An archetype is a typical example of a certain person. In literacy, there are several character archetypes such as the hero and villain. When solving word problems, there are a few student archetypes I had each year that I had named for my own baseline pedagogical understanding. Because this is based on my personal observations, you may have additional input. Please feel free to share in the comments.
Student archetypes when solving word problems:
Lost Souls: These students struggle with just reading the word problem, let alone computations. For a variety of reasons often beyond their control, they have gaps in literacy and mathematics foundations and without scaffolded instruction, will end up directionless lost souls. Teachers must intervene immediately and strategically to provide Lost Souls with the right support so they can gain confidence and skills.
Tunnel Visionaries: These students forego reading and immediately apply whatever operation they are most comfortable with to the word problem despite whether or not it is correct. (In the younger grades, they often add every number.) Tunnel Visionaries do not see a value to reading comprehension, only to mathematical operations. Because they are eager to solve the problems using the shortest route, they often get wrong answers.
Amnesiacs: These students often confuse teachers because they seem to "get it" during the lesson, and can do the math without needed support. However, when left alone or when spiraling a lesson, they often act as though they were never taught the content. Amnesiacs have learned basic survival skills. They apply short term tricks to getting through the lesson but never grasped the concept. (If that days' lesson had been over multiplication, they multiply to solve every word problem. However, because they never learned what made the word problem a multiplication word problem, when they have to solve another multiplication problem two weeks later, they are clueless of where to begin.) Amnesiacs may get As and Bs on daily grades, but they struggle on tests.
Computation Onlys: These students surprise teachers because they have strong computational skills but as soon as they are confronted with a word problem they are at a loss of how to solve it. A Computation Only archetype either never learned how math applies to the real world despite their apt ability to solve equations or they struggle with reading comprehension.
Fishes Out of Water: These students have strong literacy skills and most of the time love reading. However, when it comes to math they lose their confidence, feel overwhelmed, and/or struggle with connecting mathematical concepts. They will have no issue with comprehending the word problem, but they will have no clue with comprehending the math in the word problem.
Mathmagicians: These students solve the problems in their heads, or show very little work. When asked how they solved a problem, they often state, "I just know it" leaving the teacher to wonder to what extent they understand their problem and how much might have been a lucky guess. They're often annoyed with classmates that don't just "get it." Without proper scaffolding of how to verbalize their thinking, Mathmagicians will not get to properly showcase their logistical assets.
Junior Teachers: These students might have been teachers in another life. They not only understand word problems, but they also have a way of explaining it to others and seem to enjoy it. They are the most compatible partners. Teachers need to be wary of using them as a second teacher without ensuring that Junior Teachers have enriching activities for their own learning advancement as well.
Student archetypes when solving word problems:
Lost Souls: These students struggle with just reading the word problem, let alone computations. For a variety of reasons often beyond their control, they have gaps in literacy and mathematics foundations and without scaffolded instruction, will end up directionless lost souls. Teachers must intervene immediately and strategically to provide Lost Souls with the right support so they can gain confidence and skills.
Tunnel Visionaries: These students forego reading and immediately apply whatever operation they are most comfortable with to the word problem despite whether or not it is correct. (In the younger grades, they often add every number.) Tunnel Visionaries do not see a value to reading comprehension, only to mathematical operations. Because they are eager to solve the problems using the shortest route, they often get wrong answers.
Amnesiacs: These students often confuse teachers because they seem to "get it" during the lesson, and can do the math without needed support. However, when left alone or when spiraling a lesson, they often act as though they were never taught the content. Amnesiacs have learned basic survival skills. They apply short term tricks to getting through the lesson but never grasped the concept. (If that days' lesson had been over multiplication, they multiply to solve every word problem. However, because they never learned what made the word problem a multiplication word problem, when they have to solve another multiplication problem two weeks later, they are clueless of where to begin.) Amnesiacs may get As and Bs on daily grades, but they struggle on tests.
Computation Onlys: These students surprise teachers because they have strong computational skills but as soon as they are confronted with a word problem they are at a loss of how to solve it. A Computation Only archetype either never learned how math applies to the real world despite their apt ability to solve equations or they struggle with reading comprehension.
Fishes Out of Water: These students have strong literacy skills and most of the time love reading. However, when it comes to math they lose their confidence, feel overwhelmed, and/or struggle with connecting mathematical concepts. They will have no issue with comprehending the word problem, but they will have no clue with comprehending the math in the word problem.
Mathmagicians: These students solve the problems in their heads, or show very little work. When asked how they solved a problem, they often state, "I just know it" leaving the teacher to wonder to what extent they understand their problem and how much might have been a lucky guess. They're often annoyed with classmates that don't just "get it." Without proper scaffolding of how to verbalize their thinking, Mathmagicians will not get to properly showcase their logistical assets.
Junior Teachers: These students might have been teachers in another life. They not only understand word problems, but they also have a way of explaining it to others and seem to enjoy it. They are the most compatible partners. Teachers need to be wary of using them as a second teacher without ensuring that Junior Teachers have enriching activities for their own learning advancement as well.
