The advent of COVID has brought to the fore a myriad of problems in the world, including the difficult to swallow realization about the systems that surround, forge, and often dictate human society. Education was one of those systems affected by the global pandemic.
When students moved their learning experiences from the classroom to their lounges, it became apparent that the traditional education system was not equipped to form young minds in the midst of a pandemic. At the same time, however, the effect of the coronavirus on schools and learning has addressed a number of issues that have plagued the education sector for some time.
Some parents, teachers, and other proponents of learning have taken the time that the pandemic has allowed us to address some of the fundamental issues that have arisen through traditional education systems around the world before COVID.
Synthesis School followed a different route.
Led by Josh Dahn (co-founder and creative director), Chrisman Frank (Co-founder and CEO), and Ana Fabrega (Main Evangelist), the Synthesis School seems to be getting to the root of learning and education by teaching children and young adults fundamental problem-solving skills through a medium that is natural to them: games.
‘The synthesis school presented the games played on the Ad Astra campus at the SpaceX laboratory school. We took the games and expanded it to offer kids around the world. Its specific focus has to do with the teaching of larger concepts such as game theory, collaboration, network effect. What it’s like to work in a team, strategy … ‘, said Jessica Bogart, a facilitator at Synthesis School. Teslarati.
Bogart left the entertainment industry after two decades to join Synthesis School as a facilitator. She sat down with Teslarati and outlined the schemes of each class and how it helped to enrich and cultivate young minds to face the everyday problems in life shall throw to them.
Elon Musk’s educational principles of Ad Astra – the SpaceX laboratory school he created for his sons with the help of Josh Dahn – form the core of the Synthesis School. Musk described the two core principles of Ad Astra years ago as: 1) Only the assembly line model, no grade levels, and 2) problem-oriented, not tool-oriented.
In Synthesis, about 18-20 children are mentioned in groups called cohorts. Each group has a facilitator. Bogart explained that facilitators do not teach for their groups, as teachers do in a classroom.
A typical meeting begins with the groups signing up for one of the Synthesis School games and a Zoom call. The facilitator does not give instructions on the game. Each group gets time to explore and learn the schemes of the game on their own.
After researching, the groups talk to each other to learn information that others would find about the game. Then the cohorts are divided into different groups and have to navigate the game together to achieve a given goal.
‘There are no wrong answers and there are no marks. It’s about seeing how you think, ”Bogart said. She explained that synthesis did not teach children through memorization or focus on grades and teaching. It focused more on critical thinking, problem solving and teaching children how to find or learn the tools they need to solve complex problems.
“In a regular school, for example, there are 50 different screwdrivers that you will remember the size and shape and handles, and where it goes on the board,” Bogart explained.
‘The way [it was being taught at Ad Astra] back then the engine was broken and we have to fix it, but what do we do to get the casing off? Well, we use a screwdriver. And now you’ve made the connection. ‘
In Jessica Bogart’s group sessions, she taught her children concepts such as the Network Effect or the Stag Hunt game theory. Ready for her interview with Teslarati, Bogart taught her groups offensive and defensive strategies based on The art of war by Sun Tzu.
Synthesis School already has groups from around the world, including Australia, England, India, Bahrain and the United States. The enrichment club offers weekly classes for $ 180 per month and plans to add more classes in the future.
It is a growing community dedicated to teaching children and young adults the basic skills they need to learn and thrive in life through games such as Constellation developed and conceptualized by Josh Dahn, and inspired by Elon Musk . In the words of Jessica Bogart, Synthesis School helps children embrace the chaos.
Given the global landscape of today, embracing the chaos of the world and the ability to work through it, this may be just what the doctor ordered.
Click here for more information on Synthesis School.
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