Vanessa Melo, a teacher and educational coordinator from the municipality of Acará in Pará, recounts an experience with a student who used to fall asleep in class. Rather than simply reprimanding him, she chose to delve into the reasons behind his sleepiness. “I discovered that he worked nights and took a bus to attend classes. Realizing his situation, I allowed him to sleep, and he would complete his activities upon waking. He learned to read, graduated, and still thanks me to this day. It's essential to understand the realities and backgrounds of our students,” she shares.

Vanessa is currently involved in the 2024 cycle of training with the Synapse Network, a social technology initiative that provides tools and content tailored to the unique characteristics of each region in the country, facilitating learning by contextualizing students’ environments. Synapse focuses on enhancing the teaching and learning of Portuguese and mathematics within the literacy cycle, aligned with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), and is designed to be effective in areas of vulnerability and extreme poverty.

Yago Reis, the Executive Director of the Synapse Network, explains, “The Synapse methodology, rooted in neuroeducation, emphasizes the everyday knowledge and hands-on experience of classroom teachers. By marrying scientific principles with the professionals' insights, we aim to implement a method that resonates with them and their communities within their specific contexts.”

This project, now in its second cycle, began in 2023 through a collaboration between Hydro, Lorinvest group, and the Movimento Bem Maior, with plans to expand to Tomé-Açu and Moju. “Hydro is committed to training over 500,000 individuals in the regions we operate, and this partnership is pivotal in achieving that goal. This presents an incredible opportunity to collectively foster regional development with an emphasis on education, and we're eager to initiate work in additional municipalities as soon as possible,” states Eduardo Figueiredo, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at Hydro.

The initiative was chosen in a 2021 matchfunding announcement by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and is executed by the Institute for Research in Technology and Innovation (IPTI). Last year, 91.5% of teachers enrolled in the program successfully completed the course in their municipality, with three opting to become replicators of the methodology, sharing their newfound knowledge with other local educators.

Eduardo Silva, a teacher engaging in the training for the first time, hopes to integrate this new knowledge into his teaching methods and bring fresh perspectives to his classroom. “Synapse offers an innovative approach that will undoubtedly enhance our educational process and benefit the learning experiences of Acará's students,” he says.

The two groups that commenced in 2024 are anticipated to complete their training by September. Vanessa concludes, “Every teacher dreams of witnessing their community’s educational growth, of seeing individuals learn and evolve. It's not about the physical space - the buildings, rooms, or furniture - but about each student's transformation and the knowledge you contribute to their lives, becoming a pivotal reference point for them.”