Every day children teach us (if we're paying attention) that there are often other ways to utilize objects than their intended design might suggest. Who says Magna-tiles are more about engineering than the arts? My oldest grandson L demonstrates that like all well-designed toys, they are both STEM and STEAM.
There's a name for this limiting thinking habit: functional fixedness. You know— stuck thinking or perhaps fast vs slow thinking. We all do this. Taylorism and assembly-line thinking is inherent in many systems. In the name of efficiency and productivity, education sometimes teaches us to see (tidy) categories instead of (messy) spectrums. But those spectrums? That's where the imagination goes jet-skiing.
This is what I love about us humans: for every brilliant monomath along comes a playful polymath from left field. Let's be honest, you know a guy, don't you? Like this guy. 😂 Everyone knows this guy. Or consider *mic drop* this gal.
I've been a stuck thinker more times than not, but I'm also the guy who once made a hornet sword when I could have simply bought some wasp spray. Efficient? Um, it worked (temporarily), but here's the thing: it was 100% more FUN!
Dear friends, do you play Picasso face, aka are you a part-time MacGyver, aka how do you avoid functional fixedness?
Doing something over and over the same way is BORING and can inspire me to do it more creatively. Thanks for that functional fixedness label.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good phrase isn't it? Yes yes yes to precise language.
DeleteThat photo is brilliant! Like, enlarge it, frame it, hang it on the wall, BRILLIANT!
ReplyDeleteI too adore this photo. Thank you!
DeleteWhere were Magnatiles when I was a kid? I was so bored with Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs. My grandson Theo has an enormous number of Magnatiles, and we love creating all kinds of things with them.
ReplyDeleteCreativity keeps Real Life from being boring. And we can indulge the kid that resides in each of us.
Agreed. Magnatiles ftw. And yes to our inner child residing (happily) within.
DeleteI agree about the Magnatiles, too. I have so much fun building with them at the grandsons' house
DeleteSuch a well-designed toy.
DeleteMy three oldest grandsons love magnet tiles. I tend to be a linear thinker and about as far inside the box as I can go. It's something I dislike about myself. However, I'm also excellent at analyzing literature and finding deeper meaning in both English and French, so that's something. That skill and $6 will buy me a Sbux mocha...
ReplyDeleteDear Margaret, I applaud your interpretation skills, in two languages no less! Remember: we were all trained to be linear thinkers and in various circumstance, that's an asset. All I'm doing is remaining curious as I watch (and learn) from my grandkids.
DeleteI haven’t read the book and probably should, but I am a slow thinker.And when I try to go fast, I make mistakes. Mind you, I make slow mistakes too.
ReplyDeleteNo need to read the book. You get it. Being reflective about the ways we tend to think is half the battle. But remember, AC, we all make mistakes and that's okay.
Delete"So when I noticed a hornets' nest the size of a soccer ball attached to the corner of our fence behind the storage shed in the backyard, I had to go lie down for a while."
ReplyDeleteLOL
I've found several of those magnety things around the house since the grandkids went home in July.
Now I have to go check out the other links in that entry. I may never get out of this chair today.
-Kate
Ha, enjoy the comfy chair, but never feel the need to follow my links. Sometimes I'm just leaving breadcrumbs for my kids and grandkids to follow, in case they someday need them. I know you get this.
DeleteHaving a hornets nest anywhere near my place would be a nightmare. I am scared of bee's, hornets, wasps ect. Don't like them at all. One is fine, I can handle one, but a bunch of them, nope.
ReplyDeleteThere are all sorts of neat toys for kids now a days. When I was a kid we played with mud. lol I also had Lincoln Logs and I loved them.
The mud, lol. So true! (We made mud pies.)
DeleteOne of my favorite things about teaching was to witness how each student thought differently. I would always encourage them to not be afraid to do things a little bit out of the norm. I would point out some of the most famous people in the world didn't follow the rules, and now we applaud them.
ReplyDeleteThat was one of my favourite things about teaching too.
DeleteWhat a great photo! There is so much joy being around children, how much they notice and how often they laugh. I suppose I go both ways, but I like the idea of a hornet sword!
ReplyDeleteHa, one vote for my hornet sword. I'll take it.
DeleteOur ancestors had to be creative in fixing things. I admire that.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I admire that too.
DeleteI'm inept even when following instruction manuals to a T. Going off-script would be a recipe for disaster. But at least I know my limits!
ReplyDeleteHa, it didn't say "know thyself" on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi for nothing, did it?
DeleteThat photo is pure joy! As for MacGyver moments, living part-time in Sicily turns you into one. When the water supply fails, you learn very quickly that a bucket, a neighbour's advice and a bit of imagination can solve almost anything.
ReplyDeleteSicily! I've been once and loved it! Sounds like you have great neighbours...which often indicates you yourself are a great neighbour. Just sayin. I'm glad you enjoyed the pic and thanks for visiting.
DeleteThinking outside the box is a good way to be creative. New ideas lead to new solutions. Have some fun doing it differently!
ReplyDeleteYou've got to respect a creative approach!
ReplyDelete