Lateral Or Linear Thinking

In the mental growth of a child it's pretty easy to recognize whether he or she is a lateral or linear thinker. That is, if you're aware that there is a definite difference which I venture to submit, most parents and teachers alike do not.

While neither thought process is right or wrong, each has it's own pro's and con's. Of course, the largest downfall of the whole subject is when the adults fail to see which way a child leans and instead of teaching toward a kid's strengths, we could be teaching against them.
In the long run, it's like trying to teach a left handed child that it's wrong to be that way and try to teach him or her to accomplish everything right handed including writing.

Everyone of us have two ways of thinking of reaching a goal. Linear, which is from A to Z (start to goal) or Lateral which is A then possibly B or C or D graduating to Z.
The Linear thinker takes his satisfaction from achieving a set goal and sees only one way to achieve it whereas the Lateral person sees the goal but finds more satisfaction in the trip getting there believing that there are many routes to achieve his goal and wants to check them all out whether he actually reaches the objective or not.
Now, the downfalls of both would be that if a Linear thinker Is blocked on his way to his objective, it's very hard for him to think of alternatives arrangements. The Lateral will always immediately find alternatives and be happy with them even if he gets lost in the process.
I guess it's akin to thinking outside the box versus never leaving the box. Linear won't leave the box even if it means not achieving his goal, and Lateral will leave the box even if it means never finding his way back in.

Just for kicks, which way do you seem to travel? And, just for more kicks and giggles, can you adapt to both leanings and can you spot them in others?
One more: Do you think our teaching staff should be educated as to the differences or does it seem to matter at all?

 

I think teachers should be able to spot the potential in a child and nurture that more
In a couple of schools that happened with me and I was grateful
I'm definitely a lateral thinker and I think a lot always did, right from a kid, trying to work out
my family mostly - this lead on to all things

 

I think I'm more linear but not totally....but if you only want me to choose one then I'll go with linear. I also haven't given this that much thought yet but replied like I always do...right away. May change my mind later.

As for teachers, not sure now days but common core math sure took the round about way to answer 2+2!

All 5 of my grandsons are smart but they achieve their good grades differently. The 13 yr old is most like me, his brother is his opposite.

I don't see the 3 little ones that much to be able to judge them but the middle child is definitely lateral.

 

I'd say you're linear too Chrissy, judging by the above

 

Not sure which type this falls in, Lateral or Linear.
Here is how I approach problem solving/attaining goals:

1.Observation
2.Define Problem Area
3.Identify Possible Causes
4.Determine Most Probable Cause
5.Test and Repair ( or solve problem/attain goal )

Been doing this since I can remember, but I'm a lot better at it now.
Do it without even thinking.
Sometimes you can skip some steps after #1 due to experience, and go right to step #4/5,
but Observation is the key.

I think parents need to prepare young ones for both types of thinking,
but they usually lean to how 'they' approach a task in teaching this.

 

I am definitely a lateral thinker though I was educated in the traditional linear way, which of course I found boring, I am also mainly visual so don't get on with lists and endless reams of text, I always tend to jump from A to Z without fully knowing how I got there. .......... I guess that is why my life has been pretty much a chaotic journey but certainly an entertaining one...

I think these concepts are fairly new to the teaching world, and wonder how teacher's could be trained to overcome their innate fixation on their own personality type, and accommodate both systems in their teaching methods?

 

In my reads, it seems that the word "chaos" is coupled with the word "enjoy" or "entertaining" in the lateral thought lifestyle more often than not.

Your last paragraph is getting to the crux of the matter which is definitely the question of how do we teach teachers?
Naturally, it would depend on the instructors ability to accept that there really is a difference and not just some psychological trimmings to give excuses as to why Johnny will not learn as fast as the other kids.
Some students have been over diagnosed with ADHD and ADD when in fact they are either just not interested because the linear student already knows the subject matter or the lateral is on some fantastic mental journey seeking other possibilities. I digress.....

Teachers, instructors, professors et al have to know which way they lean and have to be taught how to access the opposing land and teach accordingly. Very Very often we have students who thoroughly enjoy a specific teacher based on the grounds that they know how to direct their skills in order to bring out the best in each student.
Then there are already the not so good teachers who say, "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead". "If Johnny can't add 2+2 at the end of the day then tough, the kid's an idiot, let's dope him up and pass him along anyway."

In short, I do NOT know the answer to your query @Terry Page other than giving the teachers the right tools and hope they use them. When they finally do understand and are able access both worlds not only to allow themselves a better insight into themselves but they can also lead in a positive manner no matter the prospective journey each and every student employs.

 

It's interesting that you bring up the duality of thought processes in that they can both be obtained and used constructively as a unit of choice rather than happenstance.
The "women are spaghetti and men are waffles" is a nice neat package in which the genders are given their basic mental attributes but it hardly touches the real matter of logic and reasoning between the sexes in the journey of problem solving.
Yes, men and women do think differently and have different priorities which is as it should be but we ALL have only two problem solving methods and which method we use is both natural and a subject of choice.

Good show babydoll!

 

ARE YOU A LINEAR OR LATERAL THINKER?

Lateral Thinking Quiz
The following questions will test your ability to think laterally. If you get more than 50% of these right you're certainly strong on your lateral thinking skills (or maybe you're just good at quizzes!)

 

Most of these are trick questions. . Didn't take the full test because I would have had to write my answers on paper but knew most except for some of the ones involving the UK

 

Of course these days the first question could get different answers.

A graduate applying for pilot training with a major airline was asked what he would do if, after a long-haul flight to Sydney, he met the captain wearing a dress in the hotel bar. What would you do?

 

For the best results, you have to write your answers down, in order to come up with a score. These are not trick questions for a lateral thinking person. I got 12 correct,

 

Then I must be a lateral thinking person too.

 

12 is more of a linear person