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REFERENCES

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Ultimately, my biggest take away from this experience is the knowledge that I have the skills and ability to solve life’s problems. Critical thinking and problem-solving are skills worth developing since life is full of decisions to make. Throughout this course, during the learning of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) framework, I have come to recognize the labels for things I am already engaged in when faced with a new task or problem. In this model, the first steps include recognizing and identifying the problem, then looking at potential solutions with a broad lens. Using a divergent tool such as brainstorming to think outside the box on what lies ahead for my future and then researching those in order to narrow them down to what is the most logical answer for me. In my initial first steps I engaged in conversations with others, including family, friends, and professional contacts, in order to formulate a plan of action. After allowing these ideas to incubate for a period of time, my decision to attend higher education moved forward into a plan of action.  Despite any misgivings I had about being successful, I was armed with knowledge and confidence. Currently, I am testing out my solution, checking for required future learning and viability. Regardless, this experience has given me the courage to overcome my fears and accept the challenge of trying something new. I plan to continue to use the tools learned in this course to keep me focussed on creative problem solving in my next adventure as well.

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The Five Minute Guide to Creative Problem-Solving

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As it turned out, I was successful with that first writing assignment, and capable of learning new skills and even applying them. I think I even surprised myself. I do believe that success can and does build confidence. The more opportunity we have to test out our ideas successfully, the more confident we become. An experience such as this taught me that trying new things can not only lead to positive change but can also increase my capacity to look for creative solutions in the future. Taking risks offers the opportunity to learn about oneself which in turn can lead to personal growth. Alternatively, there are times ideas do not lead to positive outcomes and may be viewed as failures. These situations, while difficult, can also be opportunities for growth. Without ever failing one cannot truly experience the joy of success.

David and Tom Kelley coined the phrase "Creative Confidence" (Kelley & Kelley, 2012), which implies that we all have the ability to be creative. Creativity is a way of looking at reality that is more than just drawing or painting. It is a life talent that we practise and improve over time. Fortunately, I have faith in myself most of the time and have learnt through this and previous experiences that when I have an idea, I can trust myself to carry it out successfully. The Kelley brothers also believe that staying with a solution's process yields the best results. It has the potential to lead to fascinating things, possibly even something I hadn't considered before. I'm not sure where I'm going but I am sure to enjoy the process involved in continuous learning. I recognize not all new ideas or experiences will equal success, but I do know at each step, I will learn something new. Being confident in creative problem-solving also requires a level of humility according to the Kelley brothers (Kelley & Kelley, 2012). It is good to acknowledge that others may have ideas or solutions which are better than mine. The idea to return to school was actually a suggestion from a work colleague as I had not thought of this possibility at first. Had I refused to acknowledge this other person’s idea, I may have missed out on the learning not only about myself as a student but all the new skills from the entire educational experience.

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Tackling problems is something I generally enjoy. The fear I felt, I think, came from a place of considering how high the stakes were in my decision. I could spend a bunch of money on courses only to discover I would not be able to complete the expectations or even use the knowledge I was about to hopefully gain. My first course was the most challenging for me. I hadn’t written a scholarly paper in so very long; I wasn’t confident initially in my ability to do it. The professor for the course used language I had never heard of before, and I had no idea what the APA style of writing meant. But I dug into my courage and tackled the first writing assignment with the thought that, at the very least, it would be a learning experience whether I succeeded or not. As Osborn (1958) suggests, motivation to make a decision often comes from our own personal drive, and this was no different. I wanted to learn, I wanted to make this work. Sometimes my internal dialogue or "metacognition" causes me to pause my own action. But I also believe it is important to put action to ideas, otherwise they don’t amount to anything. My thoughts can either spur me on to change or hold me back (Osborn, 1958).

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This was a highly anxiety-inducing situation for me and a tremendous change, as I hadn’t been in a classroom in over thirty years. As described in the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) framework, one of the barriers to creativity is the desire not to look stupid. I was very worried that at my age, I would struggle with academic life. But on the other hand what if I could still make a difference in the early learning field. Motivation towards action can be a bridge to creative thought. I didn’t know what type of schooling I wanted to take. I didn’t even know how to apply. And what if I got turned away? School is expensive, and I was unemployed. Is this a good financial decision? Luckily for me, I have a very supportive family who encouraged me to try whatever solution I wanted for my future. One of the biggest indicators of successful creative thinking, according to Osborn (1958), is having the people around you encourage problem-solving without judgement. So, with the support of those around me and in spite of the fear and anxiety I was feeling, I decided to get those questions answered. I gathered information from a variety of program possibilities. I explored the costs, how to apply, and what kind of future I may be interested in engaging in. This all led me to Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Arts in Early Learning Leadership, so I took the leap and applied. What’s the worst thing that could happen? I get turned down. I could tried it and fail. Or I could develop my leadership skill and become a strong advocate for children and families.

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In the fall, I learned that my current career path was going to be altered for reasons beyond my control. Unfortunately, the organization I worked for had decided to stop offering the programs in which I worked and had intended to continue working. Like any problem encountered in life, this situation sent my brain into a mirid of thoughts about what this meant for my future. Initially, I thought simply of just retiring from work, as this seemed to be the simplest and most logical approach. This is the time when creative problem-solving can begin. The career I had built was over and the likelihood of finding another job in my field at my current level of income was extremely low. I however, found myself feeling uneasy with the idea of simply giving up a thirty-year career. I decided, after brainstorming many different possibilities, I could potentially use my knowledge to support others in my field of expertise. I thought about starting my own business, coaching parents and teachers. I thought about volunteering my time at a nearby school. I thought about getting a degree, something I had always wanted to do, but life had gotten in the way. I thought about simply offering care to family and friends with young children. But after spending considerable time thinking of these ideas, I engaged in a more convergent thought process and narrowed down my possibilities to the one that made the most sense for me. I wanted the degree, so I applied to school.

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LOOK TO YOUR STRENGTHS

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Sometimes we are forced into new situations or problems arise that require us to respond. In these cases, we have no choice but to react. The type of reaction, however, can be dependent on our unique personality. For example, in class, we analyzed our own strengths using the DaVincian theory. This theory suggests, people who have stronger skills in Connessione, may need more time to allow for new connections to be made in order to solve problems in their own way. People who have stronger intuitive skills who gain information through their senses may be quicker to jump into a solution (Gelb, 2012).

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New experiences can cause a variety of emotions, including fear, anxiety, worry, and even excitement. Many people's brains go through a fast analysis when presented with the unknown. People often also use lateral thinking in an attempt to predict as many possible outcomes as they can when facing a problem or new experience. According to Edward De Bono (2006), humans can engage in thinking beyond what is directly in front of them to a more broad view of possibilities (DeBono, 2006). Unfortunately, trying new things can also come with the possibility of failure. And failure is viewed in a negative light by most humans. As a society, we have connected failure to a loss of status, wealth, or position. Therefore, it has become difficult for people to step outside their comfort zone, as we tend to logically want to stick to the things we know. This is an attempt to avoid looking foolish or unknowledgeable. Mistakes or failures are however, not inherently bad things. In fact, they are actually great opportunities for learning. Trying new things and thinking beyond what we already know is the key to learning something new as well as creating future possibilities. Without taking risks, we, as a society, would never have grown, developed or invented new things.