I Can Problem Solve (ICPS)
#1 Overview
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Goal of ICPS
To teach children thinking
skills that can be used to
help resolve or prevent
“people” problems.
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Focus of ICPS
• Teaches children how to
think, not what to think.
• Guides children in
thinking for themselves.
• Teaches children how to
evaluate their own ideas.
• Encourages children to
come up with solutions to
problems on their own.
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ICPS Curriculum
• Manuals focus on 3 specific age groups:
– Preschoolers (ages 3 to 5)
– Kindergarten & Primary Grades (K - 2nd)
– Intermediate Elementary Grades (3rd - 6th)
There are also parent resources:
Raising a Thinking Child Workbook, Raising a
Thinking Child, Raising a Thinking Preteen
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ICPS Method
►Teaches skills
through the use of
games, stories,
puppets, and roleplaying
►Guides the use of
skills in real-life
situations
►Integrates ideas
into standard
curriculum
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ICPS is not a new curriculum
• ICPS is a tool to use
with already existing
classroom issues.
Rather than dealing
with problems, ICPS
gives teachers and
students the skills to
learn to resolve
problems and
hopefully prevent
future problems.
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Benefits for Teachers
Reinforces curriculum goals
Creates a more positive classroom
atmosphere
Decreases time spent handling conflicts
Enhances teachers’ own problem-solving
skills
Deepens insight into children’s thoughts
and feelings
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Benefits for Children
 Builds self-confidence and listening skills
 Encourages thinking about new and different
solutions to problems
 Facilitates positive social interaction
 Teaches skills applicable to other situations
ability to wait
ability to cope with frustration
sensitivity to others
impulsivity
social withdrawal
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Key Components of ICPS
• Vocabulary Words
• Feelings—most important question in
dialoguing: “How do you feel when…?”
• Alternatives—coming up with solutions:
“Can you think of something different to do
when…?”
• Consequences— to develop empathy
through awareness of other’s feelings:
“What might happen if…?”, “Is _____ a good
idea or not a good idea?”
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What is dialoguing?
• Parent/teacher guides the
child in applying ICPS
concepts to solve a real-life
problem.
• Helps children try again if their
first attempt to solve a problem
fails.
• Helps children learn to cope
with frustration when they
don’t get what they want
immediately.
Dialoguing is a communication skill
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Basic Principles of ICPS Dialoguing
1. Child and parent or
teacher must identify the
real problem.
2. Each must understand
and deal with the
problem.
4. The child, not the parent/
3. Once the real problem
teacher, must solve the
is identified, the parent
or teacher must not alter
problem.
it to meet his/her own
5. The focus is on how the
needs.
child thinks, not what
he/she thinks.
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The ICPS
Dialogue
Ladder
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Getting Ready for ICPSing!
 Preparing for lessons
 Schedule of presentation
 Teaching guidelines & recommendations
 Teaching Toolkit
 Other resources
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procedures and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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