Teaching and Learning

What is Productive Struggle?

It sounds semi-uncomfortable doesn't it? No one likes to struggle, it sounds like hard work. We don't like to see our children struggle either. However, when we are talking about learning, struggling is how we learn something new. And when we learn something new it is productive struggle, we achieve something we hadn't before.

Over the course of the Week of Inspirational Maths (WIM) in the 4 classrooms across F - 6, productive struggle was very evident. From the quizzical faces to the discussion with partners and teachers about how to solve a problem and then the "Oh, I get it". It was such a revelation for some students that they could solve what seemed like a challenging problem to start with. We then discussed 'The Learning Pit', if we don't go into 'The Pit', we don't learn.

Often we are keen to help our children solve problems but they learn better by trying to solve it themselves first. The same is true for all of us and with any new learning we do, regardless of what it is.

The WIM classes now have their own Learning Pit posters to remind themselves that it's ok not to know and what we think as we go into and come out of 'The Pit'.

Pat Withell

Learning Specialist - Teaching and Learning