We were intrigued by the innovative school that she and her husband, Jeff, started 10 years ago in Austin, Texas. He didnt think anything of it, but we were horrified when we found out he had taken a knife to school! Our unique approach challenges learners through real-world, collaborative, hands-on projects and experiences, combined with the latest in adaptive-technology. They have a training and support program for new owners, but we worry that Acton has grown too quickly and some of the locations just arent keeping up. The cost effective model has the potential to deliver more powerful learning experiences than traditional private education. I love that each child can work at their own pace and that the traditional school performance pressure is gone as our kids control how fast or slow they go but the school structure creates enough positive reinforcement to make them want to do well and soar! HOW LONG IS ACTON ACADEMY IN SESSION THIS YEAR? Gregory added: If anything positive came out of it, the pandemic has raised our collective awareness of education alternatives and the expectation families have for their children.. When Jessica Gregory and her husband moved from the Washington, D.C. area in 2020 to a suburban community north of Boston, they expected to find a school for their children that was similar in quality to the one they left behind. I hope that in some way my words can build upon the strong foundation they have laid. A 21st century school with locations in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. The Staff at The Forest School work with us to help make the transition seamless. We believe the learning experience is much richer when the Guide offers insightful questions and facilitates hands-on learning. The owners of our school and founders of Acton told me normalizing feedback was valuable; and, if Acton was not a good fit, there are other schools for my kids. This rewards those who learn well online. That last phrase, falling behind is one that is kind of ignored at Acton. Its given our learner the ability to not only learn at her own pace but, holds them accountable for their learning. 3 Ways Learning is Different Here Child Centered, They wanted to disrupt the old models and create small learning communities where children werent competing for the best grades, but were getting personalized attention, engaging in project-based learning, developing their character, studying in the field, and explaining their discoveries in exhibitions. Each year, the Acton community shares an overarching question (e.g., what does it mean to be human; is truth discovered or created?) Guides may offer a morning, midday and afternoon launch, a short inspiration, challenge or introduction to tools or processes. Jeff Sandefers fortune came from oil drilling. The Guides and Staff are top notch and are very inspiring to our son. Acton Academy uses the latest technology in a self-paced learning environment that is designed to foster responsibility, goal-setting, and teamwork.Acton students are empowered to thrive in a world that needs independent, motivated thinkers and learners. The big difference between Acton and other networks like Summit or Big Picture is that Acton is focused on micro-schools and seems primarily designed only for smaller private or charter schools. Acton Academy Palm Harbor is an innovative learner-driven school serving ages 4-16. Plans often change if an Acton near you doesnt reply they are still in the process of preparing to launch. Click here for the 2022-2023 Acton Academy Tyler Calendar. We feel so lucky to be a part of this school. The Getting Smart Podcast Interview is here: Overall, this particular network is not a good fit for Kentucky's public schools. Acton Academy is a 21st century solution for the epidemic of mediocrity and apathy that plagues young people in traditional school. It's an innovative approach to education that celebrates personal responsibility, creative freedom, and the pursuit of one's life purpose. I can best illustrate this with a short story. This is a chaotic school! The cognitive and social-emotional data gathered by education (surveillance) systems will be used by artificial intelligence to decide which workers have the chance to put their brain in a robot for a day. Begin a Hero's Journey. Peers are supposed to offer a verbal warning, and then if the behavior persists the peer can go on to the Acton tracker and ask the person for a buck. She joins Acton Academy with her two daughters, Camille and Ambrose. My kids were legitimately sad that they couldnt go, because they were in teams of kids working on projects, and they didnt want to let their peers down. Instead, they focus on progress that is demonstrable through learning new skills. Indeed, decentralization of authority and an elevation of the individual is at the root of Acton Academys broader mission. Acton Academy Hampton Roads is part of the Acton Academy network -a network of true learner-driven micro schools started in Austin in 2009- and considered by many to be a leading model of K-12 innovation in the United States. Some of Acton Placers continued growth is due to parents seeking schooling alternatives after nearly two years of frustration with closed schools and ongoing coronavirus policies. It seemed like they were growing beyond grade level effortlessly, because they were in a context designed for learning. This is a wonderful learning environment. Develop a deep respect for economic, political and religious freedom. Also, we have found that there are sometimes drastic differences in the quality of education at different locations of Acton. Acton Academy Northwest Indianapolis. Learners are able to work at a pace that fits where they are. I am so glad my wife and I found a school that we can see our children attending until they go to college. The global attraction has been the Acton belief that each person has a gift that can change the world in a profound way and a learning model focused on learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be. I cant emphasize enough how big of a difference there is between locations. Learn if opening an Acton Academy is the right fit for you. We moved from NYC and right before the school year started, we heard about Acton Academy. While they do not assign grades or rank students, guides ask tough questions, Is that the best you can do? and invite a student to try again if the answer is no.. About; Learning Design Learning Design Studios Day in the life 2022-2023 School Calendar. In my opinion, the public school system sets a very low bar for academic progress. We believe that each learner who enters our doors is a hero destined to change the world. Success is not about completing worksheets or memorizing facts to pass a test. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. I write about the future of learning, work and human development. Free market economics and global competition among human avatars and AI will ensure the lowest possible wages are paid for gigs, generating robust profits for investors in human capital and owners of automated factories and robot-rental firms. The World Is VUCA How Are You Going To Deal With It? Hopefully both the video and her letter offer food for thought for parents who are struggling to navigate the world of school choice and do whats best for ALL children of the world. Acton Academy admits learners and affiliates of any race, color, Acton Academy CAN be a great experience and its certainly a school you should take a hard look at, but I wanted to paint a clear picture of the positive and negative things you may find. Acton Academy Tyler's 2021-2022 school year will run from August 29th, 2022 to June 9th, 2022. In addition to the core skills being covered, students also have to prove mastery in things like gratitude, creativity, and empathy to show they are truly ready to face the world. For Gregorys two children, ages seven and nine, who are the initial students in The Wilder School, math goals involve completing several units each week using Khan Academy, the free, online learning platform that is used in many schools and homeschools across the country. Their confidence improved. The school uses a self directed learning approach. Will this approach adequately prepare our children for a successful, fulfilling life in the 21st century? Sam. Acton Academy is student led. This means young people take ownership of their education and peer relationships. Their "advisor", Jeff Sandefer, who founded the original Acton Academy, is a major Rick Perry donor.R. Open An Acton Academy. The Sandefers have received over 18,000 applications to join the network. Goal setting, points and badges motivate progress. The owner didnt seem committed at all to the educational experience, but instead seemed much more interested in the bottom line. An adult mentor could teach them the basics to shorten the learning curve, have encouraged them to learn to tell a story, could have provided positive and negative feedback to spur them to create something valuable. Acton Academy Columbus is a secular, private, project-based learner-driven elementary school. promise is shockingly bold and full of agency. For the past year and a half we have been homeschooling our children, which has been, and continues to be, a wonderful journey. Gregory has ambitious plans for the growth of The Wilder School in the coming months and years, including expanding her classroom space and introducing early childhood and middle school programs. Acton Academy Champions Campus Our campus is located in 4820 Strack Road, Houston, TX 77069. We also had a negative experience at a different Acton Academy. The general response I have received each time I reach out is that I should consider picking a different school, and that if I want to stay I should trust them. From the Socratic discussions, to the constant feedback that the learners receive from their peers and Guides, to the deep learning that they're able to do on subjects that they actually care about, TFS has it figured out! Start typing in the city or country in which you are interested. WHY WE ARE STARTING AN ACTON ACADEMY. Microschools: tiny schools with powerful relationships. "The Acton community and life experience provide our son the best possible environment in which to develop. We are searching for a Guide to begin mid-August 2020, and be a part of our team through the 2020-2021 school year. Acton learners practice critical thinking and powerful writing and speaking through deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history, and self-governance. He sees his progress which really excites him, and has good friendships developing, she added. Public schools hold kids hands too much, but at Acton, we felt like there wasnt enough adult mentoring that could have helped our kids. They talk to a few students, and get confusing and contradictory instructions. After reading, learners lead a Between the Lines literary critique. They matured, learned to overcome obstacles, and they made friends. In the end, we felt like we were mostly flying blind about our kids academic progress, and we were in for a surprise when we brought them back to public school and found out that they were behind. Honestly, however, we were a bit underwhelmed with the exhibitions. They are given a space to write a sentence of evidence for their rating, and then are given space to write stars for things they like about the person, and wishes for what they wish that person would change. This means just going to online forums to obtain the answers and complete the work. From my review, this heavily online platform reliance probably concerns me the most. Acton Academy Cy-Fair is based in northwest Houston. Acton students are empowered to thrive in a world that needs independent, motivated thinkers and learners. Acton Academy: Where Learning is an Adventure. The Forest School takes a more holistic approach to learning. He then moved into the education market (data-mining). 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