# Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools: Foxborough, MA

**Creator:** Think Kids
**Platform:** youtube
**Duration:** 4m
**Source:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0

## Summary

The discussion highlights the transformative impact of the collaborative problem-solving approach, particularly the "Think Kids" model, on educators' ability to support students with social-emotional needs. By shifting the focus from punitive measures to understanding and empathy, educators have seen significant improvements in student behavior and overall school culture.

- Educators are adapting their skills to better support students' social-emotional needs.
- The "Think Kids" approach emphasizes that children will do well if they can, promoting a shift in perspective on student behavior.
- The focus is on understanding the root causes of challenging behaviors rather than imposing immediate solutions.
- Building relationships and having one-on-one conversations with students fosters empathy and understanding.
- A case study of a disruptive second grader illustrates the success of this approach, leading to significant behavioral improvements.
- The method has allowed schools to keep students within the district, reducing the need for external resources and saving costs.
- Overall, the approach has created a safer and more supportive learning environment for all students.

## Transcript

[[0:00]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=0s)
[Music] we've had to grow our skills our toolbox 
as educators what we can do to support children also I think similar to schools not only in 
Foxborough across the state and the country there's a lot of social emotional needs as 
well we're seeing children come to us just with a variety of needs sometimes they're 
they're being met other times they haven't

[[0:30]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=30s)
been and we struggled with that and in search 
of that we we came across thin kids and the collaborative problem-solving approach which 
really has helped our school experience it's been wonderful it's been transformative for a 
school the collaborative saw problems on fruits really at the core of it was a philosophical 
shift for many of us as educators it required us to look at students and their behaviors 
differently the philosophy is kids will do well if they can and understanding that and 
as educators so many times we strive to solve

[[1:05]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=65s)
problems and it's well intentioned but what we 
found is that we were trying to solve a problem we were aiming over here but the child and the 
Corvette was here also it really starts with the adults it starts with building our skills 
and being able to decide to understand what is that approach to really listen to a child to 
ask the right questions to be curious to take a piece of information but not look to solve and 
act on it instinctively we do that sometimes

[[1:32]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=92s)
too too much it's well intentioned but to 
really take our time and be curious about that and sort of see drill down to see where 
it might take us somewhere the child needs us it's different because it works and it's 
lasting in the past if you looked at the challenging behavior you try to impose your will 
and you know if I was a principal and I'd give my principal look or my principal voice it could 
have an immediate at that but it wasn't lasting

[[2:00]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=120s)
and what this is done this approach think kids 
acquire problem-solving we're looking at the skill deficits in building those in our own efficacy 
as educators is strengthened like we can make a difference and we've had that power and we've seen 
the results which as as a team coming together professional yourself and I think the students 
they can see that we that we care and they know it before but I think once again it looks a little 
bit different because we have in the conversations

[[2:29]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=149s)
we're having more one-on-one time with students 
who might be experiencing some challenge I can give an example we had a student about 
three years ago when we were just starting the program and he was in second grade tremendously 
challenging behaviour extremely disruptive when we looked at in the past I probably would have 
been looking at in district resources such as a therapeutic program or what else could have 
been done I would have looked outside of the

[[2:59]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=179s)
school but because of think kids we were able to 
meet that child's and he's like we've never done before the child blossomed and what we realized 
is he had been in 14 different homes even before 2nd grade there was a reason for the behaviors and 
looking at the demands that we were placing on him plus those lagging skills it helped us to create a 
support network and it's really started with just that empathy and understanding that once again the 
behaviors weren't directed to us personally they

[[3:33]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=213s)
were happening for a reason and I'm proud to say 
that it changes like I said the parents have been so appreciative of the support I think the staff 
as well and once again even on an administrative level it's allowed us to keep children in 
district and have that part of it so we're saving some money that potentially could have been 
oh and it really impacts everybody so it sounds powerful but it has been you know it really has 
been an approach that's changed our school it's

[[4:04]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBJeycT0ds0&t=244s)
changed our practices which is translated to to 
making our children have me safe in their learning