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Hi guys! Finally got a chance to post smth.

As I work with TRIZ, it's obvious for me to analyze more than once what I'm doing. So on Monday I was choosing TRIZ tasks for my kid (11.y.o). And a question appeared. What is important when I present world to a kid?

OTSM - is a theory of powerful thinking. TRIZ - is a theory of inventing problem solving. 

BUT! If you've studied TRIZ or have read more than 1 book about it and solved more than 2 tasks you have to understand, that it's not about problems. Well it is. And it's not. 

Why am I speaking like this? Ok. Look. No. Not just look. Read. 

We all know that thinking is a social thing. It depends on how and where the information was presented to us. To kids. To everybody. So not only kid's mind and brain are like adaptive gearbox, which get used to the style of the driver, thinking does the same. 

If you present information about picture (3 stripes, white, black, yellow) as a system, which contains from, ok, let's say it has three values of a parameter color - black, yellow and white. Black is not opposite to white. And white is not opposite to yellow. We take a look at each of them separately (colors, shape of the form, depth etc), and to all of them together as a picture. Usually we can't delete anything, so we have to deal with it. 

Now let’s define the word “problem”? Wiki says: A problem is an obstacle, impediment, difficulty or challenge, or any situation that invites resolution.

Ask anybody 13-65y.o about problem – you’ll hear such words as difficult, unpleasant etc. Does any of these words are connected with creativity? With super fun? With good ideas?  With motivation? No.

Ask a 5 y.o kid who’s already in a “standard education system” – you’ll hear: when smth goes wrong, when smth is bad, when you don’t know what to do, I don’t like problems … What the hell? Why? Because of methods that were used by teachers and parents.

It’s not a problem. It’s a situation, task and exercise, whatever. It’s fun! It’s new! And we don’t  define  cool fun new tasks as problems!

Zen Buddhism is a good example for this. It presents a world, as a whole and a system without defining good and bad. Everything is useful and can be analyzed as whole or as a system with subsystems, even opposite systems. Close to TRIZ, right?

I’m working with kids and I never say “problem”. Why? This word has negative value today, cause it kills creativity. It’s very difficult to make a first step, when you know there’s a problem in front of you. It’s better to have a situation with contradiction. Task. Anything what is connected with positive and creative thinking. So it’s not only a “word” change. No. It’s a whole different view on things.

Do you have problems? I don’t. I have situation or lessons to deal with. And I look forward with creativity and open mind to build solutions. Even TRIZ doesn’t. No problems. In russian TRIZ (Теория решения изобретательских задач.)

If you work with kids and are able to make obstacles, that there a no problems (as are understood in a modern world) for them, would you do it? Would it be good in future for them? And for  you? Share …

Thanks