Minnesota Future Problem Solving Program

Teaching students how to think, not what to think... Since 1980!

The Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) teaches students how to think, not what to think.  This is accomplished by teaching critical and creative thinking skills, and problem solving and decision making skills via a six step process.  Developing these skills help students to improve their academic and social achievement.  After learning the six-step problem-solving process, students are able to participate in the Community Problem Solving component.  This component encourages students to become agents of change in their communities.  Students will explore challenges in the community, determine the underlying problem, brainstorm possible solutions, develop criteria to determine the best solution, develop an action plan, and carry the action plan out.  These civic projects allow students to become a part of the solution in their communities.

The FPSP:

• Encourages students to improve their critical, creative, and analytical thinking skills
• Stimulates students’ knowledge and interest in the future
• Extends written and verbal communication
• Develops and improves research proficiency
• Provides opportunities to apply process tools and method to real world problems
• Guides students to become more self-directed and responsible
• Develops teamwork skills
• Promotes decision-making techniques to reach agreement with team members

The program provides opportunities to apply process tools and method to real world problems such as Climate Change/Climate Threat, Freedom of Speech, Nutrition, Healthcare Access, Redistribution of Wealth, Debt in Developing Countries, and many more global topics that are relevant today and into the future. The program provides a problem-solving model that students integrate into their lives, giving them the competitive edge when applying for jobs and building sustainable futures. 


The FPSP competitive components include Team Problem Solving, Individual Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and the aforementioned Community Problem Solving.  These skills are taught both in the classroom and beyond the classroom as an extra curricular component and pullout programs.  The FPSP teaches flexibility, hence, there are virtually no limits as to how the program is delivered in schools.  

The FPSP provides training for coaches and ongoing mentoring.  Teachers and volunteer parents successfully coach teams.  Often new coaches opt to participate in our Freelance component which allows students and coaches to receive the same high quality feedback on their work as the competitive teams.  The Freelance component is a cost savings to a school that is just starting out while providing high-quality, yearlong training.  Students will not only be excited about competing their second year, they will be ready!