Chapter 11 (What's your problem!)

1) Chapter 11 takes us back to many of the basics studied in earlier chapters. The chapter infuses many of the basic cognitive strategies and explains how we use them in our problem solving. Problem-Solving is based on knowledge and experience that exists from prior issues. You could also say that it also deals with the vise versa, which would be the lack of knowledge or experiences. When one encounters a problem there are many cognitive strategies that come into play. Whether it be there approach, factors inhibiting, factors assisting, or general mental disposition, the mind has many paths within the framework. The chapter starts to explore how we as thinkers differ in our tactics, mental sets, and/or creativity. In my opinion though, the most useful portion of the chapter is its reference to motivation, and how it affects all of these processes.

2) I wish the chapter would have went more in depth on the creativity sides of life. So many of my students are so creative, but lack organization, while the flip is true as well. What is it in our rearing that develops these types of abilities. For example, I am very creative, or at least I think I am, but I lack in organizational skills. When organzing, I get frustrated and stressed, while creative tasks produce excitement for me. I would like to learn more about the process of how we can make ourselves and our students more balanced.

3) To me the most important section in this chapter and possibly in this book is the short piece on motivation. In today's classroom, motivation is everything. Teachers are limited in their weapons of discipline and motivation. I can remember a day where if I were to get in trouble at school, I would be in twice as much trouble at home. Many times nowadays, the school is blamed. Grades have lost their validity, and seems to be just an inked letter. Many parents don't support their child's education. So how am I to get a student motivated if the supporting cast is not there to help me? In other countries those that don't care, work the fields and manual labor jobs. Would that be best for us? The fight is between the brilliant but bored student, and the B.D. troublemaker wasting everone's time. What to do??????