By Jesse Fenty
When I was in elementary and junior high school, a common idea seemed to pervade academic thought: either you were good at math and science, or you were good at language and the arts —rarely both. There was even the belief that girls weren’t good at math, which thankfully is an outdated notion today. I ended up excelling at math in an unexpected way. In my neighborhood, we played “throw-back football” incessantly, keeping a running tally of scores for each player. My brother, ever organized, kept a big spreadsheet on his wall of everyone’s cumulative score, calculated by increments of 7. Pretty soon, I had the 7s multiplication table memorized, and when it came time for math lessons in school, I already knew the answers because I’d learned to enjoy numbers and arithmetic.
This head start in math built my confidence, and I found myself enjoying the different aspects of it, eventually scoring a 700 on the SAT math section and earning a degree in Electrical Engineering. Language, on the other hand, felt like an uphill climb—I scored a 500 on the SAT language section and felt labeled as a “math guy.” The conditioning ran deep: if you were analytical, you probably weren’t creative or a strong writer, and if you were creative, analytical thought might feel out of reach. But there was a breakthrough moment for me, one that taught me that math and language weren’t eternal enemies.
I found out that my Benjamin Banneker High School principal, Robert D. Steptoe had double-majored in English and Math. I remember thinking, If he could do it, maybe it really is possible to be both. Fast forward thirty years, and I’m living that reality, merging analytical thinking with language in a career that requires both: Patent Law.
In patent law, we see that both sides of the brain—analytical and creative—are essential to the work. Most patents are born from analytical, engineering thought. The left brain figures out how to design a microchip, engineer a new material, or construct components of a car. But to obtain a Patent, those inventions need to be represented not only with technical drawings but also with clear, precise descriptions, often requiring the creation of new language or innovative terms to express complex scientific concepts. The patent drafter must shift back and forth between the right and left brain, exercising creativity to capture these inventions in words that anyone can understand.
For parents who want to give their children a well-rounded education without limiting their potential, consider encouraging interests on both sides of the brain. If they are analytical, challenge them to write about their pursuits. If they are creative and good readers, have them read about inventions. The world isn’t divided neatly between math and language, science and creativity. Professions like patent law show us how powerful a blend of analytical and creative skills can be.
By fostering both logical and creative skills in children, we give them the freedom to explore a range of professions, including those that rely on both sides of the brain. Encourage them to delve into science and math as well as language and art—fields that may seem separate but, in fact, complement each other deeply. In the right career, they’ll find that logic and creativity aren’t opposites but partners, and that they do not have to be limited by societal categories.
Whether your child is a budding engineer who also loves to write or an artist with a knack for technology, these combined skills will open doors to fields where they can thrive as whole, multifaceted individuals.
DISCLAIMER. We are providing this article for general informational purposes only. This does not provide legal advice.