96 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP / OCTOBER 2017
RENANT
EU
MAN
/ADAPTED
FR
OM
SHUTT
ERST
OCK
TakeawaysEL
Schools must cultivate
an inventive spirit that
invites risks and welcomes
failures—and learns
from both.
—Charlie Harper, p. 70
It’s important to inject
uncertainty into students’
learning experiences.
Uncertainty is what makes
a problem a problem—and
our students will face
problems in life.
—Ronald A. Beghetto, p. 20
We tend to think of
creativity as fairy dust,
magic, and eureka moments.
In fact, it’s a process.
—Carol Ann Tomlinson, p. 91
It’s important that all
students engage in design-
thinking opportunities.
Not just gifted students or
students who identify as
STEM students.
All students.
—Jaunine Fouché and Joel Crowley,
p. 65
The best way to build
a thriving problem-
solving culture is to
give students problems
they want to solve.
—Lisa Watts Lawton, online
6 INSIGHTS ON PROBLEM SOLVING
Source: The collective wisdom of authors published in the October 2017 issue
of Educational Leadership, "Unleashing Problem Solvers” (Volume 75, Issue 2).
Researchers who study
problem solving point out
that good problem solvers
are often good problem
finders: They see the
world in terms of problems
to be solved.
—Shari Tishman and Edward P. Clapp,
p. 58
