The power to think is the freedom to come up with unique ideas and to view things in an unguided manner. The power to think has various advantages on the development of a child’s creativity and independence. The power to think can be developed at a tender age. When developed the power to think opens up new opportunities for a child to be unique. Giving children the power to think at their tender age provides a chance for them to develop leadership skills. The power to think and implement personal thoughts presents the first stage in providing an innovation environment. This paper will highlight the advantages of having the power to think. The paper answers the question “Should children be given total freedom to explore, play and learn independently in order to absorb thinking in a profound way?.” The paper establishes the answer to this question by reinforcing the argument presented using quotes from reputable scholars who have shown the significance of promoting the idea of power to think.
In his opening speech at Stanford, Steve Jobs made a very memorable quote, “Stay foolish, Stay Hungry (Ewalt).” Initially, a person may misunderstand this quote from a globally celebrated innovator of the modern time. However, this quote has a deeper meaning, which relates to the question on power to think. Steve Jobs interpreted this quote to encourage young scholars always to seek to learn more. Young scholars were also encouraged to be hungry for information. This was a strategic approach for fostering creativity, which is essential in the modern world. In relation to the power to think, parents and teachers should allow children to learn independently. Children interpret different ideas differently, and this makes every interpretation unique. Children are also always eager to learn new things. Teachers and parents should not divert this innocent interest to learn by teaching children various concepts.
Parents and teachers should allow children to learn and find out things that interest them. During his speech, Steve Jobs said, “you should do what you love and love what you do” (Ewalt). Children also have interests in various objects and ideas. They should be taught what they want to know. Teaching children what they want to find out offers them an adventure to develop personal ideas. However, children should learn the basics first. All learners need basic knowledge even when they show exceptional interests and inborn knowledge. The power to think can be natured in learners, and it allows them to pursue their ideas. When a learner has an interest in something, they stand a better chance to develop their ideas since they understand it better. Learners can easily provide new ideas in areas they have interests.
Thinking independently provides a chance for learners to develop analytical skills. Thinking independently especially in challenging situations enables a learner to develop problem solving skills. An independent thinker can look at a problem and analyze it quickly and effectively (Coles 44). Learners who are assisted in problem solving miss the chance to develop problem-solving skills. Independent thinkers understand that the challenge faces them. They tactfully analyze all possible ways of overcoming the setback and pick the most favorable way. In this process of solving challenges independently such learners gain experience. Assisted learners depend on the experience of older people to find solutions to their problems. This creates a dependency syndrome, and it may slow down the learning process. Learning is continuous, and it should not be slowed down.
Children have the “ready to learn attitude”, because their minds are not biased. Allowing children to think and learn independently gives them a chance to develop original ideas (Ewalt). Giving children the power to think allows them to occupy their brains and develop new ideas. Experienced people rarely think in an independent manner. Their thoughts are guided by what they were taught by other people. However, giving children the power to think allows them to come up with new concepts.
The power to think provides a chance for children and learners to become creative. Just like Steve Jobs, who was hungry for information and thought independently (Ewalt). Allowing children to think independently and only guiding them when they go astray provides a chance for creativity. Children can develop new products, which have never existed in the market since independent thinker has the chance to think differently. Power to think also gives helps children to become innovative. They are able to view a product, which has existed in the market, and they can redesign the product. Through independent thinking, children and learners can also propose new ways of solving problems or easier ways of handling different situations.
Children should be granted an opportunity to think independently and develop the power to think. This is essential in allowing children and learners identify different mistakes that others make. The power to think allows children to express themselves differently from other people (Coles, 47). People who fail to think independently, or exercise their power to think, rely entirely on others. This makes the world a monotonous place where people do the same thing repeatedly. This also blocks the possibility of making new discoveries since people depend on the ideas from others.
According to Elkind, the most stupid thing in childhood is “substituting ours for theirs” (Elkind 65). Children are unique because they all think differently. Scholars account that children are unique because they all think differently. Maturity cannot be induced by forcefully teaching children new skills. Maturity takes time to develop; a child needs to experience different situations and challenges for them to become mature. Without experience, a child may behave in a mature manner today, but break down when in the future when challenges arise. A child needs to understand their responsibilities for them to become mature. Once a child has leant their responsibility, they may now accept their roles as young adults. Allowing children to think independently also allows the transition to adulthood to take place naturally. It is only through independent thinking and learning that a child can learn their responsibility. Rushing the transition process may bring rise to adults who do not know their roles in society.
Sometimes parents tell “their children to travel alone to summer camps where they interact with other children” (Elkind 66). However, during such summer camps children engage in competitions. Such competitions hinder the development of independent thinking among children. Allowing children to think independently is the first stage in creating leaders and world changers. Children who are allowed to think independently develop leadership skills and begin b leading their peers through challenges. A leader can think independently without allowing pressure groups to stop him or her. Leaders face multiple obstacles as they lead others. However, only independent leaders can overcome such challenges. In addition, only independent thinkers can succeed where other people failed because they work differently. The power to think allows an individual to engage their mind actively in providing solutions for other people.
Allowing children to think independently provides a chance for them to develop emotional balance. Children are guided by emotions at most times (Coles, 46). The negative effects of being guided by emotions are that they may react wrongly to different situations. Independent thinkers make decisions based on judgment not emotions. A decision made from an emotional mind fails to address the presented challenge. The power to think allows children to develop a balance between their emotions and the right actions. Human beings tend to be guided by emotions. However, emotions should not lead people to making the wrong decisions.
According to Cole, children who think independently interpret situations, in a morally upright manner. An inner force guides the decisions assumed by children who think independently (Coles 45). The inner force helps children to understand things in a moral way. Children challenge the ideas raised by their instructors after developing knowledge of ideas regarding to ethics. Parents and teachers who guide children on their behavior fail to practice what they tell their children. This leaves the children in a confused state where an adult guides them to follow one path while the same adult acts differently. Parents act as role models to their children and they may misguide them by failing to observe habits that promote their guidelines.
Thinking independently provides children with a chance to develop their confidence. A child becomes confident in a situation where he or she thinks independently and solves a problem successful. This means that promoting the independent thinking in children presents the first step in building their confidence. This is essential since the future needs confident leaders who can take decisions without looking back.
Works Cited
Coles, Robert. The spiritual life of children. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Print.
Elkind, David. “Childhood’s Ends.” The Hurried Child. Cambride, 1989. Print.
Ewalt, David. "Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2011/10/05/steve-jobs-2005-stanford-commencement-address.
