Simone Sawiris is Santa Maria College’s Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning. She is responsible for managing the implementation of the formal curriculum and promoting the skills that aren’t necessarily measurable; skills that are vital and transferable to any environment, like organisation, resilience and grit.

One of the skills Simone believes is essential is problem solving. Whilst our girls are hard workers, overcoming barriers and obstacles efficiently can be a challenge. Often students find a method that works for the time being, but as workload grows the effectiveness of their process begins to decline. Taking a proactive, structured approach to problem solving is important and if these skills can be harnessed they can improve success in everyday life.

Simone’s 5 Steps To Problem Solving aims to lead students through the stages of effective problem solving and improve their learning habits. If this method is mastered early enough, Simone believes students will be able to manage challenges successfully, even as their workload intensifies.

This is the graphic the girls will have in their classrooms. If you would like to reinforce the process at home, you can download the printable version here.