Imagine That!

Memory

Imaging: Sparks of Genius Challenge #3

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on July 18, 2015

“Close your eyes,” Dennis the Menace once said to a friend. “If you see anything, you’re thinking.” What's more, if you “hear,” “smell,” “taste,” or “feel” anything in the absence of direct sensory stimulation, that's thinking, too. Alongside words, we cogitate by means of a primary “language” of sensory impressions experienced within the mind. In short, we image.

“Close your eyes,” Dennis the Menace once said to a friend. “If you see anything, you’re thinking.” What's more, if you “hear,” “smell,” “taste,” or “feel” anything in the absence of direct sensory stimulation, that's thinking, too. Alongside words, we cogitate by means of a primary “language” of sensory impressions experienced within the mind. In short, we image.

Attention

Sparks of Genius Challenge #2: Non-Visual Observing

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on June 26, 2015

Observing is never a purely visual act. What we see is affected by what we have touched with our hands and felt within our bodies. The same goes, of course, for what we don’t see, but hear, smell or taste. By exercising non-visual forms of observing we heighten our attention overall.

Observing is never a purely visual act. What we see is affected by what we have touched with our hands and felt within our bodies. The same goes, of course, for what we don’t see, but hear, smell or taste. By exercising non-visual forms of observing we heighten our attention overall.

Attention

Sparks of Genius Challenge #1: Visual Observing

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on June 13, 2015

Welcome to the Sparks of Genius Challenge. One tool at a time, we’re building imaginative muscle, exploring and expanding creative capacities. This month we focus on observing—an imaginative thinking skill good for all ages.

Welcome to the Sparks of Genius Challenge. One tool at a time, we’re building imaginative muscle, exploring and expanding creative capacities. This month we focus on observing—an imaginative thinking skill good for all ages.

Creativity

The Sparks of Genius Challenge

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on June 13, 2015

To exercise imaginative muscle you have to take on imaginative challenge. To nurture professional creativity you have to build on personal creativity. To prepare tomorrow’s thought leaders you have to encourage today’s inspired amateurs. We’ve said as much here in past years. Now we’d like to trade talk for action. Welcome to the Sparks of Genius Challenge!

To exercise imaginative muscle you have to take on imaginative challenge. To nurture professional creativity you have to build on personal creativity. To prepare tomorrow’s thought leaders you have to encourage today’s inspired amateurs. We’ve said as much here in past years. Now we’d like to trade talk for action. Welcome to the Sparks of Genius Challenge!

Creativity

Shop Courses, Crafts, and Creativity

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on May 11, 2015

A great deal of attention is paid to the adverse consequences of eliminating art, theater, dance and music programs from our schools – and rightfully so – but there is another set of classes that usually disappear at the same time: crafts. If we want to foster inventors, we’d better put those crafts classes back into everyone’s curricula, too!

A great deal of attention is paid to the adverse consequences of eliminating art, theater, dance and music programs from our schools – and rightfully so – but there is another set of classes that usually disappear at the same time: crafts. If we want to foster inventors, we’d better put those crafts classes back into everyone’s curricula, too!

Creativity

Creativity Hiding in the Headlines

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on March 31, 2015

“Anglo Saxon Eye Remedy Kills Deadly Superbug.” It’s the kind of headline that is sure to attract anyone interested in ancient, complementary and alternative medicines, but why post it in a creativity blog? Well, if you haven’t guessed by now, creativity can hide anywhere, manifest itself in any field, and impart its lessons through any medium. So read on!

“Anglo Saxon Eye Remedy Kills Deadly Superbug.” It’s the kind of headline that is sure to attract anyone interested in ancient, complementary and alternative medicines, but why post it in a creativity blog? Well, if you haven’t guessed by now, creativity can hide anywhere, manifest itself in any field, and impart its lessons through any medium. So read on!

Career

Tomas Tranströmer’s Avocational Polymathy

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on March 6, 2015

Scratch beneath the surface of just about any successful career in science, art, or human affairs and you’re sure to find wide-ranging interests. We’ve been scratching through the memoirs and biographies of Nobel Prize winners. No surprise, avocational polmathy, aka the several-hats tactic, turns up time and again. Tomas Tranströmer provides a case in point.

Scratch beneath the surface of just about any successful career in science, art, or human affairs and you’re sure to find wide-ranging interests. We’ve been scratching through the memoirs and biographies of Nobel Prize winners. No surprise, avocational polmathy, aka the several-hats tactic, turns up time and again. Tomas Tranströmer provides a case in point.

Laughter

Physics and Poetry: A Polymath’s Creative Strategy

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on February 13, 2015

Where do successful individuals find inspiration and energy to do the things they do? Some may harbor their forces, focused on a single passion. Yet others take on multiple problems or even multiple careers. What? They let a hobby eat up their time? They split their energies between two careers? How does that enable success?

Where do successful individuals find inspiration and energy to do the things they do? Some may harbor their forces, focused on a single passion. Yet others take on multiple problems or even multiple careers. What? They let a hobby eat up their time? They split their energies between two careers? How does that enable success?

Play

The Creative Inspiration of Worldplay

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on January 13, 2015

Inventing an imaginary world can be a boon to individuals working in the arts; in fact, the worldplay strategy has a long history of success.

Inventing an imaginary world can be a boon to individuals working in the arts; in fact, the worldplay strategy has a long history of success.

Creativity

Seven Strategies for Changing the World

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on December 18, 2014

What do you talk about when you talk at Korea’s TECH+ Forum, described as a series of “TED talks on steroids?” Why, the fundamental elements of creativity, of course!

What do you talk about when you talk at Korea’s TECH+ Forum, described as a series of “TED talks on steroids?” Why, the fundamental elements of creativity, of course!

Play

Galway Kinnell and the Eating of Oatmeal

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on December 9, 2014

Poet Galway Kinnell was one of those rare and serious talents who come along only once or twice in a generation. And yet he was not above a certain down-to-earth whimsy tied to the playful invention of imagined people and places.

Poet Galway Kinnell was one of those rare and serious talents who come along only once or twice in a generation. And yet he was not above a certain down-to-earth whimsy tied to the playful invention of imagined people and places.

Play

The Creative Investment of Worldplay

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on December 2, 2014

How can parents, educators, business leaders, and policy makers nurture creativity, prepare for inventiveness, and stimulate innovation? One compelling answer lies in fostering the invention of imaginary worlds, otherwise known as worldplay.

How can parents, educators, business leaders, and policy makers nurture creativity, prepare for inventiveness, and stimulate innovation? One compelling answer lies in fostering the invention of imaginary worlds, otherwise known as worldplay.

Education

Collecting: A Connection between Playing and Learning

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on July 31, 2011

You don’t hear much about collecting in school now-a-days. But a century ago psychologists and educators took the collecting habit in children seriously – and pondered how to use it to advantage in the classroom.

You don’t hear much about collecting in school now-a-days. But a century ago psychologists and educators took the collecting habit in children seriously – and pondered how to use it to advantage in the classroom.

Intelligence

Gifted and Talented People (and Programs) Need Help!

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on July 10, 2011

Many people believe that talent will out, that gifted students are invariably mature, motivated and focused enough to develop on their own. No way!

Many people believe that talent will out, that gifted students are invariably mature, motivated and focused enough to develop on their own. No way!

Empathy

The Empathizing Dilemma, or Confessions of the Eagle-Cam Addict

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on June 25, 2011

Like many thousands of people, this spring we found ourselves obsessively watching a pair of eagles raise their young. Responding emotionally to the trials and tribulations of eagle life, we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of the empathizing dilemma.

Like many thousands of people, this spring we found ourselves obsessively watching a pair of eagles raise their young. Responding emotionally to the trials and tribulations of eagle life, we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of the empathizing dilemma.

Creativity

The Collection Connection to Creativity

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on May 31, 2011

Do you collect anything? Coins? Stamps? Butterflies? Art? Fine wines? Could your hobby potentially make you more creative?

Do you collect anything? Coins? Stamps? Butterflies? Art? Fine wines? Could your hobby potentially make you more creative?

Creativity

Teaching the Creative Process

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on May 21, 2011

Creativity is not a “you have it” or “you don’t” kind of thing. It isn’t a personality trait. It’s not a “one size fits all” habit of mind. It’s not, simply, a set of skills to test for or a roster of art classes. So what’s a society to do? Especially one committed to constant innovation?

Creativity is not a “you have it” or “you don’t” kind of thing. It isn’t a personality trait. It’s not a “one size fits all” habit of mind. It’s not, simply, a set of skills to test for or a roster of art classes. So what’s a society to do? Especially one committed to constant innovation?

Creativity

Do Arts Teach Creativity?

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on April 30, 2011

Massachusetts and California want to mandate teaching creativity and testing for its outcomes. Maybe your state does, too. In our last post we challenged whether creativity can be taught. In this one, we challenge the measures these states intend to use to test for it.

Massachusetts and California want to mandate teaching creativity and testing for its outcomes. Maybe your state does, too. In our last post we challenged whether creativity can be taught. In this one, we challenge the measures these states intend to use to test for it.

Creativity

Can Creativity Be Taught?

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on April 22, 2011

Many states have begun calling for tests of student creativity. The only reason to test for creativity in schools is to teach it. But can creativity be taught? We don’t think so….

Many states have begun calling for tests of student creativity. The only reason to test for creativity in schools is to teach it. But can creativity be taught? We don’t think so….

Creativity

What’s the Pattern?

Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein on March 31, 2011

What do babies, birders and a set of fictional folks faced with a do-or-die puzzle have in common? Once again, we tease out an imaginative thinking tool fundamental to human cognition and creativity.

What do babies, birders and a set of fictional folks faced with a do-or-die puzzle have in common? Once again, we tease out an imaginative thinking tool fundamental to human cognition and creativity.