Synergy and Traditional

General Ethos

SynEDgy Approach
Synergy is based on creating the best conditions for learning where children can tackle real-life problems and have the opportunity to cooperate with others. Synergy has a strong focus on learning how to communicate effectively with others and establish fulfilling relationships. The general environment is to encourage students to learn directly from their experiences (academic and life)

It is a school that embodies the elements of life.. It is not about preparing children for the workforce, but in supporting them achieve their own life goals which are set and directed by themselves and not governed by the expectation of society.

Children work actively and at their own pace. They can control their own time. Synergy puts more emphasis on developing pupils' self-motivation for learning and studying.

Synergy children are empowered to take part in the governance of the classroom and ultimately the whole school.

Traditional Schooling
In traditional education, the aim is to teach knowledge and convey norms that are valued by society through an adult authority. There is little focus on development of emotional intelligence which enables children to learn how to communicate and have fulfilling relationships.

Children learn relatively passively and are guided by established rules telling them what they should learn and when they should learn it. The performance of individual children is compared to that of fellow classmates and to standardised grades and tests.

The difference is not so much in the material but how the material is taught

SynEDgy Approach
At Synergy children have more flexibility to choose their activities and be responsible for learning on their own.

Synergy offers a variety of new learning models, often hands on, which better fit the child’s unique learning styles and schedules as well as their social and emotional needs.

Synergy teachers are always trying something new—something they believe would better educate the children. Perhaps more than anything, Synergy personalizes education for each child.

Synergy works with ordinary life experiences to create further learning opportunities. The children are encouraged to problem-solve. Conflict and negotiation are used as drivers of growth. Children are encouraged to develop and articulate their own views and understanding.

Traditional Schooling
In traditional schools, children are told to study certain subjects at a particular time. In a traditional classroom you have so many minutes to get through a lesson and if you haven’t understood it or you don’t get it its too bad. The bell rings and you move on to the next class.

Typically only traditional learning models are used and little adaptation is made to address different learning styles.

Social and emotional needs are typically not catered for in a traditional school.

Teacher attitude

SynEDgy Approach
Synergy teachers believe that children are capable of growing and succeeding when faced with real-life challenges, and have been willing to take the risk of leaving the traditional learning settings to act on their beliefs while teaching in Synergy.
Synergy teachers find that they have a much larger role in establishing the culture of Synergy. With a role in governance, they are able to establish small classes, individualized curriculum, which aims at the integration of the physical, emotional, social and academic needs of each child.

Traditional Schooling
Teachers in a traditional environment have very little role to play in the governance of schools and are unable to individualize the curriculum. As a result many teachers in a traditional setting are less enthusiastic, and have a more demanding attitude. Many of these teachers find it difficult to make a difference in children’s lives and are often disenchanted with the education system they work in.

Teacher / Pupil relationships

SynEDgy Approach
Synergy provides a smaller environment which typically results in more personalized and trusting relationships with teachers and administrators.

The children feel cared about and get the individual attention they need to learn.

All Synergy teachers are trained to become qualified as Life Coaches. The ‘teacher’ is more a facilitator and coach and therefore the job description shifts to a more observing, researching and supportive role than leading and dictating. The teachers become listeners and on a fundamental level they are there to develop trusting and supportive relationships in which the student can begin to experience life as having meaning.
Traditional Schooling
Large classes together with a large number of classes make developing personalized and trusting relationships with teachers and administrators particularly challenging.

The teacher role is more leading and dictating than supporting. Often more time is spent on assessment and administration and less on dialogue and sharing.

Parent involvement

SynEDgy Approach
Synergy school believes that both the teacher and the parent are responsible for the education of children. Both parents and teachers work together at creating a synergistic environment at school and at home that support the child in becoming an integrated and fully functioning adult.

Synergy parents find that they have a much larger role in establishing the culture of Synergy. With a role in governance, they are able to fully participate in creating a school which aims at the integration of the physical, emotional, social and academic needs of their child.

A number of opportunities are created to ensure involvement in the school.

Traditional Schooling
Many of the traditional schools do not actively encourage parent participation in the school. Little effort is made to ensure that there is synergy between both the home and the school environment.

Teacher & Parent Education

SynEDgy Approach
Synergy school provides education programs for both parents and teachers on an ongoing basis which ensure that parents and teachers are empowered with the skills and the knowledge to nurture self esteem in the child.

Traditional Schooling
Few traditional schools focus on supporting and developing parenting skills and knowledge.