Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.” ~ Henry Ford
In Chapter One of the book, “Sparks of Genius” the reader is presented with the idea that we should review or possibly even change our perception about what thinking is and the dominant implication it has on creative selves. The very concept of thinking is interesting to ponder. Many of us take the time to analyze how or why we think the way we do, yet very few of us put any effort into understanding the thinking process. The Root-Bernsteins decided to do exactly that and their theories actually sparked (no pun intended) my interest in the very notion of thinking.
According to the Root-Bernsteins, thinking is the foundation of creativity. They suggest that, “…it is imperative that we learn to use feelings, emotions, and intuitions that are the bases of the creative imagination (13).” I certainly concur with this suggestion because when we think it is a very personal process. What we feel plays a significant role in the thoughts we form. We generally want or need to contemplate on something in particular.
Take for example, this first week of study in CEP818. Already, it has challenged my idea of what reality and illusion truly is. The Veja du assignment was a great exercise in thinking outside the box. Just like the fictional character Milo from The Phantom Tollbooth, I learned that we must strive to, “…live in Illusions and Reality at the same time (23).” To strike this delicate balance is not as easy it may seem.
In Chapter 16 of the Sparks of Genius book, the Root-Bernsteins conceptualize thinking as it pertains to education. They focus on the idea of synthetic education. According to them, as educators, “[we] need not change what we teach.” A synthetic education requires only that we change how we teach… (316)” so we can in turn, teach more effectively. In this relatively new century we certainly have a plethora of tools to accomplish this task. The key to making it happen is with the help of technology. As a matter of fact I see how the Internet, Social Media, and even Smart Phone technology figures prominently into the scenario.
Teachers need to one day be open to the idea of allowing students to text assignments in or letting them submit their work via a podcast or video. Now that’s what I call thinking outside of the box. I would imagine that the Root-Bernsteins might applaud these suggestions on some level. Although there were times when I was reading the assigned chapters where I felt they placed too much emphasis on figures of the past. Einstein, Picasso, and Dewey are indeed notable individuals whose accomplishments should be lauded, but I hope somewhere in the upcoming passages, there will be a mention of names like Sir Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the world wide web) or Bill Gates (Microsoft). Either way, I am looking forward to reading the rest of the Sparks of Genius book. It is has been a very insightful read thus far.
With thinking being the basis of creativity, I love how you talked about the need to change thinking and creativity with the times, especially in regards to technology. We need to be able to change our way of teaching and thinking as our world changes, so that we can accommodate our students in the educational process. Your idea of having text in assignments is awesome! I was actually at a seminar for first year teachers and we were talking about how we are creative in different areas of our teaching. One high school math teacher said that she put her students in pairs and they sat on different sides of the room. She would present a math problem, and one student would figure it out and then text the answer to their partner, where that partner would write it on the board-and then they would switch roles. I think this is such a great way to relate to students, while still teaching them! You presented some really great ideas!
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