in Academic, Brain Basics, Critical, Resources

Fighting the Cult of the Head Start: A Book Review of Range

October 3, 2024

The Cult of the Head Start

Have you felt the pressure?

Pick the sport or instrument your child is going to play and start them as early as possible. Pick the right preschool. Help them learn their letters as soon as you can.

There is no time to waste.

If I stop and think about it, I hear this messaging every day. When my oldest child turned 3, people started frequently asking which extracurricular she would be starting. Dance? Soccer? An instrument? One acquaintance told me that if my children didn’t choose early they wouldn’t qualify for travel sports teams so “better start soon!” Close friends who are educators in both public and private schools have shared that the standards for kindergarten students have increased dramatically and they can easily spot the children who did not attend preschool or early childhood education programs. There are more and more early admission programs for college and career training programs.

Pick early. Choose now.

In the book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein calls this the “Cult of the Head Start”, or the pervasive cultural idea that by starting early, performing hours of deliberate practice, and providing your children with the exactly right cocktail of resources, your child can become the prodigy of whatever area or career you’ve steeped them in. But despite this philosophy’s current appeal, Epstein encourages a different approach that supports broad experiences and broad thinking instead of zealous commitment to singular mindset or specific job path.

Summary of Range

Epstein challenges the conventional wisdom of early specialization that our culture is obsessed with and champions the power of generalization. He highlights the successes of real people with intellectual and professional “range” (aka generalists) by using a diverse mix of stories, research studies, and compelling anecdotes. Epstein comprehensively provides a convincing case for the power of diverse experiences to develop the type of future thinkers and innovators our modern world will need.

3 Highlights from Range

Early hyperspecialization is not applicable to every job and learning environment.
- Epstein describes several specific savants in their fields (chess, tennis, golf, musicians, etc.) and how early specialization led to their success in their narrow area of expertise. Success with early specialization is associated with job areas that are very specific in nature–they always follow the same set of rules and never change. Does that sound like most jobs to you? “The world is not golf and most of it isn’t even tennis…most of the world is ‘martian tennis.’ You can see the players on the courts with the balls and rackets, but nobody has shared the rules. It is up to you to derive them, and they are subject to change without notice.”
- Epstein describes a key downside to early specialization: cognitive entrenchment. Cognitive entrenchment occurs when over specialization is applied and individuals become so rigid in their thinking and narrow in their application of knowledge that they are unable to perceive alternative perspectives or create new solutions.
- Esptein argues that no savant has ever been the type of creator to “change their field.” They may master the given parameters of their niche, but that doesn’t guarantee they can apply the skills they have learned anywhere else.
The opposite of narrow specialization is “our ability to integrate broadly”
- Epstein interviews researchers who have studied both cognitive entrenchment and also successful, innovative experts. He reports that the most successful experts have broad interests in the wider world and their breadth leads to insights that cannot be attributed to their specific job training alone.
- Cognitive flexibility is the mental agility to switch between different concepts or perspectives. In Range, it’s often presented as the opposite of cognitive entrenchment. People with high cognitive flexibility are adaptable, open to new ideas, and able to think creatively across various domains. They aren’t confined to a single way of thinking but can easily shift gears to find solutions to problems. This ability is crucial in a world that’s constantly changing and evolving.
Knowledge transfer should be integral to modern education systems. Unfortunately, it’s not.
- Epstein describes multiple research studies investigating the outcomes of higher education at top American universities. The researchers found no relationship between GPA and critical thinking performance. Essentially, great grades in college education do not ensure that you can apply fundamental logic across subjects or analytically evaluate data in another field.
- “…college departments rush to develop students in a narrow specialty area, while failing to sharpen the tools of thinking that can serve them in every area.”
- Epstein isn’t arguing that higher education isn’t valuable–he is conveying that the needs of modern students have changed and advocating for a shift in the educational approach.

Why should parents read Range?

The goal of Thriving Little Thinkers is to share low cost and high impact activities to help children learn how to think. We want to connect parents with the resources they need to have an impact on their child’s intellectual life (even at an early age). The book Range highlights a need to focus on curiosity and adaptability in young minds; crucial components to raising innovative thinkers who can solve complex problems.

A few high impact takeaways you could apply today:

Give your kids sampling periods. A sampling period isn’t incidental–it’s integral. Let them try multiple sports and then pick for themselves which they enjoy the most. Let them try different instruments, clubs, teams…give them a feast and let them choose. Then, if they want specialty training, great! But let them pursue it alongside other interests and experiences.
Let your kids experience frustration and even barriers to their goals. It may lead to pivoting, and pivoting out of necessity causes eruptions of creativity.
Remember that specialization has its place, but it doesn’t provide the perfect preparation cocktail for raising thriving thinkers. “Pretending the world is like golf or chess is comforting” and can give us parents a sense of control…but it isn’t reality. Remember, our complex world requires habits of minds and ways of thinking, not singular preparation in one sport or instrument. Your child may win 20 soccer trophies or attain paid violin performances by age 12, but what will they do with that skill? Is it their only tool to take into adult life or is it part of a large, broad toolkit to draw from?

Specialization isn’t all bad–it just isn’t the whole picture either. Particularly for young children, it shouldn’t be the end-all be-all education approach.

Notable Quotes

“The more constrained and repetitive a challenge, the more likely it will be automated while great rewards will accrue to those who can take conceptual knowledge from one problem or domain and apply it in an entirely new one.”

“The more contexts in which something is learned, the more the learner creates abstract models, and the less they rely on any particular example. Learners become better at applying their knowledge to a situation they’ve never seen before–which is the essence of creativity.”

“Knowledge increasingly needs not merely to be durable, but also flexible–both sticky and capable of broad application.”

“…there is often no entrenched interest fighting on the side of range, or of knowledge that must be slowly acquired. All forces align to incentivize a head start and early, narrow specialization, even if that is a poor long-term strategy.”

“Knowledge with enduring utility must be very flexibly, composed of mental schemes that can be matched to new problems.”

“…successful problem solvers are more able to determine the deep structure of a problem before they proceed to match a strategy to it.”

5 Thinking Skills to Help Your Child Thrive in the Era of ChatGPT^Featured

by Rachael Mumbower

May 1, 2023

1 Comment

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This post expands on part 1 chatGPT: A Practical Guide for Curious Parents, and explores 5 specific thinking skills needed to navigate ChatGPT with wisdom.

Are you a parent of young children? Have you been thinking “ChatGPT isn’t even on my radar. I don’t need to worry about that yet.“

Even if you have preschoolers or elementary aged children, this is a valuable post for you. There are simple, low cost, high impact ideas to build teachable thinking skills now that could improve their ability to navigate generative AI, later.
Check out the infographic for specific ways to teach these crucial thinking skills and adjust them to match your specific child’s age and capability.

Or…

Are you a parent of tweens or teens?

You may have heard about ChatGPT from your student’s school or teacher. Some middle school and high schools have banned this tech from their campuses and others have embraced it as part of the modern day classroom.
If you are already familiar with ChatGPT, read on and learn more about teachable thinking skills we can build up in our teens and tweens, whether they are currently using ChatGPT or not.
Are you worried about the content that chatGPT provides? Are you concerned about their ability to evaluate the information from chatbots and apply it? I created a student workbook that teaches the C.R.A.A.P. method, a way to evaluate output from ChatGPT while learning valuable critical thinking and analysis skills. It’s completely free and available here:

Contents:

In light of ChatGPT and its capabilities, do our kids still need thinking skills apart from AI?
What thinking skills are essential now, more than ever?
1. Executive functioning
2. Information literacy
3. Asking the right questions
4. Communication
5. Ethical thinking
How do we teach those skills?
1. Infographic
Takeaways
References

1. In light of ChatGPT and its capabilities, do our kids still need thinking skills apart from AI?

Are thinking skills obsolete?

I’ve heard an argument that our children won’t need to learn to do basic cognitive tasks, such as remembering, classifying, summarizing, interpreting, or even comparing or contrasting, because generative AI is capable. ChatGPT can tell you the right answers and formulate responses for you… so why teach our children those things?

I think this argument assumes 1) that the AI is capable of quality output every single time (which is already suspect¹) and 2) that the AI will always be readily accessible (high user volumes sometimes render the service unavailable, and paywalls may limit inclusion of varying socioeconomic groups).

But, for the sake of argument, even if generative AI can perform a function accurately and is easily accessible—does omitting the training of thinking skills benefit your child in any way?

Products vs. processes

Now more than ever, our children absolutely need thinking skills and the ability to communicate, apart from AI. They need the skills to navigate the digital world well.

Generative AI generates a product or outcome. Teaching our children to think means we are developing their thinking processes.

A reliance on generative AI can potentially lead to a decrease in thinking skills because it provides quick solutions and generates ideas without the user needing to engage in the cognitive processes that are involved in creating those solutions or ideas.

We aren’t training child robots capable of spitting out answers. We are cultivating minds with the ability to thoughtfully consider ideas and articulately respond.

The allure of a shortcut is certainly present, given the sheer number of ways we can access generative AI. But I don’t want my children to always choose the easy route with a chatbot. The reason and voice of chatGPT could potentially be helpful, but I don’t want it to replace their own.

2. What thinking skills are essential now, more than ever?

Executive functioning
Information literacy
Asking the right questions
Communication
Ethical thinking

Some overlap, but all are important for navigating digital experiences.

1. Executive Functioning

Executive functioning is a foundation for effective thinking skills–a set of underlying cognitive processes. Executive function involves regulating and controlling the other cognitive functions of the brain like attention, memory, self-control, or problem solving. Executive function is like an air traffic controller who is managing the coming and going of planes in multiple lanes at the same time.²

By regulating thoughts, emotions, and actions, students can focus on what they are learning. Generative AI like ChatGPT can provide a wealth of information and entertainment, making distraction almost effortless. Therefore, students need to develop the ability to stay focused on the task at hand and avoid getting sidetracked.

2. Information literacy

Information literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, and use information effectively. Information literacy isn’t just a thinking skill–it’s a life skill crucial for navigating the age of digital information as it becomes more and more difficult to differentiate between credible and non-credible sources.

Lack of information literacy skills can contribute to the spread of false information and can lead to poor decision making when there is inaccurate or incomplete information. Using low quality AI responses could lead to academic, professional, or personal consequences.

To practice this skill right away, download the free workbook Smart Kids Chat Smarter.

3. Asking the Right Questions

Asking the right questions is both an art and a foundational thinking skill. Asking the right questions involves identifying gaps in knowledge or understanding, and exploring different perspectives. The way a question is asked will determine what information ChatGPT provides.

You will get completely different answers from ChatGPT if you ask “What is a thinking skill?” vs. “What are the most important thinking skills that parents can teach their children and how can they do this in a low cost way?”

Which of those questions would provide you with the most useful information?

4. Communication

Communication, the way we share ideas with others, is both a thinking skill and a social skill. Our brains think of what we want to say and how to say it in ways that other people can understand.

It is easier than ever to replace communication with AI generated responses. ChatGPT is excellent when crafting an email, but will your teen be able to respond face to face in a verbal exchange with their supervisor at work? Communication is essential for success in all relationships, whether at home, school, play, or in the workforce.

If students are over reliant on AI to communicate for them, they may not develop and hone the skills needed to speak clearly and effectively on their own.

5. Ethical thinking

Ethical thinking is examination of values and beliefs and making decisions in line with those values and beliefs. Using AI with integrity will require consideration of complex ethical issues.

Students (and teachers) must recognize that their own values may not be reflected in ChatGPT or in the way other people utilize it. Without ethical thinking skills, students may not appreciate the responsibility for the content they generate with the help of chatGPT. They will also need to identify biases and stereotypes, and even respond to inappropriate or harmful information.

3. How do we teach these skills?

Use these tips as a starting point for building up cognitive elements like executive function and honing skills in information literacy, communication, asking the right questions, and thinking ethically.

You’ll notice that modeling, reflection, and exploration are key components of teaching any key thinking skills. For more on modeling, check out the post Modeling: How to Shape Brains & Behavior For Better.

4. Takeaways

There are ethical, moral, and philosophical implications for using generative AI and as it changes and its application spreads, our children need to be able to use it with integrity and skill.

ChatGPT should not be used to replace thinking skills, it should be used to enhance them.

In the era of ChatGPT, thinking skills are more important than ever. There is currently no research stating that chatGPT can reduce thinking skills in young students, because good research takes time, and there hasn’t been enough time since its release to conduct high quality research. However, like any technological tool, it’s the way in which it is used that has the greatest impact.

I’m hopeful that in the coming months and years, we will see research specifically exploring the benefits and risks of using generative AI, particularly in education. I’m hopeful that we will see research based “best practices” for using ChatGPT with young learners. I’m hopeful that we will see studies of ChatGPT’s impact on brain function that are longitudinal (observing the same participants and variables over a long period of time, sometimes for years).

I’m cautiously optimistic.

The way we interact with generative AI like ChatGPT is evolving and will be different a year from now.

But today, with the information available to me, I’m focusing on teaching thinking skills that can prepare my children for whatever ChatGPT has in store for us.

Looking for more?

Put these skills into practice right away with your middle or high school student by grabbing the free student workbook Smart Kids Chat Smarter that walks you the C.R.A.A.P. test for evaluating ChatGPT output.

References

Hsu & Thompson (2023). Disinformation researchers raise alarms about A.I. chatbots https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/technology/ai-chatbots-disinformation.html
InBrief: Executive Function (2012) https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-executive-function/#:~:text=Executive%20function%20skills%20are%20important%20throughout%20life.&text=Positive%20Behaviors%E2%80%94Executive%20functions%20help,well%20as%20those%20of%20others.
Spiegel, et al. (2021) Relations between executive functions and academic outcomes in elementary school children: A meta-analysis. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-59065-001

Featured

in Academic, Brain Basics, Critical, Resources

5 Excellent Books for Raising Thinkers^Featured

by Rachael Mumbower

November 9, 2022

Reading and learning for yourself, as a parent, increases your own thinking skills and is a low cost and high impact way for you to improve your child’s thinking skills. It’s a win-win.

Here is the list of 5 books I highly recommend for raising thriving little thinkers:

1. The Whole Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

A great book about brain basics with specific strategies for promoting cognitive integration (using your whole brain). This book is written by the same authors as The Yes Brain. It is research based, well written, easy to understand, and clearly organized.
One favorite quote: “As parents become more aware and emotionally healthy, their children reap the rewards and move toward health as well. That means that integrating and cultivating your own brain is one of the most loving and generous gifts you can give your children.”

2. The Yes Brain by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Another great book about brain basics. This book is helpful for providing specific strategies in building resilience and curiosity in kids. I don’t want my children to fear failure, or avoid mistakes. This book explains how to cultivate the right environment as the parent to promote the mindset we want our children to master. This book is written by the same authors as The Whole Brain Child and similarly research based, well written, easy to understand, and clearly organized.
One favorite quote: “What you do and don’t value, and what you do and don’t give attention to, will impact who your child becomes.”

3. The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie

A great book about academic thinking and family culture, this one is helpful no matter what age your children are. Sarah Mackenzie crafts compelling arguments for cultivating a read-aloud environment in your home. She explains the academic benefits and the deepened relationships resulting from reading books together as a family.
One favorite quote: “When we read aloud, we give our kids practice living as heroes. Practice dealing with life-and-death situations, practice living with virtue, practice failing at virtue. As the characters in our favorite books struggle through hardship, we struggle with them. We consider whether we would be as brave, as bold, as fully human as our favorite heroes. And then we grasp—on a deeper, more meaningful level—the story we are living ourselves as well as the kind of character we will become as that story unfolds.”

4. Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace by Sarah Mackenzie

Don’t let the word “homeschooler” lead you away from this book–replace the word “teaching” with “mothering” and you can quickly summarize the contents and apply it to your home. Sarah Mackenzie, the same author as The Read Aloud Family, writes beautiful words of encouragement for a mother who feels too much rests on your shoulders. While it is written from a homeschooling perspective, the concept of parenting and teaching from rest is applicable to any parent wanting to raise thriving little thinkers.
A favorite quote: “It’s easy to forget that teaching is holy work. We forget that building up the intellect- teaching our children to really think- does not happen by the might of human reason, but rather by the grace of God. On an ordinary day, you and I likely have a set of tasks we’ve scheduled for our kids. But it’s more than math. It’s more than history. It’s the building up of our children’s minds and hearts, and we can only do that if we realize that this is how we thank Him for the graces He so lavishly pours out on us.”

5. Awakening Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning by Sally Clarkson

I found this book to be more inspirational and beautifully written than practical. But the vivid picture of a child who loves learning has stuck with me and encourages me as I teach and train my children. Sally Clarkson describes her experiences teaching her own four children and how she created a culture of “wonder” and tried to create a “wonder-filled life.” It’s an excellent source of inspiration for those seeking to instill a love of learning in their families.
One favorite quote: “Education is not about enacting a prescriptive, boxed sort of curriculum-based classroom, but instead is about passing on a legacy of a love for learning, an independent joy in discovery, a motivation to bring light, beauty, and goodness back into the world of our children.”

A Note on Cost: While I’ve personally read all of the books listed, I borrowed them before I purchased them. My local library has excellent apps like Libby or Hoopla that allow me to listen to the audiobook for free or I can request hardcopies from within our local library system. I encourage you to utilize resources near you and get creative! If you prefer to purchase your own hardcopies to take notes or keep as reference, great! Just know that it isn’t required.

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