Learning how to solve problems forms a key part of a child’s education, as it helps to develop skills that they’ll use throughout their life.
Ultimately it can help youngsters to make better decisions for themselves and can provide a vital confidence boost as they uncover the world around them.
But how can you aid the development of these skills to ensure your child can reach their maximum potential?
While problem solving will be second nature to the majority of adults, they are skills which need to be learnt and developed at a young age.
Encouraging children to make mistakes and to learn from them is a key part of the process – when they are comfortable making errors, children are more likely to try new things and be more open to new challenges.
This forms a pivotal part of their development, as an ability to think laterally and creatively can be used in a vast selection of different working environments.
Problem solving can be divided into two main parts – an ability to think creatively, and having the capability to think logically.
Creative thinking enables children can to learn how to approach problems in different ways, to take risks and to experiment.
Meanwhile, logical thinking includes how to divide problems into more manageable portions, before looking for trends, similarities or key differences.
All of these skills are honed over time and it’s often best to let children learn at their own pace, with a little guidance along the way.
Problem solving skills form a key part of the 11 plus exam, with the maths and English sections, as well as the verbal and non-verbal reasoning elements all designed to test a child’s skills.
If your child needs help preparing for the exam, or you’re keen to further their development, a tutor can provide valuable assistance when it comes to problem solving skills.
The support doesn’t end their though, as a tutor can provide help for those of any age – from maths and English assistance for pupils of primary school age through to extensive subject knowledge for secondary school pupils.
They can look to build your child’s confidence with the use of past papers and carefully curated lesson plans, or can target broader skills which can help their learning.
By providing youngsters with the environment to experiment, innovate and try out different things, a tutor can help to foster skills which can be used long into the future!