Today we're starting our lesson on Problem‑Solving Skills, a key part of the Decision Making strand. By the end of this session you will be able to define what a problem is, generate several alternatives, put a solution into action, and then evaluate how well it worked. Think about a school project you've done—maybe building a class garden. That was a real‑world problem you needed to solve. We'll explore each step together, pause for questions, and use everyday Kenyan examples like helping our community clean up a local market. Let's get started and see how problem‑solving can make a difference in our lives!
Everyone, let's start by asking: what exactly is a problem? A problem is simply a gap between where we are now and where we want to be. Here you can see three key parts of that gap: the current situation, the obstacle that blocks us, and the desired goal we aim for. The current situation is low attendance—say 65%—while the goal is 90% attendance. The obstacle could be long travel distances or lack of supplies. When we spot that difference, we can clearly state the problem: 'Attendance is 25% below the target because many students lack reliable transportation.' Remember, identifying the gap, naming the obstacle, and defining the goal gives us a solid problem statement to work on.
Class, now we're moving on to the next stage: generating alternatives. This is where we start thinking of many possible solutions before we pick the best one. First, let's recall the basic brainstorming rules. We aim for quantity over quality, and we defer judgement while ideas are flowing. That means you can say any idea, even the wild ones, and we'll evaluate them later. Can anyone share an example of a 'wild' idea they might have for reducing waste in our school? At this bar chart. It shows the number of ideas generated by three groups during a recent Kenyan school activity. Notice how Group A, which used a mind‑map, produced the most ideas, while Group C, which just listed ideas, generated fewer. Using techniques like mind‑mapping, SCAMPER, or reverse thinking can really boost the amount of ideas we create. A quick mind‑map together on the board.
That we've explored the possible alternatives, let's talk about how we actually put one of them into practice. First, we need to create a clear action plan. This means listing each task, deciding when it will happen, and assigning a responsible person for each step. For example, if our solution is to start a school garden, a task could be 'prepare the soil' with a timeline of two weeks, and Mrs. Achieng would be in charge. Next, we allocate the necessary resources – people, money, and materials. Think about what you already have and what you still need to gather. Finally, we set simple checkpoints to monitor progress. These are short reviews, like 'Is the garden bed ready?' after the first week. By following these three steps – planning, resourcing, and checking – we turn an idea into real action. Any questions before we move on?
Everyone, we've reached the final part of our lesson – a quick recap and a chance for you to reflect on what we've learned. First, remember the four steps we practiced: define the problem, generate ideas, implement a solution, and then evaluate how it worked. You can use these steps for anything—from a school project to a household chore or even a community initiative. I'd like you to think about one personal problem you'd like to tackle this month. Write it down and outline how you would apply the define‑generate‑implement‑evaluate process.
