This week, I had the privilege of acting as substitute for Mrs. Beaulieu in Math Olympiad. What an exciting time! I was amazed by the complexity of the problems and the "out of the box" thinking of our 5th graders.
All of the solutions required multiple steps and students needed to bring together logical thinking, computation, and a high level of creativity in order to find the solutions. None of the problems were straight computation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division).
But the most impressive part of working with our Math Olympians was watching students work together and discuss their thinking. We hear all the time about how collaboration, cooperation, and creativity are the most important tools our 21st century learners will need - our 5th graders are well on their way to having these essential citizenship skills.
All of the solutions required multiple steps and students needed to bring together logical thinking, computation, and a high level of creativity in order to find the solutions. None of the problems were straight computation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division).
But the most impressive part of working with our Math Olympians was watching students work together and discuss their thinking. We hear all the time about how collaboration, cooperation, and creativity are the most important tools our 21st century learners will need - our 5th graders are well on their way to having these essential citizenship skills.
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