Learn to TEACH English with TECHNOLOGY. Free course for American TESOL students.


TESOL certification course online recognized by TESL Canada & ACTDEC UK.

Visit Driven Coffee Fundraising for unique school fundraising ideas.





Texas ISD School Guide
Texas ISD School Guide







Short Stories for Teachers

Becoming A Powerful Problem Solver
By:Roberto Sedycias

Becoming a great problem solver can help you in many areas of your life. From business to personal and it can also aid in stress relief. When you understand and know how to solve problems confidently, you will instantly feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Accepting challenges and handling difficult situations well will be a breeze with a few easy steps.

A great problem solver will stay calm no matter what the situation. And staying calm doesn`t just mean looking calm, but panicking on the inside. It means feeling calm and acting calm. You`re not acting calm to look cool in front of coworkers either, you staying calm to remain focused on the task and the problem.

Many people panic in front of a problem. And in the panic that they feel, along come a group of other feelings; feelings of being overwhelmed, stress, uncertainty, uneasiness and so on. When you feel stressed, you can`t possibly think straight, let alone solve a problem. To keep calm, you need to feel confident that one way or another...you can solve this problem. You need to feel assured that to every puzzle, there is a fixable solution.

Being a problem solver also entails looking at the big picture. There are often many solutions to a problem and finding them out simply involves a little brain storming. Usually with a calm state of mind, finding the solutions to problems is easy.

The key is to break the problem down from every angle and start separating all of its core issues. So for example, a huge crisis happens at work and there is a time issue. To wrap your head around it, you need to break down the tasks needed to get done. The first thing you can ask yourself is who can help on the project and what are they best at. In this situation you can delegate the jobs out to finish the task. If however it`s just you, then delegate the tasks to yourself, beginning with the one that will take the longest time to deliver.

Problem solving also involves realistic time frames and goals. When you`re solving a problem and you need to break down tasks and assign them out, you also need to keep in mind what is realistic. Set yourself up for success and plan things out accordingly. If you don`t think that you can finish a problem over the weekend then don`t plan on it, or think about other ways you can make it happen. For example hiring extra people to help or pulling a few all nighters.

Becoming a problem solver also involves strongly feeling that there is a solution to every problem. Even if a problem seems so big and unattainable, you still need to believe that there is a solution. Feeling confident in yourself will ensure that your head stays calm and focused, plus it sets you up with a positive attitude. A problem solver will always have a positive attitude that the problem will get solved one way or another. Keeping upbeat will keep yourself motivated and the others around you.

Once you begin practicing these problem solving strategies, you will feel better about making decisions and confident in the ones you do make. You will instantly begin to see yourself as a leader and someone who can take charge and make things happen.

You can have access to articles about self help in Portuguese language from page Self_Help Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil http://www.polomercantil.com.br/.






Go to another board -