I’ve just finished reading Rogoff’s1 book on development. Initially, I had planned to finish much earlier. But, my wife and I had a child, and to be quite honest I needed some time off. I’ll be starting class again on Monday though, and I’m happy to say I feel ready. Two final quotes from Rogoff before I move on…

On development

Cognitive development consists of coming to find, understand, and handle particular problems, building on the intellectual tools inherited from previous generations and the social resources provided by other people. Development involves children’s progress toward local ideals of mature thinking and action, rather than progress toward a universal goal (p. 190).

And on creativity:

First, it must be recognized that such creativity builds on the technologies already available, within existing institutions. A creative idea is in some sense a reformulation of existing ideas; there is nothing completely new under the sun. Something completely new would not even be recognized (p. 198).

1. Rogoff, Barbara. (1990). Apprenticeship in Thinking. New York: Oxford University Press