Meet Ana Lorena Fabrega, the Educator Focused on Independent Thinking and Mental Models
Mar 23, 2021
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Ana Lorena Fabrega, an educator focused on independent thinking and mental models, discusses the limitations of traditional schooling and the need for alternative methods to promote curiosity and independent thought. She reflects on her experience of constantly moving to different countries and attending multiple schools. The podcast also explores the evolving role of teachers, the mismatch between traditional schooling and effective learning, creating safe spaces for open discussions, the role of games in learning, and the future of education.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of valuing learning beyond traditional school settings and nurturing personal interests and passions.
The speaker discusses the need for a shift in the role of teachers, from enforcing obedience to facilitating student exploration and meaningful learning.
Synthesis offers a game-based approach to education, focusing on developing meta game skills such as pattern recognition, critical thinking, and problem-solving from multiple perspectives.
Deep dives
The Impact of Constantly Changing Schools on Academic Confidence
Growing up in multiple countries and attending different schools, the speaker reflects on the challenges they faced academically due to the constant moves. They experienced academic setbacks, such as being placed in lower grades or having to adapt to new languages. To mitigate the negative impact, the speaker's parents emphasized the importance of their achievements outside of school, such as participating in dance classes. However, the speaker acknowledges that despite good memory for specific moments, very little learning from school has stuck with them over the years.
The Flawed System of 'Playing the Game of School'
The speaker shares their realization of 'playing the game of school' to navigate the flawed educational system. Despite being academically successful, they observed that they learned to conform and prioritize pleasing teachers rather than exploring their own interests and passions. The speaker highlights the danger of this imitation of learning, wherein students focus on getting through school to pursue what they truly enjoy. However, this approach often leaves them unaware of their unique skills and passions, hindering their ability to make informed choices about their future careers and personal growth.
The Importance of Learning Beyond School
The speaker emphasizes the crucial role their parents played in valuing learning beyond the confines of school. They highlight how their mother actively supported and nurtured their interests by finding related classes and groups outside of school. This approach to learning, focused on personal interests and passions, inspired the speaker's belief that ideas matter and can be used to bring about positive change. It also influenced their decision to become an educator and replicate their mother's supportive and enabling approach to learning in their own teaching practice.
The Need to Rethink the Role of Teachers and the School System
The speaker discusses the shift needed in the role of teachers within the school system. Traditionally, teachers were seen as authority figures who enforced obedience and conformity. However, with evolving research on how children learn best, there is a growing recognition that teachers should adopt a facilitator role, enabling students to explore their interests, ask questions, and engage in meaningful learning. The speaker highlights the challenges teachers face due to a rigid curriculum and external pressures, which often limit their ability to implement student-centered approaches. They also mention the importance of progressive educational models that prioritize student empowerment and flexibility.
Synthesis: A New Approach to Learning
Synthesis is a company that offers a game-based approach to education, teaching kids valuable skills and problem-solving through complex simulations. Their programs focus on independent thinking, creativity, teamwork, and understanding the big picture. Synthesis originated as a popular class called Synthesis in Atastra, a school founded by Josh Dan and Elon Musk. The class aimed to prepare kids for real-world challenges by immersing them in problem-solving scenarios within a game-like environment. The highly engaging nature of the class allowed students to develop mental models and problem-solving skills that could be applied in various real-world situations. When Elon's kids graduated and Atastra moved out of SpaceX, Synthesis was created to offer this unique learning experience online to kids around the world.
The Meta Game: Teaching Skills to Master Any Challenge
Synthesis's game-based approach is not solely focused on individual game mastery. Instead, the goal is to help students develop the meta game, a set of skills and tools that can be applied to any game or real-world challenge. By immersing students in different games with varying levels of complexity, Synthesis aims to teach them how to recognize patterns, think differently, and approach problems from multiple perspectives. This approach cultivates the ability to navigate uncertainty, make informed decisions, and reflect on consequences. The teachers at Synthesis act as facilitators, guiding students to ask the right questions and encouraging independent problem-solving. This innovative form of education challenges traditional schooling methods and empowers students to think independently and creatively.
By the time Ana Lorena Fabrega was 15 years old, she had already attended 10 different schools in seven different countries. After five years as a teacher, Fabrega left the traditional school system in pursuit of alternative methods that sparked students' curiosity and love for learning.
Today, Fabrega is the Chief Evangelist at Synthesis, an online enrichment club where kids learn through games and simulations. Here's how she thinks the role of education is changing and how school can promote independent thought, boost curiosity, and better prepare kids for the future.
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