The Synthesis Fugue

What kind of music do you enjoy? If you’re like me you appreciate a broad spectrum. So far today I’ve listened to Bach, Radiohead, Ryan Adams, and The Rolling Stones. The music I’m drawn to tends to result from synthesis: the combining of multiple, different parts into a complex whole. Attend the symphony and you’ll experience the splendid coalescence of myriad, unique aural expressions.

Synthesis, the third step in our learning structure, is when we collaborate with our audience to reassemble the elements explored during the process phase into a new coherent whole. Imagine you are the conductor. The orchestra is your audience. Together you are working to shape something resonant and memorable.

A powerful shift happens as you progress from Introduction through Process and into Synthesis. The topic you present in the Introduction, though helpful for the purposes of orienting your audience, is as yet abstract to everyone but you. Imagine if you told me, “Today we’re going to talk about native vegetation.” I would know what we’re discussing, but I wouldn’t have any relationship to the topic. It remains intangible to me. Process allows me to explore the content and make it my own. I can ask questions, deepen my understanding, and at least begin to satisfy my curiosity. Through synthesis we can then create a new form, or composition, that has personal meaning and relevance to each individual.

Too often, because we bypass the process phase, synthesis becomes merely a reiteration of what was stated in the introduction. For example, an introduction may be, “Smoking cigarettes is harmful to your health.” The “synthesis” that follows falls flatly as, “Furthermore, don’t smoke. It’s bad for you.” This prevents the message from taking root and yielding change because the topic remains distant and impersonal to the audience.

Synthesis offers the opportunity to make meaning of process. The presenter or educator can facilitate synthesis by bundling together comments from the audience into likenesses, then reframing the main message after integrating input. This is a far cry from traditional approaches wherein we state the message in our terms, irrespective of participants’ voices.

In summary, a solid Introduction promotes productive, divergent Process, which in turn allows for constructive Synthesis. Keep in mind that all of these elements apply to both formal and informal presentations. What applies to teaching a workshop will also be relevant in a dialogue with your coworkers or children. Fidelity to each element will enhance the potency of all our interactions.

It’s great to be working with you to promote meaningful, lasting change.

Best,

Questions? Send me an email.

Tags: adolescent behavior, curriculum development, effective learning, effective programs, engaging youth, good questions, positive change, process, student engagement

Process is to learning what digestion is to eating. Content that people make their own is content that can change their lives. To make our work as meaningful as possible we have to allow time for others to process what we’re discussing. This is exactly like the digestion process by which our bodies break down food and make it something we can use.

I played soccer throughout high school and college. During each high school season we’d gather at a teammate’s house the night before the game. The menu was always the same: spaghetti. In addition to building camaraderie, the high carbohydrate fare helped fuel us up to play the next day. Our bodies required approximately 24 hours to digest the pasta and extract the necessary nutrients.

Imagine playing a soccer game immediately after eating three helpings of spaghetti. Not a pretty thought. (Viewers of The Office should have no problem conjuring an image here.) But sadly this is what many educational approaches amount to–a spaghetti feed/soccer game.

Without process we can’t assume any material we present will be relevant to our listeners. The goal of the process phase is to help others take ownership of the content we present. They do so by strengthening their relationship to the content. Through process we can afford participants the opportunity to more deeply understand and internalize the risks of alcohol, for example, resulting in their truly owning their convictions surrounding alcohol use. This ownership can lead to changed action.

Underlying process is the opportunity for abstract, intangible ideas (think “Just say no”) to be more concrete. As ideas become more concrete they become more real. Then they have power to alter our perception.

It’s great to be working with you to promote meaningful, lasting change.

Send an email to andrewfrobinson@aweber.com to subscribe to future newsletters.

Tags: curriculum development, effective learning, learning, people change people, positive change, process, relationships, relevant, risk behavior

This newsletter launches a new series that will walk you through a five-step progression that can enhance your work with youth. The first phase is Introduction.

Take care not to overlook the importance of a good introduction. A great piece of literature depends on a well-crafted introduction. I remember reading the highly descriptive opening of Steinbeck’s “East of Eden.” I couldn’t put it down. It had all the qualities of a great presentation.

Your introduction is like a boat dock. By the end of the introduction you want to have everyone in the boat. Before shoving off you want to build a sense of expectation. This allows you to enter the process phase with full engagement.

Coherence is one of the chief goals of the introduction. Our brains crave coherence. Studies on the brain and learning demonstrate that when we detect dissonance our brains flush much of what we’ve learned. Eliminate dissonance and you encourage youth to retain and build upon what they’ve learned.

Build a solid introduction by answering the following four questions. If possible, ask students to help answer the second two:

1. What are we talking about?

[Insert topic here.] This is your theme. State in the simplest terms the topic you’d like to discuss. It may be teen alcohol use, suicide, the media, or relationships. Make sure everyone knows with absolute clarity what you plan to discuss. If you use demonstrations, insert them here.

Note: Your demonstrations work best during the introduction. But beware. If you use demonstrations, don’t confuse them with process (the topic of our next newsletter). A demonstration is merely a mode of communication. State the theme verbally. If you wish, restate the theme through a demonstration.

2. What do you expect from youth during your time together?

Let youth know how you hope they’ll collaborate with you and with each other to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. Will you be doing an activity? Will they be in small groups? Will they be sharing ideas? Let them know so they can prepare and know what to expect.

3. How does this topic relate to the topic you just discussed?

For the sake of coherence and continuity connect the present topic to past topics. We separate topics in order to examine them. But we understand topics best in their broader context. So, for example, explore how the media is related to refusal skills, how alcohol use might relate to relationships, and how life goals might connect to character goals.

4. Why is it important to discuss this topic?

Youth will engage in the process phase only if they see the topic as relevant to them. Before you transition to the next step, give them the opportunity to orient themselves to the topic and its import to their lives.

So now you’ve set the stage. You’ve piqued the curiosity of those with whom you’re speaking. You and your compadres are ready to move into the most important phase: process. We’ll look at this more closely in October’s newsletter.

It’s great to be working with you to promote positive change in the lives of young people.

Best,

Andrew

Tags: adolescent health, adolescents, connecting with youth, education, effective programs, engaging youth, positive change, student engagement