Synectics: Creative Connection-Making

Synectics: Creative Connection-Making

 One must still have creative chaos in oneselfto be able to give birth to a dancing star.– Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (1844-1900) Synectics has been described by its creator, William J. J. Gordon, as “the joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements” (Gordon, 1961, p.5). The term Synectics, from the Greek “syn” and “ektos”, refers to the fusion of diverse ideas (Nolan, 2003, p. 25). The process of Synectics is a “metaphor/analogy-based technique for bringing different elements together in a search for new ideas or solutions” (Starko, 2010, p. 151). This creative connection-making process has been used by businesses and research organisations, and has been the inspiration behind the ideas for Pringles potato chips, magnesium-impregnated bandages, disposable nappies, the space-saver Kleenex box, and a host of other innovations. Working with gifted learners, I found this strategy to be very effective because the students relished the potent power of bringing contraries together to conjure new meanings. The basic processes of Synectics are “making the strange familiar” and “making the familiar strange” (Prince, 1968, p. 4). Although inventors most often engage in “making the familiar strange”, students benefit more from “making the strange familiar” (Gordon, 1973, p. 11). These two processes are facilitated through the creation of various types of analogies. Here are the steps for using Synectics to foster creative mindsets: Step 1: Students explore the given situation, task, or problem. They create direct analogies, select one, and explore it in greater depth. Direct analogies are the simplest types of comparison in which similarities between two ideas are examined. In a direct analogy, individuals look for parallels between one idea, object or situation,...
Student Voice – ‘What Makes a Truly Great Teacher?’

Student Voice – ‘What Makes a Truly Great Teacher?’

 A great teacher affects eternity:she/he can never tell where her/his influence stops.~ Adapted from Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1907 Gifted students are the lighthouses for their teachers in the classroom. As beacons of light, they shine brightly in the learning landscape. When the teachers engage with their students in an ongoing and authentic dialogue, the little Zen masters give honest and open feedback, and light the paths that their teachers traverse. Engaging with student voice is necessary “if we are to realise the democratic, pedagogical, and social aims of education in the twenty first century” (Mockler & Groundwater-Smith, 2015, p. 5). I believe that teachers, school leaders, and system leaders need to engage gifted students in inquiry and school transformation as pedagogical partners. Let me commence this year’s reflections with student voice. One of my past students, Nathan Wong, a highly gifted Year 12 English student – whom I taught at James Ruse Agricultural High School, a selective co-educational school in Sydney – had shared his musings into what makes a truly great teacher. I reproduce Nathan’s article here – initially published in the newsletter, Gifted Learning, that I used to produce for the school community. I hope you enjoy reading this gifted thinker’s perceptive insights. *** What truly makes a ‘gifted and talented’ student? What are the defining qualities of such successful learners? How do they achieve so highly? These are age-old questions which the education profession continues to contemplate. But from a student’s perspective, there is perhaps a more important not-so-old (pun intended!) question to be considered. What are the qualities that truly make a great teacher, indeed, a ‘gifted and talented’ teacher? What do students today really...
Leading Change: A Change Equation

Leading Change: A Change Equation

“We must be the changewe wish to see in the world.”– Mahatma Gandhi Leadership, at its core, is about leading change. The question is how we can attain sustainable, quality change in schools. The following change equation presents a framework for leading institutional reforms that endure. Sustainable Change = Big picture   x   Buy-in   x   Skills & tools   x   Manage risks   x   Action Equation variable Actions to take in this area 1. Big picture Develop a shared vision that you can explain in five minutes or less. Always communicate the change in a wider context. Answer the question “Why?” and address the fit with the organisational direction. Use metaphors, stories, and examples to illustrate; people need a good illustration to understand the change. Prepare an interdependency analysis; often, change has many interlinking systems, which can disrupt change. Find and tap synergies with other initiatives in the school. 2. Buy-in           The best way to gain the acceptance of others is by involving them early and often. Communicate, communicate: Why? What? and How? Use multiple channels of communication: formal and informal; and ask for feedback. Prepare a stakeholder map, as each group sees it. Ensure people understand the effects and benefits of the proposed change. Build and organise allies early; often, support is only asked at the action phase. Recognise and thank people for their support when you get it. 3. Skills and tools     Always build collective capacity of the whole staff team in the school. Understand that productivity often initially drops just when you want gains. Ensure that your change is user-friendly. Do not overlook the skills that...
Creative Habits of Mind

Creative Habits of Mind

We may accept finite limitations of logic, but we must never lose faith in the infinite possibilities that stem from developing creative habits of mind.~ Manoj Chandra Handa Creative habits of mind   Creative people demonstrate some habits of mind that, taken together, form the acronym CREATE: Curiosity Risk-taking Embracing paradox and ambiguity Attentiveness and adaptability Thinking bigger Experimenting and problem-solving (Chandra Handa, 2012, 2014) Curiosity Creative practitioners demonstrate an unrelenting quest for continuous learning. It is the ability to question oneself and others; the relentless pursuit of knowledge and truth; learning to ask better questions; and the ability to solve the most challenging problems by keeping an open mind (Fisk, 2011). Risk-taking or “creative courage” Risk-taking enables one to try new things. It is about having the courage to stumble, fail, and, after rejection, try again. The psychologist Rollo May (1975) calls it “creative courage” which is finding, through imagination, what is possible. The creative artists and scientists unsettle what is. Creative writers are well known for their creative courage. Risk-taking is the willingness to try difficult things and expose oneself to failure or criticism. It is a trait that teachers can observe when high levels of aspiration are sought after and tried out by a student. It involves feeling as well as doing; making guesses as well as taking chances (Williams, 1972). Embracing paradox and ambiguity Creative practitioners are willing to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty. They seek ambiguity in everything they explore – in the learning of students, in product composition, in ways of thinking and more. They explore possibilities by asking questions to which there...
Motivation Strategies for Parents

Motivation Strategies for Parents

Positive parent-child relationships form an important background for academic motivation. Letting the children know that their parents think school is important and providing recognition for their effort and successes can motivate learning. Brown (2009), Martin (2003), Rimm (2007), and Siegle (2013) offer the following advice for instilling academic motivation among children: Encourage positive family relationships and responsibility Provide reasonable structure to help children become independent and responsible. Teach the child to be responsible at home by assigning chores and maintaining expectations for proper behaviour. Self-discipline at home can transfer to school-related learning. Take time to engage in fun-filled activities with the child individually and as a family. Have regular conversations with your child and provide time to listen to his or her interests and concerns. Praise the child for both trying hard and for being successful (Brown, 2009). Model the importance of learning Plan family activities that encourage learning, such as visits to the library, museums and parks. Let the child know that learning is important and is one of the key purposes of school. Let the child see that the parents read books, newspapers, and magazines. Talk about what they read. Talk with the child about school and show an interest in what goes on at school (Brown, 2009). Teach habits that encourage learning Have a set routine for schoolwork. The child should know when he or she is expected to work on schoolwork each day. Set up a place to study when the child has the needed supplies and as much quiet as necessary. Help the child learn to manage time. Make sure the child finishes schoolwork at...