2. origin U.S. (usually with the) a broad overview of a situation, issue, or problem; a wide perspective or appraisal, esp. regarded as an effective way to identify essential features or evaluate overall aims and strategy.~ from “big picture, n.” OED Online. September 2008. Oxford University Press. 30 Mar. 2010
Now the big picture has expanded. Today’s Renaissance Men and Women must make many choices, every day, of what not to learn—there is simply too much information, too many resources, too big of a picture to have a fighting chance of learning it all.
“Pint-sized big picture thinkers really do exist and they seem to be over-represented among dyslexics of all ages. Many of these kids are ‘high conceptual’ thinkers, those who like discovering novel subjects, themes, and things that don’t make sense
…” ~ from “Big Picture Thinking“
When a child shows a tendency or aptitude for big picture thinking, we can help them by, first, valuing the trait. As the authors of the Dyslexic Advantage article quoted above remind us, these are the children who ask “why?”—not occasionally, but often: “For those of us who are content to be ‘little picture’ thinkers when called for, the drive seems a little arbitrary and perhaps fatuous—but if you see enough of these kids, it seems more than a preference, it is a necessary requirement for learning at least in some people.”
Think of it as if you were getting web directions for a trip to a new destination. You read the direction list of where to turn and how far to go. You see the map showing the final stop. But it’s not until you zoom out to see the bigger picture and how those left turns and right turns fit into the city, region or state view that you can make sense of the street view.
Teachers and parents can look for ways to reward rather than discourage big picture, “zoom out” thinkers. Often, simply taking the time to answer the why’s allows these children to be able to zoom in to the details in front of them.
Second, we can help them to learn to make choices and, when necessary, to put blinders of their own choice on so as to block out the big picture, at least temporarily. I know that, for myself, I often get stuck in my day-to-day tasks because the big picture calls to me, asking me to come out to play in a world of ideas and goals and possibilities. However, to make those goals happen, sometimes I need to forget about them and spend some time, instead, slogging through a smaller to-do list. The challenge is to help children to learn this skill while, at the same time, helping them to appreciate and use their big picture gifts.
