Why is it important to master "the relevant foundational knowledge and skills" in order to develop higher order thinking?

Before you can think critically or creatively, you need to first understand the basics. It sounds simple, but without mastering the foundation, you can’t build higher-order thinking.

Think of it like this: You can’t innovate if you don’t know how things work. You can’t create without knowing the rules you’re bending. Every major breakthrough, every genius idea, starts with a deep understanding of the fundamentals.

Take Leonardo da Vinci, for example. He wasn’t just a painter who woke up one day and created the Mona Lisa. He spent years studying human anatomy, mastering geometry, and learning about light and shadow. It’s this mastery of foundational skills that allowed him to push boundaries and think beyond what was possible in his time.

“You have to know the basics before you can break them.”

Higher-order thinking—the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create—requires that you already know what you're working with. If you’re not familiar with basic math, how can you solve complex problems? If you don’t know how to write a sentence, how can you craft an impactful story?

Let’s look at coding: Before you can develop a new app, you need to learn the basics of a programming language. You have to know how to structure your code, understand functions, loops, and variables. Only after you’ve mastered these foundational skills can you think creatively and solve problems on a larger scale.

Why is this important?

Because without foundational knowledge, you’re stuck guessing. You can’t reach the heights of innovation or critical thinking if you’re still tripping over the basics. Mastery allows your brain the freedom to explore new ideas, make connections, and see patterns others might miss.

Think of it like learning to play an instrument. At first, it’s all about scales, notes, and timing. It’s repetitive. It’s hard. But those foundational skills allow you, later on, to improvise, to create something new and unique. Without the basics, there’s no creativity.

Higher-order thinking doesn’t appear out of thin air. It grows from a solid base of knowledge and skills that have been honed and mastered.

Action leads to mastery. Mastery leads to creativity. Creativity leads to higher-order thinking.

So, where do you begin?

Master the fundamentals. Whether it’s math, writing, coding, or any skill, learn it deeply. Only then can you reach the point where you can think freely, solve problems creatively, and innovate boldly.