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Cameron Maxwell's avatar

When I was in a class for my Master's program for teaching, one of peers referenced a concept she'd thought up called "enabling constraints." The term stuck with me, and I still think about it when designing work products for students. The idea is that by putting clearly defined parameters around what a task is and isn't, you end up encouraging focus and self-awareness and creative expression, since your charges no longer feel adrift in possibility. It's a notion which occupies the same ground as Harrison's philosophy - know thyself, value your work and treat it like craft, and be attentive to process.

Thanks as always for the interesting thought-food: it was a nice way to start the day 😃

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Reena Kapoor's avatar

This was a great essay and profile of sorts! Loved the return to simple usefulness, avoiding the shiny objects and to finding our gods of meaning, which we seem to be replacing with our worst impulses riding us... Thanks for a thought provoking piece.

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