CHALLENGES IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ARE THE KEY TO CHILDREN'S SUCCESS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Abstract

Every person faces problems every day. A problem is an obstacle or challenge that needs to be overcome in order to achieve a goal. For children problem solving is natural process, the world appears new and unfamiliar to them. The problem-solving process encourages children to create a team, negotiate, offer solution options, pursue goals, and celebrate achievements together. Parents and educators should encourage children's curiosity and teach them not what they already know how and what to do independently but teach them what they don't know yet. They should observe which problems they can solve on their own and which ones they need to solve with an adult. We conducted a study of inspired and spontaneous challenges in nature, aiming to determine children's ability to understand, evaluate, interpret and apply knowledge to problem-solving. When organizing activities in the natural environment, we applied the method of spontaneous and inspired challenges. We sought to compare these methods and determine which one provides more creative freedom and long-term success for children. The study of inspired and spontaneous challenges revealed that all challenges in the natural environment led children to successful problem-solving. However, inspired challenges lead the child's thinking and creative process to a pre-determined outcome. Dialogue with the educator is maintained from the beginning of the activity. Success is predictable. Spontaneous challenges require more effort from children in accepting, evaluating and interpreting them. Success is not immediately predictable. All suggestions for problem-solving methods are correct, but they look for the most optimal one. Dialogue with the educator begins when a problem arises. Long-term success is in place. An important condition for problem-solving is providing space for children's decisions, self-expression, and creativity. By valuing the child's opinion, we strengthen their self-confidence and encourage them not to be afraid to solve problems." Keywords: natural environment, problem solving, pre-school education, science education