Focus on Innovation and Caine's Arcade

I came across the following two items completely independently but they compliment each other so well and are so useful that I couldn't help but share them together here under the common theme of "Innovation."

The first item is an article/interview with author Tony Wagner on his new book Creating Innovators. The article does a nice job of distilling the major points and recommendations from the book. They include food for thought for me as a teacher, you as a parent and all of us as a community. Here's a link to the article: http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/creating-innovators-22-insights-from-tony-wagners-new-book-905.php

The second item is a video about a young boy who demonstrates an inspiring level of innovation and perseverance. I first heard about it as a radio story on NPR, but felt compelled to track down the video and see this young man's creation for myself. Parents and kids should find it equally inspiring. It's called "Caine's Arcade" and is a fascinating example of how an innovative mind can do A LOT without MUCH.

The Fish Puzzle: Another Lesson in Persistence

When Christie 2nd grader Carrington saw a "cute little fish puzzle" in the QUEST room one day and started playing around with it, she didn't realize she was about begin a multi-week battle that would require all her patience, logic and visual problem solving skill!


On the surface it seems like an innocent little 9 piece puzzle that might take a preschooler 2 minutes. It is designed, however, to push you to your limits! Most students, and adults, realize how tough it is after just a few minutes, then set it aside for something a little less "impossible." Carrington challenged this impulse, however, and declared that she was definitely going to solve it!

A few weeks (and many hours of her holiday break) later, she had done it.  

Congratulations, Carrington! Thanks for reminding us of this quote by Christopher Reeve (the original "Super Man"):

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable,

and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.”