A Brief Digression…or is it a Diversion?
I came across the picture of the double-decker taxi while searching for images of double-parked cabs. This image of an unusually un-aerodynamic vehicle is much more interesting than an image of a double-parked taxi, of which there are thousands. While it may spur many interesting questions, this picture is actually a digression from the digression, which can't even be properly called a digression, because it occurred before I even started talking about the actual topic at hand. Perhaps a predigression?
At any rate, I began driving for Uber about a week ago. At first blush, driving people from Point A to Point B might seem like the opposite of a job that requires creative thinking. However, in the context of what we have been learning in this class, I can see many ways that driving a taxi requires creative and critical thinking skills, and "imaginative" ways to get from A to B are among the least of your worries.
This post isn't about me, or other Uber drivers--although I think it would be incredibly interesting to do a study on Uber drivers in general. 50% quit driving in their first year, apparently, and as I sat there on Saturday night waiting for Officer Viens to write me a $90 citation for double-parking on Sixth and Main, I contemplated joining that 50%. I was mad at the police, mad at Uber, and mostly upset with myself. I had clearly broken the law--just like I'd already done several times, just like I'd seen other people do--including the car that had just been right in front of me, and perhaps most important--just like I'd seen it done on TV thousands of times. Without a detailed manual to consult, how could I prevent this from happening again?
I actually have little experience even riding in a taxi and none in an Uber. Uber does next to nothing to train you outside of offering an optional five-minute tutorial video. It has been pretty much a trial by fire. So it is little wonder why 50% of drivers quit, and why I considered it for a while that night. I still have 50 more weeks of driving to make it through, to avoid being part of that 50%, and if I'm going to make it, I have to get…creative. Which is why I think it would be interesting to study Uber drivers in the context of creative behaviors and how they relate to retention rates.
Double-Parking Done, I Will Now Merge Back Into Traffic
First, for your listening and viewing musing…
And now, to further set the mood...
via GIPHY
Conclusion
To make this assignment purposeful and relevant for myself, I decided I would observe one of my sons. When I applied my stereotypical notion of "creativity" my thoughts went naturally to my younger son. Relative to his brother, he is more intelligent (as measured by academic success like reading benchmarks,) he is able to maintain sustained focus, he seems to have a more naturally curious attitude, and he is more open to new experiences--his eating habits being just one example.
As a parent, however, I am proud and protective of both my children. With the help of our readings and discussion, I've gotten a new appreciation for how multifaceted this whole notion of creativity really is. I love and believe in my older son just as much as my younger, and I came to realize this assignment could be an opportunity to see not only him through a different lens, but also my future students. Ultimately, as Starko notes at the end of Chapter 5, I feel like many children like my older son, who don't fit into my stereotype of a creative individual, are not only creative in non-stereotypical ways, they may be often misdiagnosed as having ADD or "Other" types of learning disorders. Regardless of how they do on traditional measures of academic success--or maybe especially because of how they do--I want to find ways for all students to find success in the classroom, and in life.
A Case Study of Gus and Wally
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| Lonesome Dove Painting - Leaving Lonesome Dove by Peter Nowell |
Yeah, they are more or less named after character's from Lonesome Dove. It wasn't super intentional, and obviously we didn't end up copying the story verbatim, but when my sons were still just a gleam in my eye, my wife and I were referring to them as Gus and Woodrow, in homage to the wonderful characters in Larry McMurtry's novel, and portrayed on television by the inestimable duo of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. Push came to shove when the second child was born a boy. We opted with a similar-sounding family name instead of Woodrow. It was either that, or Pea-Eye. Somehow (!) "Wally" has turned out to fit him perfectly.
I was going to analyze milestones, but honestly, they are both relatively middle of the pack on most things. Nothing stands out, like walking or talking particularly early or late. The only thing really notable I can think of, is that Wally still poops his pants occasionally, and Gus still mostly sleeps in our bed. But I think I can see ways in which those behaviors fit into Starko's framework, so more on that later.
(Quick note--Augustus is 7 and a 1/2, and Walter is just over 5.)
Five of MacKinnon's "Seven of the salient characteristics…of creative groups," from Creativity in the Classroom, page 102.
I thought it would be useful to look at the boys from as many angles as possible, so I started here.
Intelligent
The only empirical evidence I can submit are their scores on the Idaho Reading Indicator, which, in my opinion, is a dubious gauge of reading ability, let alone overall intelligence. Nonetheless, Gus has consistently scored well below benchmark, While Wally, in his first go at it in Kindergarten, scored off the charts. This may strongly correlate to future academic success, but I am not sure which is the chicken and which is the egg.
I see this as a difficult area to assess in younger children. I would note that anecdotally, Wally seems to learn faster, in that he seems to hear and retain things much better relative to Gus. (That is a problem with my study--everything is relative to each other.) Gus is a child you have to tell to look in your eyes to make sure he hears something important, whereas Wally will spit out the answer to a question not even posed to him, while seeming to be quietly playing in the corner.
However, in more subjective ways, I have a hard time saying one is more intelligent then the other. In the subjects that have mattered to Gus, he is quite adept. He can list and describe any number of dinosaurs, discuss raptor biology and predator-prey relationships, and he can sing and hum large sections of the score of all seven Star Wars movies.
Original
This is another hard one to assess, so I will look at it in terms of how they solve problems. I feel they both display originality of thought in some areas. Right now, it is so hard to get past thinking about how they play with Legos. Wally has long been much more fluid with how he can adapt to missing pieces, or the need for new sets, whereas a hallmark of Gus has been a desire to get specific sets so that he can have the thing he sees in the pictures. I would say, with encouragement, Gus has changed notably in that regard over the past year or so. He is much more willing to use his own imagination to build versions of the sets he wants us to buy him. Perhaps more importantly, he seems to be feeling some intrinsic value from building his own ideas.
Independent
These descriptors from MacKinnon describe Wally to a T: "Highly motivated to achieve in situations that allowed or demanded independence…not necessarily well-rounded, nor do they fit smoothly in group situations (not always true with Wally, but when he doesn't want to, he speaks up about it,)…curious, receptive, and willing to learn." That last, "willing to learn," is a major difference between the two.
On the other hand, the "independent" description goes on to say: "they were accepting of multiple aspects of their own character and apt to express traditional female characteristics if they were male…" While I am probably simplifying a bit, Gus has always seemed to typify this descriptor. While at times he is "all boy," he has a soft side and is not afraid to express it. I am making assumptions about MacKinnon's definition of what constitutes "traditional" gender behaviors from 1978, but Gus has both displayed that softness in inner nature that might be associated with the feminine, as well as dressed up in girls clothes. He had a "Frozen" phase for sure. Even now in second grade, he often wears a purse to school.
Intuitive
By my knee-jerk, intuitive definition, this is an area where Gus scores highly. He has seemed unusually alert to the "as-yet-not-realized." Particularly in the area of spirituality/questions about "God"/life-after-death. Gus has, with little prompting, developed his own sense of life after death, which generally involves reincarnation. Granted, he, like many people, has constructed this meaning out of a fear of loss, a type of dependence on others that is antithetical to the creative motif. However, I grant him credit for being aware and conceiving of these questions in the first place.
On the other hand, some of what I've talked about with Gus would almost indicate a lack of intuition. When the book mentions "stimulus or object bound," I think of Gus. So, I'm a little confounded.
One more note, which I'll stick in here--one of them believes in Santa, but the other, when presented with evidence from classmates, has elected to stop believing. It would seem that intuition would tell you Santa, or the Tooth Fairy or whatever, does not really exist. But at this early age, maybe these types of beliefs are a manifestation, or an openness to that idea of the "as-yet-not-realized," which would then represent another contradiction.
Strong Sense of Destiny
How do you measure that in a young child? I think the remarkable thing to think about here is how strong a sense of destiny all children have. They haven't lost that belief that they truly will become a police officer, or a paleontologist, ninja, or Jedi. The belief is strong in my sons, but the actual destiny changes every few months. We've learned to wait to buy Halloween costumes until the actual date is at hand.
(Sgt. By The Book, Officer Maverick, and Officer Loose Cannon. Officer Maverick decided last second to go undercover as a construction worker. He is wearing a sheepskin "safety" vest and a Mouse King "hardhat.")
Conclusion
Analyzing the boys through the lens of adult profiles was interesting, but fairly inconclusive. I don't think I have any mega-prodigies on my hands, but they are still young enough to be mini-prodigies at least. So what are some other ways of looking at their traits? Let's take a look at some other characteristics, as described by Starko.
Cognitive
Connectedness and Metaphorical Thinking
I like to think I'm a big metaphorical thinker--big as a big river big. Like a big ol bunch of rubber bands are stretched out on the peg-board of my brain, connecting all sorts of stuff. Wait a second…"like" and "as"…hmm, maybe I'm into simile thinking. Anyway, I found it hard, again, to note any metaphorical thinking in my boys, except for the time Wally said about a largish rock, "that rock is nature's heart." We were on a little hike, and he promptly started climbing on it. I thought that was a fine metaphor, and though I don't have documentation, I feel like he is more apt to use language metaphors, which is certainly the easiest way to assess metaphorical thinking.
He has led the way in metaphorical thinking and visualization when it comes to the boys Lego building adventures. Wally is much more fluid in his thinking, and adaptable, whereas Gus will spend much time obsessing over pictures of what he wants on Amazon, Wally is off building it. Gus as improved in this capacity, but it doesn't seem like a natural inclination.
He has led the way in metaphorical thinking and visualization when it comes to the boys Lego building adventures. Wally is much more fluid in his thinking, and adaptable, whereas Gus will spend much time obsessing over pictures of what he wants on Amazon, Wally is off building it. Gus as improved in this capacity, but it doesn't seem like a natural inclination.
Gus wants exactly this. Wally built this… Based on this.
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For Gus, I wonder how much metaphorical thinking occurs through music. Where Wally has shown intensely focused behavior while playing Legos, Gus has exhibited the same kind of focus in regards to listening and humming music. He will ask to listen to the same song over and over, and it is always a song from a movie, typically the orchestral score to Star Wars or Jurassic Park, although he knows most of the Nutcracker Suite by heart. I know from my experience that music can evoke metaphorical feelings, so I believe listening to the music is a way for Gus to "connect" back to the movies and stories
which he is currently "in to." If we are driving in the car and he is unable to play with his toys or watch the film or whatever, the music helps transport his mind. Because it is not just the style of music--he isn't appreciating the music just for the sake of the music. I have created a "John Williams, Composer," station on Pandora. He can get frustrated and impatient when it won't play the exact song from the movie/theme he is currently into, even though I find it enjoyable to listen to the similar yet different selections. It's something we're working on.
As a side note, it has been interesting raising children in the "on demand" era. It takes a lot of work as a parent to keep easily obsessed children open to new things, when they can so easily binge on the things they like.
(Due to time and length constraints, I'm going to skip Broad or Focused Interests and Value Originality, and Being Internally Occupied or Withdrawn. I don't feel like I have anything profound to note that I haven't already at least discussed obliquely.)
Neatly enough, I've determined that Gus leans more strongly towards affective traits of creativity. This feels intuitively correct, and maybe all of this is a bit of self-fulfilling prophecy. But in trying to see the strengths and areas for growth in my own children, I think I've learned a valuable lesson about seeing the creativity in all students, and the need to hone it.
As a side note, it has been interesting raising children in the "on demand" era. It takes a lot of work as a parent to keep easily obsessed children open to new things, when they can so easily binge on the things they like.
Independence in Judgement
I have the note "dichotomy" scrawled in the margin of page 116, in the section discussing "ambiguity." In all honesty, I can't remember what I was thinking when I wrote that. However, it is a word that keeps coming up in my mind as I read and ponder creativity.
There is much duality described in the reading, and in my case study.
Both boys had a chance to dress up like pirates at school this week, and neither one wanted to. I'm not sure of the exact reasons, but for both, particularly Gus, I could sense this push and pull between doing what they wanted--independent thought, and trying to fit in. I think Gus was doubly conflicted because the part of him that wants to fit in was equally worried that he would be the only person not dressed like a pirate, or if he did dress like a pirate, he would still be the only one. He clearly wanted to fit in. But he also seemed to have an equally strong conviction to dress as he wanted. He has always been someone with an awareness of what he wears. At times, he has insisted upon wearing the same clothes for days on end. Other periods, he has changed clothes multiple times in a day.
Wally takes independence a different direction. He is generally not accepting of ideas until he has made the choice for himself. This isn't unusual, I don't think, for children his age. He just seems to take it to another level. When I see Starko describe students as "stubborn, argumentative, or resistant to authority," I think of Wally at bedtime. He hasn't displayed this quality in school yet; quite the contrary actually. He is fierce as a grizzly when prodded too hard, and I have made a point of asking his teachers if he has ever displayed this at school. So far, he has been cute and cuddly Wally Bear.
Coping Well With Novelty
Again with the contradictions in Gus. In realistic, external situations, he does not cope well with novelty. New and unexpected things make him anxious--he seems to like secure boundaries in his world. I made a Samoas Cookie Pie for teacher appreciation day last year and brought it to school. When I parked the car to take the pie in--instead of just dropping
him off like usual--he crumbled. Somehow, he thought he was going to have to deliver the pie by himself, which made him anxious for a whole new reason. It was anxiety on top of anxiety, and certainly not indicative of a person who copes well with novel situations. For his river guide father, this is a bit troubling, as I am someone who welcomes novelty to the extent that I may sometimes be subconsciously self-destructive, in order to bring it into my life.
On the other hand, Starko says "students who cope well with novelty…thrive on the question 'What if?'"(107) As does Gus, in the internal, theoretical sense. What if? There is a Santa, or we are reincarnated as a family of Peregrine Falcons?
My knee jerk reaction with Wally is to say the opposite-- he seems to cope with novelty quite well. The best evidence is how they reacted (and still do) to being dropped off at school. Gus is a crying clinger, and Wally is a back-turning hand-waver.
However, that example just sets them up as opposites. As with Gus, I can think of examples with Wally where he doesn't exhibit openness to novelty. Again, dichotomous.
Logical Thinking Skills
Wally seems to excel in this area. He loves to puzzle things out. I had been playing "The Room" series of games on the iPad, and he spontaneously joined in. Many of the tasks in the game are logic-based puzzles, and he delighted in helping me solve them. Moreover, he became indispensable in helping me recall things we'd seen together--sometimes we'd find a peculiarly shaped object, for instance, and he'd have an uncanny ability to remember a spot where that object might fit. This may have been a combination of visualization, logical thinking, and even finding order in chaos, as well. He also seems very logical in how he responds to parental instructions--there needs to be logic behind them; simply saying "because I said so" is not enough.
Gus hasn't seemed as pre-disposed to logical thinking, so it has been a clear area to work on him with. Like many kids, he is always "losing" things, which provides a wonderful opportunity to practice logical thinking, and to find order out of chaos. Link to an early attempt to motivate reading and logical thinking. In order to find his toys, Gus had to read a set of clues. It was geared towards motivating him to read, but looking back, it had a second purpose--think through a logical progression of "likely" places he might find his lost toys.
I'm going to leave off with Cognitive Traits here. Put simply, I am seeing that Wally displays more strength in the cognitive traits of creativity than Gus. However, Gus has shown the ability to improve--with mindful and purposeful guidance.
In all honesty, I've had trouble at times truly understanding the nuanced meanings of "cognitive" and "affective," but as I contemplate my way through this assignment, they are starting to clarify for me.
My knee jerk reaction with Wally is to say the opposite-- he seems to cope with novelty quite well. The best evidence is how they reacted (and still do) to being dropped off at school. Gus is a crying clinger, and Wally is a back-turning hand-waver.
However, that example just sets them up as opposites. As with Gus, I can think of examples with Wally where he doesn't exhibit openness to novelty. Again, dichotomous.
Logical Thinking Skills
Wally seems to excel in this area. He loves to puzzle things out. I had been playing "The Room" series of games on the iPad, and he spontaneously joined in. Many of the tasks in the game are logic-based puzzles, and he delighted in helping me solve them. Moreover, he became indispensable in helping me recall things we'd seen together--sometimes we'd find a peculiarly shaped object, for instance, and he'd have an uncanny ability to remember a spot where that object might fit. This may have been a combination of visualization, logical thinking, and even finding order in chaos, as well. He also seems very logical in how he responds to parental instructions--there needs to be logic behind them; simply saying "because I said so" is not enough.
Gus hasn't seemed as pre-disposed to logical thinking, so it has been a clear area to work on him with. Like many kids, he is always "losing" things, which provides a wonderful opportunity to practice logical thinking, and to find order out of chaos. Link to an early attempt to motivate reading and logical thinking. In order to find his toys, Gus had to read a set of clues. It was geared towards motivating him to read, but looking back, it had a second purpose--think through a logical progression of "likely" places he might find his lost toys.
I'm going to leave off with Cognitive Traits here. Put simply, I am seeing that Wally displays more strength in the cognitive traits of creativity than Gus. However, Gus has shown the ability to improve--with mindful and purposeful guidance.
In all honesty, I've had trouble at times truly understanding the nuanced meanings of "cognitive" and "affective," but as I contemplate my way through this assignment, they are starting to clarify for me.
Affective Traits
Willingness to Take Risks
Since I just stated Wally shows more strength in cognitive creativity traits, I am tempted rate him less strongly in the affective traits. I say that, because what "leaps" to mind with risk-taking and the boys is the very description of it that Starko kind of warns us away from: "This is not necessarily the type of risk taking that spurs a person to bum gee jumping or mountain climbing. Rather, it is a willingness to accept intellectual risks.(110)
I've described in Gus some significant issues with anxiety, and yet, on occasion, he has shattered my conceptions of him when it comes to risk-taking. In this linked video, Gus at age 5 spontaneously does a front flip at Jump-Time. Last winter, after two previous winter in which he had staunchly refused to ski, he suddenly announced he was going to ski. He showed perseverance, drive, and commitment that day, never wavering. I used to ski instruct, so I had a whole plan in mind, but when we got to the top of the hill, it was pretty much "get out of the way, Dad."
And this last summer, after years of resistance and anxiety around water, he surprised and scared the hell out of me when he decided to swim across the deep end of the pool. Talk about P,D, and C. And no panic, even when he got half-way and realized just how far he still had to go. He made it, of course, although it was a long few seconds for me. The swimming success carried over, as he later challenged the swim test at the public pool, and achieved success.
When taking the above mentioned risks, Gus does not seem to be approaching them cognitively. Like Nike used to admonish, he "just does it." He wants something, but it's not necessarily to be able to say he did it. He does it on his terms, when he is ready. And when he does decide to take those risks, he becomes very different from the Gus I've described in places above.
Wally's risk-taking behavior is certainly not unusually bold. He mirrors Gus in a lot of ways at a similar age--he is still a reluctant swimmer, has refused to participate in gymnastics lessons for two weeks in a row (they just started,) and only reluctantly consented to ride his bicycle without training wheels about a week ago. Which, in fact, is about a year earlier than Gus did.
Wally does, in other ways, show that perseverance to task that I talked about in Gus, but it seems to manifest more as that hyper-focused mathematician that Starko quotes on page 117.
Both boys, however, do typify Starko's description of creative individuals who "almost always persist and struggle over self-selected tasks, not over those assigned by others." (113) This, I would add, may well be a universal human trait.
Curiosity
Quickly--Wally seems to have a broader curiosity, although it can have depth. This more fits my definition of curious--a general interest in everything. However, when I think about Gus, he too is a curious enough fellow, but in a more focused way. Moving on.
Openness to Experience
It seems like I already talked about this, but with Gus in focus a bit more, I am drawn by Starko's discussion of "openness to inner emotional experiences." I've discussed Gus' awareness of life and death, but another recent episode may help illustrate it in another light.
When we moved into our house seven years ago, Jack the Cat was already living there. He'd been a neighborhood cat for years, and had taken permanent residence with the previous owners when their dog was dying of cancer. He was an old soul, and a good friend.
He suddenly died this summer, which seemed almost inexplicable to me. I told my family. Wally was sad, but I think he might have been very "focused" on something else at the time. Gus, on the other hand, was pretty broken up. We made this memorial for him, where he is buried. The stuffed snake was the one Jack had most recently dragged out of the house, in his continual quest to protect us.
We all went back inside, but a few moments later, Gus said he wanted to go and talk to Jack. I brought him a chair, so he could sit with him whenever he wanted.
This event is typical of Gus, and something I feel very much fits with how Starko describes openness to inner emotional experience. Starko's later advice has special significance for me:
Creative adolescents have enormous need for empathetic understanding that conveys confidence in their ability to overcome the anxiety while not belittling the intensity of its effects or the reality of its causes. (115)Gus had started sleeping in his own bed with the start of the school year. However, at about the same time I first read this, we got a call from the school nurse. He'd complained of his heart racing. My wife and I have pretty much taken this as the sign of an anxiety attack, which fits right in with other behaviors at school. We took this as a cue to let him sleep in our bed if he wanted, while at the same time, a renewed call to help him "overcome" his anxiety.
(Due to time and length constraints, I'm going to skip Broad or Focused Interests and Value Originality, and Being Internally Occupied or Withdrawn. I don't feel like I have anything profound to note that I haven't already at least discussed obliquely.)
Neatly enough, I've determined that Gus leans more strongly towards affective traits of creativity. This feels intuitively correct, and maybe all of this is a bit of self-fulfilling prophecy. But in trying to see the strengths and areas for growth in my own children, I think I've learned a valuable lesson about seeing the creativity in all students, and the need to hone it.
Conclusion
First, one of the finest conclusions in cinematic history:
Finale to "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly", of which this post has been equal measures.
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I spent the day substituting in a 7th grade Life Science classroom. They have been learning the various components of the cell. Today, in a nice little bit of cross-content curriculum, they were asked to think of a metaphor for the cell. The example given was that of an amusement park--the fences are the cell membrane, the food court is the mitochondria, and so forth.
It was a little disappointing to see how difficult this assignment proved to be for most students. Sure, the content knowledge wasn't cemented for a lot of them, but many of them didn't have a very good grasp on metaphors at all. It was a task that called for and invited creative thinking, but I didn't see much. The day gave me a renewed since of purpose in regards to instituting creative thinking in my elementary classroom. Not only that, but I feel like teaching something like the parts of a cell might be best done metaphorically before every opening up a book or website and reading a technical definition. I believe a lot of subjects are that way--it's truly a fantastic way to "connect to prior knowledge."
As for my own sons, what can I do? I've discussed a few things we've already done somewhat intuitively for general growth, rather than specifically as seen through the creative lens. We have also started a slightly more purposeful plan--a goal chart of sorts.
The goal chart has eight attributes that I stole from a book about the Shaolin Monks, arranged in a circle. Very Taoistic/Jedi. The attributes are mini-lessons in thinking metaphorically, as you'll see. There is extrinsic motivation involved, which I don't love, but the emphasis is really on being a well-rounded person. The idea is that a Shaolin Monk (or a Jedi) doesn't just study fighting, they must be skilled in many areas. Ultimately, the hope is that progress in those areas will fuel the boys intrinsically. The eight attributes are:
The Warrior
It was a little disappointing to see how difficult this assignment proved to be for most students. Sure, the content knowledge wasn't cemented for a lot of them, but many of them didn't have a very good grasp on metaphors at all. It was a task that called for and invited creative thinking, but I didn't see much. The day gave me a renewed since of purpose in regards to instituting creative thinking in my elementary classroom. Not only that, but I feel like teaching something like the parts of a cell might be best done metaphorically before every opening up a book or website and reading a technical definition. I believe a lot of subjects are that way--it's truly a fantastic way to "connect to prior knowledge."
As for my own sons, what can I do? I've discussed a few things we've already done somewhat intuitively for general growth, rather than specifically as seen through the creative lens. We have also started a slightly more purposeful plan--a goal chart of sorts.
The goal chart has eight attributes that I stole from a book about the Shaolin Monks, arranged in a circle. Very Taoistic/Jedi. The attributes are mini-lessons in thinking metaphorically, as you'll see. There is extrinsic motivation involved, which I don't love, but the emphasis is really on being a well-rounded person. The idea is that a Shaolin Monk (or a Jedi) doesn't just study fighting, they must be skilled in many areas. Ultimately, the hope is that progress in those areas will fuel the boys intrinsically. The eight attributes are:
The Warrior
Not just for fighting, the Warrior must be skilled at many motor skills. Riding bikes, tying shoes, whatever might fit the bill. The daily lightsaber duel probably doesn't count here. Gymnastics do count. Gus has already demonstrated that "affective" risk-taking behavior in class, while Wally has refused to participate.
The Sage
For now, the Sage accomplishes his goals by reading, under purposeful guidance. Gus is stronger in the Warrior, which will give him confidence, but hopefully he will begin to place equal emphasis on the Sage.
The Poet
This would eventually have much deeper meaning, but for now, it is learning to communicate well through writing. Both boys have produced copious amounts of written work, but without much guidance. For now, particularly with Gus, this attribute is a sideways attempt to help is overall literacy, through word study and spelling.
The Artist
For now, this means "creator," which mostly means original Lego creations, but also includes artwork or whatever else. Confidence building, low-hanging fruit.
The Craftsman
The Yang to the Artist's Yin (or is it the other way around?) This covers mathematics, and again circles back to Legos, and the counting and categorizing thereof.
The Musician
Like the art and writing, the boys love music but lack focus. They do take a music lesson, but rarely practice, and don't respond well to enforced practice. The intent is to help them begin to show some discipline. If Gus (or Wally) does have some musical talent, it will be hard to unleash without a little structured practice of the basics.
The Healer
Pretty broad, can encompass bedtime routines and clean-up--a healthy house is one in which Grandma won't break her ankle stepping on a Lego. Spontaneous displays of empathy or other social skills fit here as well.
The Fool
This is the best one to use for metaphorical thinking, and it has a lot of possibilities. For now, it aligns with risk-taking of any kind, whether it be attempting to ride a bike without training wheels for Wally, or chancing to raise his hand in class for Gus. The big idea ultimately is to align with Starko's idea of being willing to take intellectual risks.
There are no daily requirements. When they accomplish a mini-goal in any area, they get a little sticker, and when they've accomplished 5 mini-goals in each area, they get a big sticker, which basically means they've earned some money towards more Legos. Like we need them.
Like I said, there is still some of that sticker-based extrinsic economy, but I feel like it provides some structure, without being guilt based. They seem to like it, but we'll see how much staying power it has.
Aside from that, I find a wonderful way to nurture their--and my--creative soul is to get outside. Outside, in nature, not just the park. Last weekend we took a trip to Tablerock. I was in a mindful mood, so I wrote down all of the things we talked about, "educationally."
Some of the titles might sound a bit pretentious; trust me, this was just a dad and his boys talking about stuff.
--We did M & M math with our snacks; mostly subtilizing/partitioning/addition based on color.
--Lizard Life and Fire Ecology and Life Cycles
--Inclined planes
--Gravity and acceleration
--Why the color black is hot.
--Brain and nerve biology--we were discussing the idea of being paralyzed if you fell off a cliff.
--Milky Way math--how to divide up two pieces of candy evenly between three people.
--Principled behavior (ethics) regarding litter and graffiti.
--Imagining shapes in our Cheetohs, and rocks.
--We did talk directly about risk-taking behavior, especially in how it pertains to having conversations with strangers.
--Life and Death. Gus wanted to know my Dad's favorite animal, so that he could know what animal he might be reincarnated as. For now, it is a horse.
--The meaning of the word "opposite."
--And last, but not all, Gus asked me what to do about all the Cheetoh cheese stuck to his fingers. This is an analyzable trait in itself, but I'll just say that before I could answer, Wally answered for me. "You lick them."
This case study has provided a lot of food for thought, as well as practical experience--I've already become much more mindful about finding ways I can guide my own children towards finding confidence in the traits they are good at, strengthening the traits they are bad at, and prettying up the traits they may be ugly at. And I don't mean ugly as in really bad, but ugly as in unstructured or undisciplined. Thank you for reading.
The Sage
For now, the Sage accomplishes his goals by reading, under purposeful guidance. Gus is stronger in the Warrior, which will give him confidence, but hopefully he will begin to place equal emphasis on the Sage.
The Poet
This would eventually have much deeper meaning, but for now, it is learning to communicate well through writing. Both boys have produced copious amounts of written work, but without much guidance. For now, particularly with Gus, this attribute is a sideways attempt to help is overall literacy, through word study and spelling.
The Artist
For now, this means "creator," which mostly means original Lego creations, but also includes artwork or whatever else. Confidence building, low-hanging fruit.
The Craftsman
The Yang to the Artist's Yin (or is it the other way around?) This covers mathematics, and again circles back to Legos, and the counting and categorizing thereof.
The Musician
Like the art and writing, the boys love music but lack focus. They do take a music lesson, but rarely practice, and don't respond well to enforced practice. The intent is to help them begin to show some discipline. If Gus (or Wally) does have some musical talent, it will be hard to unleash without a little structured practice of the basics.
The Healer
Pretty broad, can encompass bedtime routines and clean-up--a healthy house is one in which Grandma won't break her ankle stepping on a Lego. Spontaneous displays of empathy or other social skills fit here as well.
The Fool
This is the best one to use for metaphorical thinking, and it has a lot of possibilities. For now, it aligns with risk-taking of any kind, whether it be attempting to ride a bike without training wheels for Wally, or chancing to raise his hand in class for Gus. The big idea ultimately is to align with Starko's idea of being willing to take intellectual risks.
There are no daily requirements. When they accomplish a mini-goal in any area, they get a little sticker, and when they've accomplished 5 mini-goals in each area, they get a big sticker, which basically means they've earned some money towards more Legos. Like we need them.
Like I said, there is still some of that sticker-based extrinsic economy, but I feel like it provides some structure, without being guilt based. They seem to like it, but we'll see how much staying power it has.
Aside from that, I find a wonderful way to nurture their--and my--creative soul is to get outside. Outside, in nature, not just the park. Last weekend we took a trip to Tablerock. I was in a mindful mood, so I wrote down all of the things we talked about, "educationally."
Some of the titles might sound a bit pretentious; trust me, this was just a dad and his boys talking about stuff.
--We did M & M math with our snacks; mostly subtilizing/partitioning/addition based on color.
--Lizard Life and Fire Ecology and Life Cycles
--Inclined planes
--Gravity and acceleration
--Why the color black is hot.
--Brain and nerve biology--we were discussing the idea of being paralyzed if you fell off a cliff.
--Milky Way math--how to divide up two pieces of candy evenly between three people.
--Principled behavior (ethics) regarding litter and graffiti.
--Imagining shapes in our Cheetohs, and rocks.
--We did talk directly about risk-taking behavior, especially in how it pertains to having conversations with strangers.
--Life and Death. Gus wanted to know my Dad's favorite animal, so that he could know what animal he might be reincarnated as. For now, it is a horse.
--The meaning of the word "opposite."
--And last, but not all, Gus asked me what to do about all the Cheetoh cheese stuck to his fingers. This is an analyzable trait in itself, but I'll just say that before I could answer, Wally answered for me. "You lick them."
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