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Critical Analysis Paper

Stephanie Thornton, the author of Children Solving Problems, fervently asserts her belief in

the symbiotic relationship between context and learning. Thornton claims that student learning and

problem solving are social tasks that flourish with the assistance and collaboration of others and the

exposure to rich and repetitive experiences. By capitalizing on the inherent curiosity of the person

and their desire to belong, Thornton finds that collaborative thinking and co-construction of

knowledge are the keystones to successful learning and problem solving.

Thornton also claims that not only does social context predict matured problem solving

skills, but it also contributes to a students self esteem and motivation. Through strategies such as

scaffolding, guided participation, and group work, Thornton testifies to the power of social context

and experience as it relates to student learning and problem solving skills. Though she acknowledges

the challenges due to lack of resources and limited academic stimulation, Thornton defends the

Vygotskian pedagogical approach to learning and problem solving. This analysis of Thorntons

work will provide evidence for the benefits of social interaction and learning, the application of such

methodologies, as well as, insights for teachers and parents. A discussion of future implications for

problem solving and student learning will also be included.

To begin, Thornton founded her educational doctrine on the premise that a sociocultural

setting mediates and encourages the development of higher cognitive functions. Children, therefore,

are not restricted to their innate abilities, but can expound upon these skills through strategies such as

collaboration and social interactions. Thornton states that, children learn best in contexts where they

understand and share goals that motivate problem solving (Thornton, 105). In order to establish this

sociocultural setting, Thornton focuses on two strategies that have yielded optimal results for student

learningscaffolding and language. A scaffold is a provisional framework, often between a student

and a more knowledgeable partner, who help support a child through a learning process. The more a
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child gains control of a task, the less scaffolding that is required from the mentor. Scaffolding allows

children to have meaningful social interactions with mentors, teachers, and even knowledgeable

peers, augmenting a students problem solving capabilities. Scaffolding acts as an extension tool,

pushing the student to access higher cognitive functions. Scaffolding also assists in the modeling

process, as teachers can implement scaffolding as a means to demonstrate good problem solving

behavior. When confronted with a difficult problem, the teacher can model their mental processes

through scaffolding, such as; asking students to reflect on what to do next, or evaluate the progress

that the students have made thus far. These mental procedures are not natural thoughts, but require

cultivation via strategies such as scaffolding.

Another strategy that Thornton finds constructive in the development of higher cognitive

functions is the employment of language. Sociocultural theorists view language as a learning tool,

and they consider the internalization of language a precedent to cognitive development. Internal

reasoning and understanding, therefore, is a direct result from social interactions and meaningful

conversations. As noted above, these conversations can occur through scaffolding and guided

participation via group work, whole class instruction, or one-on-one interactions. Thornton insists

that these highly social and co-constructive environments enhance schematic learning and problem

solving skills.

For parents and teachers alike, navigating the inner-workings of student engagement and

appropriate problem solving strategies is never easy. Thornton makes the point that student

disinterest often stems from the style of teaching. She states, mothers who taught their children the

most were those who used both verbal instructions and demonstrations, and tailored the exact form of

their help to the situation (Thornton, 102). Consequentially, Thornton touches upon the

effectiveness of guided participation and its value as a learning tool. To optimize this tool, however,

Thornton recommends that this interaction take place solely between a parent and student or teacher
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and student. A knowledgeable child does not sufficiently explain or share his/her decision-making

thoughts, discrediting the objective of this interaction. I find that this suggestion nicely aligns with

the sociocultural doctrine, as it promotes communication and the co-construction of knowledge

between a mentor-like dyad. Both teachers and parents can implement guided participation, an

essential language tool, to provide instructional congruence between different settingsschool and at

home.

Though language is regarded as the critical factor to sociocultural learning, modeling and

demonstrations also are helpful to enhance problem solving. As a student, I found guided

participation difficult to follow in the absence of visual aids. I remember benefitting from the visuals

drawn on the white board, and I would later refer to these notes when I independently tackled math

problems. Visual aids and note taking were part of the scaffolding process for me, as I used these

instructions as a surrogate for teacher or parent assistance. Scaffolding can take many different forms

depending on the learning preferences of the student. Elementary school teachers need to take these

individual differences into account, because distinctions matter.

In consideration of how to effectively scaffold for a student, parents and teachers sometimes

underestimate the complexity of the background knowledge necessary to successfully solve a

problem. Adults sometimes take for granted the knowledge that they have acquired over years of

experience. I remember in elementary school when we first started learning to tell time, and I had

very limited experience with analog clocks. I had grown accustom to and was often surrounded by

digital clocks, and, therefore, had no background knowledge to help me with analogs. Though the

proficiency of clock reading was minimal for most, other kids had more frequent contact with this

type of clock and it served as a foundation for their learning. My lack of background knowledge

impeded my ability to master this skill at the classroom pace. It is often easy for teachers to overlook

these differences as every student has his/her unique set of tools and experiences.
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Thornton, along with many sociocultural theorists finds the educational benefits of partnered

learning, modeling, scaffolding, and guided participation considerable for elementary students,

especially as fundamental discoveries are prevalent at this developmental stage. As a strong

proponent of sociocultural learning, Thornton affirms that our logical knowledge and reasoning skills

are derived from interpreting cues from our social context and participating in meaningful

interactions. The implication of Thorntons synthesis targets the instructional practices in classrooms.

This learning style promotes collaboration and dynamic interaction with the outside world. This

teaching approach may hold promising answers to closing the achievement gap and providing all

students with effective instruction across the domains of learning. This positive approach

acknowledges human potential, rejects biology as the foundation of intelligence, and encourages

teachers to set high expectations for all their students.

References

Thornton, S. (1995) Children solving problems. The Developing Child Series, 93-126.