"Divide and conquer" proved right when it comes to problem-solving. I know students frequently rush over math problems and even though they might be able to do the calculations, they make mistakes because they didn't understand the question. To attack that issue, I created the Math Task Roles. I divided the problem-solving process into 5 roles. Each student would be responsible for one part and lead their team on a task. The tasks build upon each other, so students have to collaborate in order to solve the problem. We used the Math Placemat to help us organize our work.
Every Friday during Math Stations, we used these cards and the placemat at the Problem Solving Stations. I wrote specific problems for this station spiraling most missed concepts and making them appealing to the students. As weeks went by, I saw students internalize the procedure and pay attention to the problem, analyze the information, create representations, and equations, and carry out their plans. Slowly, they became more and more independent and required minimal intervention. Since the problems were complex, they couldn't rush and get a simple answer.
This station also allowed me to differentiate and support students' needs. While some groups started with easier problems, others did the complex first. I was able to give more support to the students that need it. Our Friday Math Problem Solving Sessions were key to students' progress in math because they build their confidence, giving them a process and strategies to tackle complex multi-step problems.