What is Problem Solving? Naturally enough, Problem Solving is about solving problems. And we'll restrict ourselves to thinking about mathematical problems here even though Problem Solving in school has a wider goal. When you think about it, the whole aim of education is to equip children to solve problems. In the Mathematics Curriculum therefore, Problem Solving contributes to the generic skill of problem solving in the New Zealand Curriculum Framework. But Problem Solving also contributes to mathematics itself. It is part of one whole area of the subject that, until fairly recently, has largely passed unnoticed in schools around the world. Mathematics consists of skills and processes. The skills are things that we are all familiar with. These include the basic arithmetical processes and the algorithms that go with them. They include algebra in all its levels as well as sophisticated areas such as the calculus. This is the side of the subject that is largely represented in the Strands of Number, Algebra, Statistics, Geometry and Measurement. On the other hand, the processes of mathematics are the ways of using the skills creatively in new situations. Problem Solving is a mathematical process. As such it is to be found in the Strand of Mathematical Processes along with Logic and Reasoning, and Communication. This is the side of mathematics that enables us to use the skills in a wide variety of situations. Before we get too far into the discussion of Problem Solving, it is worth pointing out that we find