How important is it for teachers to encourage children to use their imagination?

I'd say encouraging imagination is crucial because it helps children develop problem-solving skills they'll need later in life. That's largely because creative thinking lets them approach challenges from different angles, which is something I actually use daily as a UI designer. For example, my high school math teacher Mr. Wang would often give us open-ended problems where we had to imagine different solutions, not just follow formulas. That kind of practice really helped me when I need to brainstorm design concepts at work now. Of course, schools should balance this with teaching fundamentals, but giving space for creative thinking makes learning more engaging and practical.