Gee Chapter 2

What limitations prevent us from solving big, complex problems smartly?

We as humans limit ourselves to certain parameters. We try to solve the problem the best way we know how, often without considering prior experiences and our emotions.  We do not consider that others might be able to guide us through new problems or that having a plan is necessary to solving the big, complex problem.  

In order to solve problems we need to establish the conditions to be smart.  According to the book these conditions are:

1. Initial Mentorship
2. Prior Experience
3. Clear Goals
4. We need to get something out of it/What matters emotionally
5. Opportunity to act/elicit meaningful response from the world

So what does this mean? It means that in order to solve big, complex problems we need to seek help from others before considering prior experiences.  Once we set the foundation for solving our problem we need to establish a set of clear goals. Among those goals we need to answer the age old question, “What is in it for me?” Once we discover what we want out of the solution and take into account our personal emotions, then we can discover the opportunity to act.  Our actions should fulfill our goals and gain a meaningful response from the world or at least the other people involved (i.e the class, school, community, etc).   

At the end of Chapter 2 Gee defines what it means to be SMART.  Smart means:

1. Process of building simulations before acting
2. Acting
3. Assess the outcome in terms of goals met
4. Choose a new action or adjust the old one
5. Act again

I agree with this definition or process for solving problems.  As a teacher I see students solve problems everyday and they do not always solve them in a SMART manner.  Too often students react to a problem or situation, rather than stop to think and assess the problem.  The SMART system as described in this chapter encourages each person to do that.

 Gee says that humans are the only animals capable of simulating time and accounting for it in our simulations for solutions to problems.   With the knowledge that Gee has provided to me, I think it is my responsibility to educate others about this method.  If anything, it provides support for an argument that I already make to my students.  I tell my students that they can choose how they react to situations and solve problems.  No one can make them feel anything or force them to respond.  It is a choice that they need to be aware that they are making. 

I teach in a neighborhood where your reputation matters more than your education.  The standard problem for my students would be that someone has disrespected them or taken something from them.  Their typical solution is to fight and if they end up in jail or expelled so be it.  I keep telling my students that more often than not, someone is just trying to get a reaction out of the other person.  This may not be the same big, complex problems that Gee is referring too but it is one we deal with all too often.

As we as humans become more aware of the problems we face and learn to avoid our natural urge to react based on emotion, we can then advance to solving problems the SMART way.   The more informed we are, the easier it will be to solve problems.  We can work together to find a common solution and think about problems logically with little emotion (other than the satisfaction that there is a solution to our problems).  Overall I thinking this is a wonderful starting point and can be customized and improved on for each individual.