Synthesis

teaching assistant

February 2021 • Johannesburg, Gauteng

What I liked

I love how exciting it is to work at Synthesis. The mission, the team, and the students that we work with every day are motivated and passionate. Working towards the goal of making students into better problem solvers provides the whole company with a mission. The unified effort towards this mission makes the purpose of the work that I do, and the purpose of the whole team, more meaningful.

What I wish was different

I wish that the onboarding process had looked completely different. I wish that it had been more organized and clear as to what I should do for my training. Luckily, the whole onboarding process has recently been redone. This means that no one else will have to experience the same confusion that I felt.

Advice

Come in with an open mind. If you are applying for this job, chances are you come from a background in traditional education. Synthesis is the opposite of traditional, and in order to a part of this team, you will need to be open to the idea that education can, and should, look completely different.

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Teaching Assistant

May - August 2021 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Nothing -- see comments.

What I wish was different

I couldn't recommend this job less. Synthesis has extremely vague policies and unclear expectations about what you should do as a teacher's assistant. In June (I started in May), I inquired about the process about being promoted to a facilitator. The Head Facilitator (Matt) said that they would consider it in 2-3 months. In August, I was told that I would have to wait several years until I had graduated from college to be a facilitator. As a teacher's assistant, Synthesis attract you with a high pay, but treat you like a disposable resource. Avoid this opportunity and spend your time on more meaningful pursuits.

Advice

Do not apply to any job at Synthesis -- that's my advice and you will thank me later for it.

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Teaching Assistant

May 2021 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Synthesis approaches learning in a very unique lens. We bring students from across the globe into a virtual environment, where they take control of all the simulation games under the guidance of the facilitators and teaching assistants. Rather than directly teaching real concepts to students, Synthesis teaches problem solving through simulation games, and then weaves problem-solving skills into real concepts, such as economics and game theory.

What I wish was different

Advice

Synthesis is an incredibly flexible and open place to work. Be ready to embrace learning by doing.

1 One person found this helpful

Facilitator

October 2020 • West Hollywood, CA

What I liked

I love working at Synthesis because it is ever-evolving. I have learned so much in the past 9 months because there is so much room to grow and everyone is super friendly. There's no better place than Synthesis because you get to meet kids all over the world and help facilitate all the conversations they have towards problem-solving. Synthesis is UNIQUE and I am so glad to be part of an amazing team with an amazing goal.