OUR
PHILOSOPHY
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to inspire everyone who enters our doors to find a calling that will change the world.
OUR BELIEFS
We believe each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way.
We believe in learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.
We believe in a closely connected family of lifelong learners.
We believe in economic, political, and religious freedom.
OUR PROMISES
- Begin a Hero’s Journey;
- Learn to be a curious, independent, lifelong learner;
- Develop deep respect for economic, political, and religious freedoms;
- Cherish the arts, wonders of the physical world, and the mysteries of life on Earth;
- Discover your most precious gifts and learn to use them to serve others.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
We believe clear thinking leads to good decisions, good decisions lead to the right habits, the right habits forge character, and character determines destiny.
LEARNING AT ACTON ACADEMY
While learning to know is essential, we believe that learning to be, learning to do and learning to learn are far more important.
DOMAINS OF LEARNING
Learning to KNOW
Using dedicated time for “Core Academic Skills,” our learners master the foundations of core subjects including reading, writing, and math.<
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Example: Instead of one-size-fits-none teacher lectures …
… Your learner engages in self-paced mastery of reading, writing, and math with cutting-edge personalized technology, goal setting, and peer mentoring/accountability.
Learning to DO
Quests and projects (related to science, entrepreneurship, art, etc.) allow our learners to get hands-on experience that is essential to master the skills needed to solve real-world problems.
Example: Instead of memorizing the periodic table …
… Your learner is an ER doctor in a 6-week simulation.
Your learner learns the processes, tools, decision trees and facts to triage patients. On the final-day Exhibition, parents come with prepared “diseases.” You can order an MRI, an X-ray, etc., paying for each. The winner of the simulation is the ER doc who saves the most lives (correct diagnoses) for the lowest cost.
Learning to LEARN
Engaging in daily Socratic Discussions, our learners develop the ability to think and speak clearly to develop wisdom and judgment. Self-paced challenges equip young heroes to be independent lifelong learners.
Example: Instead of memorization to cram for the test …
… Your learner puts themselves in Harry Truman shoes. Do they drop the bomb? After watching a video about Hiroshima, do they change their mind? After reflecting on a personal account of a Japanese POW camp survivor, do they reconsider? Learners decide which ethical approach is more important to them: a values approach — “We do not kill people” — or a utilitarian approach — “Fewest total lives lost”?
Learning to BE
Embracing servant leadership, our young heroes develop habits and character traits that make an abundant, fulfilling life.
Example: Instead of schools designed to minimize behavior problems …
… Young people learn to lead by doing so, with Servant Leader Badges celebrating the most important milestones, like:
• Leading a conflict resolution discussion
• Developing a mentor relationship with a personal hero
• Completing deliberate practice of a skill you want to develop
• Mentoring a team from a younger studio
• Leading a team in accomplishing a big goal
• Mastering a productivity skill like the urgent-important matrix
MEASURING MASTERY
Young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills, and character by earning badges and taking part in public exhibitions.
BADGES
Learners use badges to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math and spelling and character development in Servant Leader Badges.
PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS
Young heroes deliver public exhibitions of their work at the end of each four-to-six-week sprint.
PEER REVIEWS
Self-management and self-governance skills are measured by peer reviews at the end of each session.
WHAT MAKES ACTON ACADEMY DIFFERENT?
- Young people doing challenging work at their own pace.
- Collaborating on real-world projects.
- Earning points for effort and badges for mastery.
- Sharing learning in a tightly bound community.
- Using the latest technology to master reading, writing and math.
- On a Hero’s Journey, with challenges, adventures, fellow travelers and guides.
A LEARNER-DRIVEN COMMUNITY
In our school community, every individual plays a crucial role. Each learner bears the responsibility of being an active participant, dedicated to supporting one another in the pursuit of their learning objectives.
Our heroes engage in a unique process of “auditing” each other’s work, immersing themselves in profound learning experiences and engaging in challenging conversations. We embrace the inherent messiness that accompanies mistakes, viewing them as valuable experiments that guide us toward necessary corrections and improvements.
Through a democratic approach, learners are empowered to suggest changes to the system when they perceive the need, collaborating in groups to tackle complex problems and learning how to provide support even in challenging situations. Over time, we observe significant growth in their character, resilience, and perseverance.
Our learners thrive in an environment that promotes independent learning, demonstrating self-autonomy, a genuine enthusiasm for collaboration and problem-solving, and a desire to shoulder responsibilities.
Community Covenants
Learners create and sign a Contract of Promises describing how each individual will act and the consequences for violating community norms.
Multi-Age Studios
Mentor teams encourage younger and older learners to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable.
Self-Paced Learning
Driven by curiosity, learners journey through their academics setting their own goals and working at their own pace.
THE HERO’S JOURNEY
A visitor to Acton Academy witnesses an intricate web of efficient systems and valued relationships in our studio culture. Yet. the essence of this one-room schoolhouse is quite simple and based on the profound conviction that every individual entering our doors is a hero in the making.