7 TIPS FOR INSPIRING DIVERGENT AND CREATIVE THINKING — PILGRIM SOUL

Article by John Spencer, a former middle school teacher and current college professor. He originally wrote this article geared towards kids, titled 7 Ways to Inspire Divergent Thinking in the Classroom. Spencer explores research, interviews educators and studies real-world examples of divergent thinking in action.

The Pilgrim Soul Creative Thinking Journal is Now Available

The psychologist J.P. Guilford first coined the terms convergent thinking and divergent thinking in 1956.

Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, “non-linear” manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. Many possible solutions are explored in a short amount of time, and unexpected connections are drawn. Following divergent thinking, ideas and information are organized and structured using convergent thinking, which follows a particular set of logical steps to arrive at one solution, which in some cases is a “correct” solution.

In today’s society, it’s getting harder and harder to find success in the “standard way.” We can go to school, get stellar grades, even graduate with honors, and…