Samantha Gleisten

Gleisten’s innovative teaching project, “21st Century Problem Solving,” focuses on teaching explicit lessons that help the students at Rogers Park Montessori School problem solve. Currently, Gleisten spends ample time helping her students gain independence and seek out solutions on their own. Logic problems, design thinking projects, creating prototypes of designs and repairing small electronics are all helpful in developing these skills. With the Voya grant, Gleisten will plan to gather consumables and supplies in order to be able to secure resources for the future. She will expand on her current curriculum by incorporating problem-solving activities in all areas such as social studies, language and sciences, in addition to the current lessons on problem solving. Students involved in the project will collaborate to find solutions to presented problems by using different techniques learned in problem-solving lessons, giving an opportunity to both hone and apply different critical thinking methods.