My response tote Art of Genius,Eight ways to think like Einstein by Michael Michalko

Michael Michalko presented eight thinking strategies that enable geniuses to generate original thought. It was interesting to know that many geniuses were simply playing with ideas most often not knowing where those thoughts would finally lead them. Michalko called them productive thinkers because they were able to explore many alternatives,not just the most likely solutions. These solutions just led to new problems or questions. For example the Nobel Prize physicist, Richard Feynman played with ideas that pleased only himself. His play just happened to lead him to his work in electrodynamics. How do we as educators get past looking at problems in only one way? Michalko called it reproductive thinking when we use only ones past experiences to solve problems. He states that If you think the way youve always thought, youll get what youve always gotten. I feel that it is important for teachers to realize that children do not always think the same way. And if we present only one way to find solutions to problems, we may not be encouraging creative thinkers in our classrooms. Luckily the new hands on math and science curriculums and cooperative learning activities do give us opportunities to engage children in some creative thinking. But I feel it takes practice and training on the students part to learn that its ok to think differently than those around them and teachers must also learn that its ok to allow students to solve problems in their own way. One of the best things that Ive found is the Plus Center at St. Scholastica. It offers excellent programs in math and science for teachers, parents and children. Their programs gave me practice in fun creative problem solving activities. Programs like St. Scholasticas enforce what this article was talking about. I think teachers should allow children to think freely and I see the value of using these methods in my own classroom.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 1998

Answers

Response to Utne Reader Response#2

Thanks for your comments on the article. I particularly like Einstein's comments about thinking not in mathematical symbols or words, but rather in pictures, if you will, kinesthetic images. I have a quote in my classroom to that effect -- and I encountered it again in this article. I think I try to help kids obtain a vision of how things work before we get down to the brass tacks of manipulating numbers and symbols. I'm interested in how you access St. Scholastica's Plus Center -- do you take classes there, or do you just go in and browse? I have taken a class there the past two summers on Discrete Math, which has been excellent; but I was wondering if there is something else available that I'm not aware of.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 1999

Response to Utne Reader Response#2

I really liked your comments, Linda. I too believe that we need to recognize and encourage the differences in thinking, creative processes, and learning. Without this kind of diversity the classroom and society this would certainly be a boring place. I read an interesting article by Mark Shroeder(?)(SP) who has ADHD and as a child/adolescent was kicked out of 12 schools because of his disruptive and also different thinking and learning styles. He became very successful as an attorney and stock broker. He makes a good case for the points you make in your response to this article. It is also worth remembering that Einstein himself had a learning disability. Could it be that the label "disability" is really an incorrect way to describe different ways of thinking or styles of learning?

Also, thank you for the information on the Plus Center at CSS. I have an 8 year old who struggles with math concepts to the point of pain for both of us! As a parent,I am grateful for a local resource.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 1999

Response to Utne Reader Response#2

Linda, I also read the article "The Art of Genius." I spent a little time tonight watching a segment which aired on channel 10, "Teen-agers, What Makes Them Tick." This particular article came back to mind during the discussion of which part of the brain teen-agers use. Mozart's name was mentioned as having created 45 symphonies by the age of 19. Teen-agers use the creative part of their brains, being less likely to use critical thinking. The article stated Mozart produced more than 600 pieces of music. To think what could be accomplished if our thinking skills could be more fully developed at an early age.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 1999