Synapse Institute believes children are active, curious, and connected individuals. No topic is considered too advanced if this is presented in ways that make sense to young learners. The curriculum is student-driven. In the study of subject matter, activities integrate student ideas and interests.
Learning-by-doing enables students to become subject matter experts.
The Synapse approach to learning follows the “Helical” model of learning stages – Play, Explore, Connect, Imagine, and Remember:
Children learn concepts and skills from simple to complex through hands-on learning activities. Beginning with PLAY, where the topic is introduced in a fun and for the most part game-like activity, students connect their prior experiences and knowledge with the subject matter at hand.
Students’ experiences are then elevated to the next level called EXPLORE, where they expand their knowledge about the topic. For example in science, the teacher may engage them in an experiment about mixing colors or learning CPR. Students witness the results of an activity and learn how to describe what they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
Learning is applied to the next level called CONNECT. Students learn by using scientific tools and applying the scientific method. This time the young learners’ exposure and comprehension levels are applied to a problem-solving activity. The teacher poses a problem and provides guidelines which students use to find solutions to the issue. For example, in the mathematics class, the teacher may ask students to create an algorithm to solve for the missing part of an object. In science, the teacher may ask them to research on how color, which is an essential ingredient to the relationship of bees and flowers, affects the growth of the population of bees in the natural world.
After formulating solutions, asking new questions, and/or writing the basic structure of a story, students are presented with community and/or world problems that elevate their learning to a higher level — in a context that is relevant to their lives. In this level called IMAGINE, students appreciate their classroom learning in relation to professions as well as to local, and global contexts. For example, after learning how to make different types of batteries, they are instructed to illuminate a model city using the most efficient and earth-friendly materials. They will role-play as engineers and scientists and work with the mayor and the city architect.
Finally, after learning and connecting the topic to their personal lives, experimenting with key aspects, finding solutions to the issues posed, and helping solve community and/or world problems, students learn to read and analyze patterns and distill conclusions. They learn to formulate their own theories and underscore the key elements of their experiences. In REMEMBER, the teacher facilitates the distillation of practice into theory and introduces scientific, social, anthropological, economic, language, cultural, and mathematical concepts formulated by noted experts in the field. Older students will engage in guided research. Recognizing themselves this time as ‘experts’ of the topic, students are prepared to tackle theories and concepts in a critical and relevant manner.
Thematic, Integrated and Experiential
Topics are presented in an integrated, thematic, and experiential way. There are nine themes in a school year, each one introduced and explored within 4-5 weeks. The themes cut across subject areas which include mathematics, science, social studies, and English language arts. For most weeks, the theme also spans the Self-Science curriculum, which is the emotional intelligence component of the program. Example themes for the 5-6 year old class from last year:
- Global Connections
- Time and Timelines
- Everyday Opposites
- Scientists’ Way and Colors
- Power and Illumination
- The Hero’s Journey
- Finding X in Our World
- Banking, Money, & Entrepreneurship
Self-Science
To support students’ social and emotional development, Self-Science is taught weekly as a stand-alone course and as an embedded theme in everyday learning experiences. Like the academic curriculum, the students’ concerns and questions drive the content. In his best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman praises it as a model program. These learnable skills-including emotional literacy, optimism, empathy, consequential thinking, and self-motivation-create self-awareness, self-management, and self-direction are practiced and conversed about.
Creative Communication Arts
The elementary school also includes a creative communication arts program. Typically scheduled in the afternoons, this program includes music, visual arts, drama, and media arts. Through these programs, the young learners learn to tap into their creative resources and explore creative ways to express themselves using a variety of media. By doing so, they develop communication, creative thinking, and presentation skills.
Technology is integral to learning
Each student is required to have a laptop. Keyboarding is introduced in the five/six-year olds class. As the children move to higher classes, they learn how to produce their school work using the Internet, digital media and office applications.
Physical Education
The school day begins with yoga or tai-chi. An additional thirty minutes of school time will be spent in playing outdoor games and sports.
Accepting applications
The elementary school program has three mixed-age classes. Research tells us that gifted/talented children typically perform in grade levels higher than that of their equivalent students in the same grades. This is why age rather than grade level is the basis of the grouping. Class maximum is twelve students. Each class is led by one credentialed teacher and supported by a teacher assistant.
For admissions information contact Marsha Rideout, Admissions Director at marsha@6seconds.org, call 650 685 9885, or read more about the admissions process.
