are suffering from a disease. As your health care provider, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are in good health and that your medical treatment is as efficient as possible.

Subtracting Polynomials

Subtracting Polynomials Polynomials are expressions which can contain a single term, two terms, or more than two terms. Polynomials consist of constants, variables and their exponents and the terms are combined by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. However there should not be division by a variable in a polynomial or there should not be a negative exponent on a variable. Subtracting polynomials is one of the operations performed on polynomials and the resultant answer is also a polynomial. While subtracting, it is important to combine only the like terms. Example 1: Subtract the given two polynomials: (3x + 4 2x2) and (2x 5 - 6x2). Subtracting the given two polynomials, we get: (3x + 4 2x2) - (2x 5 - 6x2) Now we should first distribute the negative sign inside the parenthesis of the second polynomial, due to which the signs flip! This gives: 3x + 4 2x2 2x + 5 + 6x2 Now we combine only the like terms, so bring them together. 3x 2x + 4 + 5 2x2 + 6x2 _x + 9 + 4x2 is the answer! Example 2: Subtract the given two polynomials: (2x3 + 5x) and (x3 + 3x). Subtracting the given two polynomials, we get: (2x3 + 5x) - (x3 + 3x). Now we should first distribute the negative sign inside the parenthesis of the second polynomial, due to which the signs flip! This gives: 2x3 + 5x x3 3x Now we combine only the like terms, so we can bring them together. 2x3 x3 + 5x 3x -x3 + 2x is the answer!

How to Avoid Vocal Cord Injury

How to Avoid Vocal Cord Injury Taking Care of Your Vocal Cords; How to Avoid Injury ChaptersSinging: The Risk of LaryngitisSinging: The Risks of DysphoniaTaking Care of Your Voice Through LifestyleOther Vocal Problems for Singers“Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich NietzscheIf you want to not go hoarse, lose your voice, or avoid inflammation of the larynx or throat, you need to take care of your vocal cords.Around a quarter of us overuse our voice at work: tourist guides, lawyers, teachers, singers, etc. The majority of teachers have problems with their voice. Women are four times as likely as men to suffer.When you sing, a benign condition could cost you your voice.  So what about when you sing? What are the risks of singing on your voice?While singing isn't inherently dangerous, like almost everything else, there are risks that you need to manage. In this article, we’re looking at how to take care of your voice, laryngitis, dysphonia, and how lifestyle can affect your voice. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSinging: The Risk of LaryngitisAfter concerts or singing lessons, singers often lose some of their voice or suffer irritations in their throat, larynx, or pharynx. The last thing you want is laryngitis. (Source: darwisalwan)When singers (or any other person who uses their voice as part of their work) has a bad vocal technique, they can end up breaking their voice or altering the timbre of their voice.  This comes from overexerting your voice and results in laryngitis, an inflammation of the vocal cords. This isn’t an illness but rather a condition from vocal fatigue that weakens the voices and makes it harder to correctly vibrate your vocal cords.Laryngitis can be caused by several factors: a lack of sleep, smoking, diet, stress, overworking, or a bad posture when singing.  This can result in reduced pressure from the lungs and reduced intra-glottic pressure, which is necessary to vibrate the vocal cords. It can feel like a veil covering your voice.While the vocal cords are intact, the singer will need to strain their vocal cords to keep singing, worsening the vocal fatigue which can lead to nodules on the vocal cords.In certain cases, they m ay contract chronic laryngitis, persistent inflammation of the vocal cords which can deepen the voice.If they keep singing, the singer is at risk so they should consider seeing a doctor or ENT specialist. Speech therapy for singers is a good way to recover.  Otherwise, they run the risk of dysphonia or end up with a hoarse voice.It’s quite simple to understand if you think of it in the same way an athlete rests to avoid injury. It can be quite difficult to convince someone who’s a little hoarse to get singing lessons London to avoid ruining their voice, though.Singing: The Risks of DysphoniaDysphonia can arise from excessive use of your voice and affects every acoustic aspect of it. A cup of herbal tea is good for your voice. (Source: dungthuyvunguyen)There are three main ways that dysphonia can affect your voice:Your timbre becomes hoarser, broken, or rougher.Your voice becomes deeper or higher.Your voice becomes week and your voice tires more quickly.Dysphonia is a risk for any singer since they regularly exert their voice for long periods.  It usually occurs following a vocal cord injury, nodules, polyps, cysts, ulcers, vocal flap paralysis, or laryngitis.After you’ve overexerted your voice, a litre of water isn’t going to cut it; you’ll need to see a speech pathologist.  This can often happen to beginners.Let us explain. Many of us like having a little sing-song in our everyday lives, be it in the car, around the house, with our friends or family, etc., but very few of us are professional singers.  While we can imitate a singer, not many of us can perfectly modulate our voices.Professional singers and singing teachers who’ve been through auditions an d training will know what they need to do to avoid irritating their vocal cords.On the other hand, an amateur singer mightn’t know of the damage they’re doing to their voice when they sing.  Without singing lessons, you may strain your voice, resulting in dysphonia.Similarly, don’t self-medicate. There are natural remedies such as herbal teas, hot water with honey, eucalyptus or liquorice pastels, and essential oils you can use. However, if it lasts longer than a week, see a professional.Learn about techniques for your voice.Taking Care of Your Voice Through LifestyleWe regularly read that diet, avoiding smoking and drinking too much alcohol, and regularly exercising are all great ways to stay healthy. The same is true for keeping your voice healthy. Even a bad's night sleep can affect your voice. (Source: Pexels)Tobacco is bad for your respiratory system and your whole body.  It can also lead to inflammation of the vocal cords.  If you sing and smoke, you can strain your vocal cords more quickly than a non-smoker.You also need to hydrate, which means drink at least a litre of water per day to ensure your vocal cords don’t dry out. Dehydration is a quick way to tire the vocal cords.Singers, regardless of their level, need to take care of their vocal cords:Sleep in a well-ventilated area that’s free of dust.By a humidifier to humidify the air.Avoid shouting.Spend long periods in silence.Wear a scarf.Use honey, lemon, or eucalyptus pastels.Drink lemon juice.Protecting against variations in temperature is a way to avoid a sore throat (air conditioning in summer) or a sore throat and coughing in winter.  It’s a good idea to cover your throat and wear a scarf in the winter months and avoid contracting viral infections such as co lds or bronchitis.Opt for herbal teas over alcoholic beverages and exercise regularly to increase your lung capacity and vocal endurance.  Avoid acidic or spicy foods which will reduce acid reflux, which can negatively affect the voice. Similarly, singers should also avoid carbonated drinks.In addition to the food we eat, you also need to avoid living a hectic life, which can be difficult if you’re a performer.  A professional spends long times travelling with little rest: travelling from town to town, recording sessions, makeup and wardrobe, interviews, press conferences, etc., which isn’t great for your voice. Professional singers have to rest their voice whenever they can.Easier said than done!Check out our tips for looking after your voice.Other Vocal Problems for SingersResting your voice is a good way to help your voice recover but some issues may last longer. In some cases, you may end up with a severe vocal injury or worse.  This can include cancers of the larynx, vocal cords, or throat.If you’ve been hoarse for over a week, you should consider consulting a speech pathologist or ENT specialist since tumours aren’t necessarily painful. Don’t wait until it’s too late.In any case, an ENT doctor can take a look at your throat and vocal cords if you’ve been having problems. A speech pathologist can help with your voice, swallowing, and problems with speech. Be it an appraisal, checkup, or surgery in the event of problems, they can help.Keep in mind that singing isn’t dangerous. You just need to take care of your instrument and lessons can help.If you want to work on your voice and improve your singing, you might want to consider getting a vocal coach or private tutor on Superprof. They can help you improve your singing, take care of your voice, and provide bespoke singing tuition. There are three main types of tutorials on offer and each one comes with some advantages and disadvantages.Face-to-face private tutorials are just between you and your tutor. The sessions will be tailored to you, your needs, and your strengths and weaknesses. Of course, since the tutor will be dedicating a lot of time to you and your tutorials as well as tailoring them to your needs, this type of tutorial tends to be the most costly. However, it's also the most cost-effective.Thanks to the internet, webcams, and video conferencing software, you can also get online tutorials. Again, these tutorials are just between you and the tutor with the main difference being that you're not in the same room. With fewer travel expenses and the ability to schedule more tutorials each week, the tutor can charge a more competitive rate for these tutorials.Finally, there are group tutorials. These are more like your traditional classes with several students and one teacher. The cost of the tutor's time is shared between all the students in the class so you can expect to pay less per hour for these tutorials. Unfortunately, this means the tutor can't spend as m uch time focusing on you and your singing technique.

How to Come out of Struggling in Math - Here are Some Tips

How to Come out of Struggling in Math - Here are Some Tips 0SHARESShare You need to concentrate on Math to go ahead with good academic pursuits. Still, doing Math without struggle is mind boggling. How to come out of struggling in Math? First, strengthen your fundamental knowledge of Math concepts. This helps you gain confidence and some standing support to stick to Math doing with a boosted morale. You can choose some online refresher course to brush up your Math memory before entering Middle school or High school. Next, concentrate well on your homework part-it is the one that brings the advantage of repetitive exercise doing in Math to make you thorough with the subject. Homework struggle should not be a constant problem for you; otherwise, it will cause mental tension and stress. You would be in a dilemma to arrive at the right answers in haste without going by proper steps. Online homework help is an asset in such situations, since it clarifies doubts and inculcates confidence in student mind. When you enter high level of Math learning, it is good that you seek some online help right from the beginning to keep your mind steady and get your spirits fine. It proves highly beneficial in the case of Probability help or Calculus help when students try to know the concepts of those areas for the first time. Tutor Pace. Com provides Math tutors who extend their help to learn Math without struggle. [starbox id=admin]

How to Teach ICT

How to Teach ICT How do You Become an IT Teacher or Find IT Tutor Jobs Chapters How Can You Find Students for Computer Science Classes? What Price Should You Charge for IT Lessons? Do You Need Qualifications to Teach IT Courses? How to Prepare your IT Classes?With computer technology becoming a bigger and bigger part of our everyday lives, it’s hardly surprising that more and more jobs that make use of the computer as a productivity tool and everyone should at least learn some basic computer skills like using Microsoft Office or improving their typing.A lot of people want to learn more about computers and improve their digital literacy but don't want to take group computer classes.Are you an IT technician, programmer, student, or instructor? Would you like to give IT or computing classes?Whether it’s to earn a little extra money each month or as your main job, deciding to teach computer basics or advanced computer training can leave you asking yourself a lot of fundamental questions about teaching.To help you in this endeavour, here are some of the things you should keep in mind when starting out on private IT tutor jobs and teaching computer courses.If you want to teach computer tutorials, the first thing you need to do is start searching for students. You’ll need to let people know that you’re a private tutor and start networking.There’s a lot of demand for tutors since IT tools are everywhere nowadays and children in the UK learn to use computer hardware as part of the national curriculum. Make sure your computer skills are up to the challenge.You’ll quickly find your first students. From students to seniors and amateurs to professionals, there are plenty of people who want to learn how to use computers and, since computers are constantly evolving, there’s constantly demand.Where should you start when looking for students? (pixabay.com)To find your first students, there are a few options for you:Word of mouth: this is an easy solution that’s often very effective. Speak to your friends, family, and work colleague s. They can give your details to people in their network and tell them that you’re giving private IT tutorials. Later on, your own students will recommend you to their friends and family. It’s important to make sure that they’re happy with their tutorials and that you offer quality tutorials.Advertise in local businesses: this is another way to make people aware that you’re offering tutorials, place adverts in local businesses and on noticeboards. What are the advantages? You’ll find students who live near you or are easy to travel to. You should make clear and readable adverts with important information such as what you do and how you can be contacted.Sites dedicated to private tutorials like Superprof:  in just a few clicks, you can create your profile and let the internet know that you’re ready to teach. You'll benefit from increased visibility and you can reach a large audience of potential students. You can also choose your rates and the content of your tutorials. O n Superprof, for example, there’s no fees for contacting students.Specialist organisations for private tutorials:  you don’t have to look for your students. These organisations will ask for you when they need a tutor to give private IT tutorials. On the other hand, they often take commission on your private tutorials.Make your own website: Is making websites also what you teach? You could create a site dedicated to your work as a private tutor on WordPress. Either a web page or a blog could help you attract potential customers.As you can see, there are plenty of different ways to find new students.Don’t forget that you can choose more than one method at the same time to increase your chances of finding students. What Price Should You Charge for IT Lessons?The second thing you need to do when starting as a private IT tutor is work out your rates.This is an important criterion when students choose a tutor. However, it’s certainly not the only one. When they start looking for a tutor, they’ll compare several different tutors before they end up making their choice. When there are several identical offerings, they’ll often use the price to determine which one they’ll choose.Before you decide upon your rates, you should look at your competition to see what the going rates for private IT tutorials are for those with your experience and in your area. A good price doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s low. You want to look credible to your future students.So what are the criteria that you should consider when setting the rates for your private IT tutorials?The type of tutorials: beginners classes, browsing the internet, studying for exams, programming languages, app development, cyber security, or office IT skills like creating an Excel spreadsheet or making Microsoft Powerpoint presentations, etc. The type of classes you’re offering will determine your rates as they don’t all require the same amount of experience or preparation.The competition: as w e said before, you need to be competitive. You should look at the other tutors your customers will look at when choosing you and make sure that your rates are competitive.Place: maybe you’re going to give an introduction to computers over the internet or help those new to desktop computers a face-to-face tutorial. It's important to make sure that your rates are reflective of the cost of living and comparable to the rates of other tutors in the area.The students: you can’t ask for the same rates from a senior citizen learning how to use a computer as you would for someone learning complex programming languages.Your CV: your rates will vary depending on your qualifications and your experience in the field. The more qualified and experienced you are, the more you can ask for. You wouldn't pay the same for self-taught tutor teaching you how to use your computer as you would an IT technician with all the relevant qualifications and years of experience.Before you fix the rates for you r tutorials, have a look around and do a bit of research on sites like Superprof. You’ll quickly see what the average rates are and you’ll be able to find a fair rate for your tutorials.You should also keep in mind your expenses when providing private tutorials (materials, travel, etc.). Remember that in order to make sure your tutorials last, your rates need to be profitable as well as affordable for your customers. Do You Need Qualifications to Teach IT Courses?You don’t need a formal qualification to give private IT tutorials. At least not legally speaking.  However, not having a certification will make it harder to prove to potential customers that you have the skills you say you do when you first introduce yourself.Everyone nowadays needs to know how to use computers. (pixabay.com)Of course, tutorials on computer basics require fewer qualifications than advanced computer training and you probably won't even need a degree in IT to teach certain basic skills and computer li teracy to beginners.  Professional experience can help, though. You need to reassure your future students that you’re capable of teaching a personal computer class effectively. Don’t forget that your professional experience can affect how much you can charge for tutorials, too. It’s therefore important that if you want to teach private IT tutorials as your main job, you should probably have official proof that you can do just that:This doesn’t mean that you need to do a degree. There are other qualifications available.You should consider teaching qualifications, too. It’s pretty pointless having plenty of experience in IT but not the skills to transfer all this knowledge. A good tutor needs to be a good educator. There are private tutorials available in teacher training if you need to improve your teaching skills.Etc.If you don’t have a qualification, there’s nothing stopping you getting a job as a tutor. There are training centres and academic support organisations th at hire a wide range of different employees. You’ll have to prove yourself, but if you have the experience, it’s definitely a route you should consider going down. You could even open your own training centre.  Of course, before you do anything, you should make sure you do your research. How to Prepare your IT Classes?Before you give your first private tutorials, you’ll need to prepare them.  Not only do you need to have a good understanding of your student’s level, their expectations, and their needs, but you also need to make sure that they have the equipment required.It’s important that your students get the most out of every hour they spend with you.Before giving IT tutorials, it's important to check your students have the essential equipment. (Source: negativespace.co)Here is what you need to think about when preparing your IT tutorials:The IT materials: a computer as well as specific programmes related to the tutorials you’re teaching (spreadsheets, word processing , database management, etc.) You should offer to help your students install the programmes they’ll need.The content of the tutorials: organise your tutorials so that they focus on a given point and consolidate it before moving on to other topics.The resources needed: make sure you prepare resources that will help your student remember what you’re teaching them so that you won’t have to go back over it during their next lesson.Practical exercises: in IT, it’s very easy to learn by doing. This is the best way to learn, in fact. Prepare exercises that will have your student putting what they learn into practice.When you prepare your private tutorials, you should also look for teaching resources that you can download. You can integrate these into your tutorials so that your student gets the most out of their lessons. Preparing lessons takes a lot of time in comparison to group lessons but that’s why students pick private tutorials, because they’re tailored to them.If you wan t to give private tutorials online over Skype, for example, you should also invest in a quality dedicated webcam and microphone. The webcam built into your laptop probably won't cut it.Online tutorials over webcam are a useful solution for those who can’t travel very far or who’d like to reach students across a wider area.By following this advice, you’ll quickly become a trusted and quality private tutor: you just need to choose the types of courses you want to provide and find your first students. You should consider offering free computer instruction for the first hour so that you and the learner can get to know each other.

How Higher Order Thinking Skills Lead to More Effective Problem Solving

How Higher Order Thinking Skills Lead to More Effective Problem Solving Solve Problems More Effectively Through Higher Order Thinking ChaptersWhat Is Thinking About?What Are Problems Solving Skills?How to Turn a Student into a Problem SolverThe Role of Problem-Solving in Higher Order ThinkingAs we all know, some problems have easy solutions and others require a bit more thought.By that, we obviously don’t mean thinking about a problem for a longer period of time while using the same parameters and variables.Problem-solving entails examining a situation from a variety of perspectives and with a host of different aspects to arrive at the best solution â€" not just for that problem but for the larger framework in which it manifested.What, exactly, are we talking about, here?We do not mean to infer that word problems in a math assignment represent the opportunity to apply problem-solving skills in the classroom.Such problems demand logical thinking, not critical thinking which leads to problem-solving.Who knew that there were so many different types of thinking involved in solving problems?This article examines the p remise of higher-order thinking, its component part called problem-solving and how critical thinking skills are vital to the effort.By asking the right questions, teachers are instrumental in helping student groups think Image by succo from Pixabaya single definition that wholly characterises thought.  Specialists in educational psychology are equally at loggerheads over the issue.Clearly, students must be given information â€" that is done by someone who is knowledgeable of facts... in other words, a teacher.Ideally, students would process that information, arrive at conclusions and connect concepts to form a knowledge base into which they will integrate new facts.Now things get a bit more tricky.Our school teachers are very good at imparting information. Given the chance, they would be equally adept at guiding students as they work with this information.The trouble is, in our current curriculum standards, there is usually only room for one learning activity: either presenting new information OR working with said information.Generally, the latter aspect of learning is relegated to homework assignments. In such instances, tutors are instrumental in helping students gain thinking skills.To be a problem solver, you must be an active listener! Image by Couleur from PixabayWhat Are Problems Solving Skills?Problems are opportunities in work clothes â€" Henry Kaiser, IndustrialistIn the workplace, problem-solving is generally defined as the ability to manage difficult situations and complex challenges.Do such situations exist in classrooms across the UK?As far as academics go, primary and secondary school students are usually not confronted with situations where they would need problem-solving skills.However, cultivating such abilities in the early stages of education would serve students well a bit later in life, perhaps at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and most certainly will impact their career goals.Thus, were students trained to solve problems as early as possible, it would benefit not just student learning but society as a whole.The question remains: if students are unlikely to encounter situations where problem-solving skills are needed, how should those skills be taught?Let’s break down exactly what problem-solving skills involve:Creativity â€" an aspect of student intellect that is unfortunately suppressed in the course of formal education.Communication: there is a distinct lack of opportunity for talking in class!Active listening â€" we hope our kids listen to their teachers but there is little chance in a group setting to practise active listening.Research and analysis: these skills play a limited role in classroom learning; they are more the purview of after-school assignmentsTeam building: in the current teacher-led instruction model, there is no place for this facet of problem-solving.Even under the current teaching demands, there is still room for teachers to help their students cultivate these skills.Do you know the difference between critical thinking and higher-order thinking?How to Turn a Student into a Problem SolverWe’re not taught how to think â€" Sasuke, university studentThis particular undergraduate student hit the nail on the head with her assertion.As far as our general education standards are concerned, a school teacher’s primary function is to push information and do their best to ensure high test scores.For educators, this is particularly galling because it appears that those aims and student achievement are mutually exclusive propositions if you consider that said achievement should mean that every student would become a critical thinker and problem solver.An effective way around that is to embrace active learning and creative thinking in everyday class activities.Teaching strategies could evolve to include asking open-ended questions which would challenge students’ comprehension of the material at hand.Naturally, inviting discussion would not necessarily work well in math and science classes; STEM facts are pretty much indisputable.  In such classes, a certain amount of memorization is necessary but the assigned work need not be a test of memory.For teachers of those subjects, group study would be an effective way to cement new knowledge. Furthermore, assigning project-based learning activities could have a formative influence on student learning.Here’s how such an assignment may look.Subject: math. The topic: percentages. The assignment: calculate a budget for a fictitious country.Students must first discuss what must be paid for: education, healthcare, environmental protection, civic matters such as road maintenance and policing, to name a few.Next, they would collectively calculate what percentage of funds should be allocated to each. The assignment culminates in a presentation of each group's proposed budget.Classroom activities such as these encourage students to think beyond their personal experiences and they elicit interest (who doesn’t l ike money!) all while making use of their newly-gained math skills.As for the educator in the room, s/he needs only to go from group to group, asking the types of questions that would stimulate further thought.Such a pedagogy is the trademark of a master teacher; it sets the stage for student engagement better than any teacher-centred methodology ever could!Allowing students to work as a team is a good way to build problem-solving skills Image by Alexas_Fotos from PixabayThe Role of Problem-Solving in Higher Order ThinkingWe described in a sister-article how higher-order thinking comprises of both critical thinking and problem-solving.The concept of higher order thinking itself has its roots in various learning taxonomies, among them Blooms Taxonomy.Benjamin Bloom, an American educational psychologist, theorised that learning follows a certain hierarchy determined by the complexity and specificity of what being learned.There is more than one way that we learn and, to make learning e ffective, all three domains should be addressed.Remember how we used the words affective, cognitive and psychomotor  earlier in this article?According to his theory, those are the three domains under which learning is classified.Applying this model, we see that psychomotor learning starts very early â€" in infancy, and then effective learning follows shortly after, as toddlers discover emotions and how to manage them.Cognitive learning really takes off once a child starts school; in fact, throughout a person’s academic career, this type of learning is the one that is overwhelmingly addressed while the other two domains are mostly ignored.That assertion poses a very serious question: if we do not teach students to reason according to emotional as well as intellectual knowledge, are we creating cognitive disparities that will ultimately affect how people function in society?Instructional strategies that incorporate both problem-solving and critical thinking would be an effective sol ution to that admittedly gloomy projection.Posing higher order thinking questions such as ‘Can you give me an example of...’ or ‘What is the difference between...’ takes students away from the mere spilling of facts on demand and smack into critical thinking territory.They draw on students’ prior knowledge and cause them to reflect on dissimilar or not-conspicuously related concepts.Let’s go back to our fictitious country budget example, only this time we project a student who has a severe medical condition that causes many trips to AE.As s/he reflects on the assignment, s/he remembers how many times s/he has taken ambulance rides and has had emergency medical treatment.Drawing on this experience, s/he would urge his group to include funds for emergency medical care into their budget â€" a facet of government budgeting that perhaps other students would not think to incorporate into their plan.This student and that group have moved beyond rote work. They are drawing on th eir multiple intelligences to complete that assignment most creatively.Later, as they share their work in class, other students could learn from their example, meaning that everyone enjoys enrichment!Meanwhile, the teacher may bask in the warm glow of being a knowledge facilitator...Tutors: know when to back off of a higher-order thinking exercise!