Taking a break
Taking a break gives the problem solver time to have the information and possible solutions to sink in. Problem thinker can weigh all the evidences that have been gathered and observe what others have done and see what else he/she has to do.This is important whether one is writing a research paper , working on an art project, or even preparing for a presentation or an exam.
I totally agree. It is necessary to use fresh eyes on a paper, and a fresh brain!
Kathryn,
I support this as well because it is easy to drift off in terms of focus and then the value of what is being shared is lost.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think the problems are solved when a group takes a break to clear there heads.
Eugene,
How do you help them to clear their heads and refocus themselves on the problem?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Taking a break is very important. I always tell my students when them are working on a project that a break is helpful. A short one will due, gives you a new way to look at the project. Something you are just too close to it, when you are working on it for long segments of time.
Cara,
Good point to make about stepping back and doing a rethink on a problem. A break lets an individual reset his or her brain and then come back with a fresh perspective for solving the problem.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find that when my students take a break from learning, they come back with fresh eyes and are ready to learn more. I also find that repetition of the same project will refocus them on what is happening.
In some cases, taken a brake,will also help the problem solver see the problem and posible solutions from another perspective.
Cara,
That is an excellent point. A short break can relieve any stress that they might have about the project, and give them a chance to ask an instructor or a peer questions that might allow them to see it through a different pair of eyes.
Tom,
This has been my experience as well. As a child on our ranch my dad and I would be working on a piece of equipment and the process was not going well. My dad would say "lets take a walk" and we would walk around for a while so he could do some reflective thinking. After a few minutes we would go back to the equipment and dad would start to fix the problem since he was able to do some different thinking and analyzes. This is an important skill for your students to develop.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Taking a break in the classes that I teach needs to be as strategically placed in the lesson plan. Students need a chance to remove themselves from the lab or classroom in order to give their mind a break as well as reflect. I have experimented different times on giving breaks and many factors such as: type of learners, level of skill (content that is introduced, practiced or mastered) and learning outcomes to be accomplished. Sometimes I find playing music during breaks really sets a tone for the students to know that it is truly a break. I myself try to step away for a few minutes of the break to rejuvenate.
Leigh,
I am a big fan of the problem solving by walking around model for the reasons you list. By taking a break and thinking about something else students can then come back to the situation and most often they will see it in a way that will result in the problem being solved. Thank you for making this good point about problem solving via breaks.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree here. Sometimes continuing to think about a problem without a break just results in the same outcome. Taking a break can recharge the brain battery to help the intuitive brain work on a viable solution.
ArLene,
Breaks can do so much to the thinking process. Stepping back, taking a walk anything that will let a person reset is a way that lets progress be made toward solving the problem that is presented.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Breaking is essential. Allowing your conscious and sub conscious time to collaborate. Your brain recharges and everything looks familiar and clear all at once, with a small amount of unfamiliar sprinkled in. The little bit of room that is unfamiliar are usually the places where I find a new perspective or a new bit of info that maybe I didn't recognize before.
If you don't break everything turns into a grey storm and bleeds together. Direction is lost and fuzzy.
KarrieAnn,
Well said and described. This is the process that many individuals go through in problem solving and they get lost in the maze of data, issues and excessive input. Stepping back and reflecting on options and then moving forward toward solution is how problems are solved and satisfaction gained from having made progress in direction.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
This clearly the best choice, but I seldom take it. I grapple with my problem in a death grip far to often. I like to think I am getting better at incubation as I get older.
Allen,
Experience and age are two very good teachers for all of us. Stepping away and then coming back can give a new perspective and hopefully the needed answer to the problem that is being presented.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I can relate. I tend to want to stay in it until it is resolved and also am learning better about the incubation period the older I get. My husband is great at this, so that is also helping me to do it more as well.
