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Suppose you were observing a discussion about improving the quality of education and someone said "Let's move some college-level subjects into elementary school." A likely response would be "No way! Young kids aren't ready to learn about subjects like algebra, calculus, physics, and English literature." Then suppose the first person said "How about the basic concepts of surveying and mapping? They could be taught in elementary school." A critic would probably reply "Surveying? Don't be silly. Kids in elementary school haven't yet learned about trigonometry or even multiplying and dividing decimal numbers. They could never learn surveying."
Yet it turns out that surveying and mapping can be done in a way that doesn't involve any numbers at all, yet it teaches students about angles and mapping. Very briefly, the process involves just a paper, pencil, a straight-edge (which can be a ruler), and two small flat tables placed at separated locations in, say, a school playground. Sightings are done along the straight-edge to corners of buildings and fences and other special points on the playground. With the straight-edge passing through a point that represents the location of the table on which the paper is currently placed, a line is drawn along the straight-edge for each sighting. One of the sightings from the first table must be to the second table; before doing the sightings from the second table, the paper is aligned so that sighting line points to the first table. The two sighting lines (one drawn at each table) for each object cross where the corner or object is located on the map. Straight lines can be drawn between the corners to indicate walls and fences. Additional details can be added to make a map of the playground - without using any numbers.
Now that you're aware of this technique, the seemingly-bizarre idea of moving some college-level subjects into elementary school is seen to have at least some merit.
Notice that when a novel idea is first suggested - or thought of - there is a strong tendency to follow this common thinking pattern:
1. In response to a new general approach to solving a problem, we imagine some specific examples that fit within the general approach.
2. We recognize that none of the specific examples would work.
3. We conclude that the general approach won't work.
This is one way we often cut ourselves off from, instead of opening ourselves up to, creative new solutions.
To open your mind to creative solutions, allow for the possibility that a general category of solutions might include a practical solution even though all the specific ideas that first come to mind won't work.
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