Feeling that Wanderlust, Cognitive Flexibility, & AI Tutors

Hello Reader!

This week, I'm exploring the feeling of wanderlust, what cognitive flexibility is & why you need more of it, and how to use AI as a tutor.

Feel

I got struck with wanderlust again this weekend. We rode the train downtown, and as I was walking with my kiddos down the busy street, I had that feeling. The feeling you get when the air is fresh and you don’t know what’s around the next corner. The feeling of excitement in the people around you as they go about their own adventures. The feeling that says, “I’m so ready to go!”

Luckily, we have a trip in a few weeks. But what if we didn’t? What can we do with all that built-up energy that says, “Let’s go!”?

In the past, I’ve turned to my writing, taking off to far-off places with my characters. But now with the kids, I look for places and experiences we’ve missed right here at home. The observatory that can take us out into space. The new exhibit at the art museum we’ve been meaning to see. Or a local farmers' market in the next town over.

They all give us the stimulation of trying something new together! A mini adventure to tide us over until the next one.

Change

My deep dive this week is cognitive flexibility and why we all need more of it!

Cognitive flexibility is your mental agility: the ability to switch between different thinking styles, adapt to new situations, and see problems from multiple angles.

Research shows cognitive flexibility predicts:

Career advancement (better than IQ alone)
Relationship satisfaction
Stress resilience
Creative problem-solving
Learning speed

Low flexibility: "This approach isn't working, but it's the only way I know."

High flexibility: "This approach isn't working; let me try a completely different angle."

Unlike IQ, cognitive flexibility can be significantly improved at any age through practice. Here's a one to get you started:

Strategic Task-Switching Practice switching between different types of mental activities. Spend 20 minutes on analytical work, then switch to creative tasks, then move to social activities. This builds the neural pathways for cognitive switching while preventing the mental fatigue that comes from staying in one thinking mode too long.

Try this, especially when you get stuck. Giving the brain different pathways to solve problems leads to more creative solutions. To read more about cognitive flexibility, check it out on my Feel Change Build blog.

Build

I hate math. No, that's not right. I hate NEW math! Well, that's not even exactly true anymore. Not since I realized all they are trying to do with new math is teach kids how to do it in their head. They also present multiple strategies hoping, one will click with students. It's not a bad plan, really.

The problem comes in when my kiddos need help with math. The truth is, I love math! But I have my own strategies and ways of doing it that will not get them to pass the test. (Show your work!) So I've had to find backup. And AI has turned out to be a wonderful tutor!

The key is setting the parameters for what we need from AI. Start with a prompt:

You're a 7th grade pre-algebra teacher. Explain step by step how to find markup percentages. Then give 10 practice problems.

This gives you the road map on how to teach your kiddo the new strategies. Giving it the grade level helps keep the difficulty level appropriate. After doing the work, the practice problems are easy to check and ask for the steps again if you get confused.

This type of tutoring can go far beyond math. You could ask for questions on their latest novel study based on context, culture, or character development. In science, you could search for the research supporting scientific theories. And you could deep dive into just about any part of history, going in as far as your kiddo's curiosity takes them (just make sure to check the sources!)

The key to teaching kids about AI is showing them that, rather than thinking for them, it is better to use it as a tool to think critically.

Thank you for taking the time to read!

Have a lovely day! - Kate