SLC-S29/W2-“Thinking and Ideas!| Simple Solutions to Big Problems!”

_{Selfie in my Classroom}

Hello steemians,

I am genuinely happy to join SLC-S29/W2 “Thinking and Ideas!| Simple Solutions to Big Problems!” by @ninapenda, because as a secondary school teacher in computer science, I often notice that what blocks learners most is not always the absence of devices, or the absence of internet, or the absence of modern tools, but rather the quiet and persistent absence of basic, repeatable learning habits that make thinking stable, logical, and confident even when there is no fancy technology around them, and that is why I am choosing an education problem that looks small on the surface but becomes a giant wall when students reach exams, real life tasks, internships, and even simple daily decisions that require structured reasoning.

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The problem I choose (local and global)

The problem I choose is weak problem-solving and weak logical thinking among secondary students, especially in contexts where students “study” by memorizing notes or copying solutions without understanding why the solution works, which means that when they meet a new question that looks slightly different from what they saw before, they panic, they guess, they wait for someone to spoon-feed them, and they start believing that intelligence is magic instead of a skill, and in computer science this becomes even more painful because programming is basically the language of logic, where every small mistake produces a wrong output, and where you cannot negotiate with a computer the way you might negotiate with a teacher who feels pity.

This is a global problem because even in well-equipped schools, many learners still avoid real thinking, but it is also a local problem because in many communities, students have limited time, limited support at home, overcrowded classrooms, and high pressure to “pass exams,” so they choose shortcuts that give quick marks but create long-term weakness.

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My simple and realistic solution (no advanced technology required)

My solution is a classroom routine and school culture shift I call:

“The Daily Logic Routine: 10 Minutes of Paper-Based Problem-Solving”

It is simple, it is cheap, and it relies on what every school already has: paper, pens, a blackboard, and consistent practice, because the goal is not to impress students with technology, but to train their brains to think clearly and systematically.

A. Every lesson begins with one short “logic card” (10 minutes)
At the start of every computer science class, I give students one small problem written on a paper strip or copied on the board, and this problem is not necessarily a programming problem, because the goal is to build logic first, so it can be something like:

• a step-by-step instruction puzzle,
• a simple flowchart interpretation,
• a pattern recognition challenge,
• a basic algorithm ordering task,
• or a “find the bug” reasoning exercise using pseudo-code.

Students must write the solution using steps, not just an answer, because the habit we are building is: “I can explain my thinking clearly, therefore I can control it.”

B. Students must use a fixed structure called S.T.E.P.
To avoid random guessing, every student must answer using the same simple structure:

• S (State the goal): What exactly is the problem asking?
• T (Think of inputs): What information do I have? What is missing?
• E (Execute steps): Write steps in order, like an algorithm.
• P (Prove/check): Test the solution using an example or quick check.

This is not advanced technology; it is simply disciplined thinking, repeated so often that it becomes automatic.

C. Weekly “logic partners” for peer explanation (no devices needed)
Once a week, students sit in pairs, and one student explains their steps while the other listens and checks, because the ability to explain is a powerful test of understanding, and when students explain to each other, they also discover that confusion is normal and fixable, not something shameful.

D. A “Logic Wall” in the classroom
On one corner of the classroom wall, I display the best 5 solutions of the week (handwritten), not because I want to shame weaker students, but because I want to make good reasoning visible, so that students can learn from each other and also feel that effort is respected, and not only final marks.

So, The beauty of this solution is that it works even if the school has only one computer, or even if electricity fails, because logic does not need Wi-Fi to grow.

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_{During my theoretical explanation of a certain algorithmic concept}

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Who benefits most from this solution?

This solution benefits:

• Students who fear computer science, because it removes the myth that programming is only for “geniuses,” and replaces it with a routine that proves thinking can be trained.
• Average students, because they often have hidden potential but lack structure, and structure is what turns effort into results.
• Teachers, because when students learn to write steps, classroom discussions become deeper, marking becomes easier, and learning becomes measurable.
• Parents and communities, because students who think logically become more responsible decision-makers, and they can apply structured reasoning to finances, safety, planning, and real-world problem-solving beyond school.

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Challenges and limitations I expect

1. Resistance at the beginning, because students who are used to copying will complain that it is “too much thinking,” and some will try to rush without following the S.T.E.P structure.
2. Time pressure, because some schools have short periods, and teachers may feel tempted to skip the routine, but consistency is exactly what gives the routine power.
3. Large class sizes, because checking everyone’s steps daily can be heavy, so the teacher must use strategies like random checking, peer checking, and rotating notebooks.
4. Exam culture, because when exams reward memorization, students may underestimate logic practice, so we must connect logic cards to real exam-style questions gradually.

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A practical mini-plan (one term approach)

In the first week, I would introduce S.T.E.P and demonstrate it with 3 examples, then from week two onward I would run the daily 10-minute logic card routine consistently, while collecting evidence of progress through small weekly quizzes that focus on steps and reasoning, not just final answers, and by the middle of the term I would start transforming the logic cards into simple pseudo-code and algorithm tasks, so that students naturally bridge from thinking to programming without feeling like they jumped into a cold ocean without learning how to swim.

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Conclusion

Sometimes the biggest educational upgrade is not a new computer lab or a new expensive platform, but a small daily discipline that trains students to think clearly, explain their reasoning, and stay calm when faced with unfamiliar problems, because in the real world and in computer science, the person who succeeds is not the one who memorized the most pages, but the one who can break down confusion into steps, test ideas, and improve logically.

I invite @eglis, @bossj23, and @sohanurrahman to participate and share your entry, because if you were truly in charge, the hardest part would not be dreaming, but choosing the first unpopular decision that still protects the future.

Best Regards,
@kouba01