This includes teaching themselves math and English through books and online resources at school, but it also means self-learning to overcome obstacles, to deal kindly with others, and to develop motivation. Horrors! We believe children learn best by doing. I can best illustrate this with a short story. This is a franchise that is growing too quickly and is not controlling the experience at all locations. However, I discovered in talking to them, that they didnt actually know what they had done wrong to deserve the low freedom level. Our first year was a little unexpected due to the pandemic however, it didnt hinder our learner because, virtual learning was already a part of the schools academics. Acton students are empowered to thrive in a world that needs independent, motivated thinkers and learners. Acton Academy Taipei is honored to be a part of the Acton Academy network. Acton Academy uses the latest technology in a self-paced learning environment designed to foster responsibility, goal-setting, and teamwork. Our learner transition from public school. Because teachers (called guides) at Acton dont lecture and spell things out for kids, they quickly learn to overcome obstacles on their own. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . They install cameras in classrooms to ensure compliance with Acton principles. Younger students have big blocks (2.5-3 hours daily) for individual work on core skills. The thing my kids didnt like about Acton was the way discipline was handled. Like so many other families across the country, when the pandemic brought public schooling onto my kitchen table, I was floored, she told me. That is a by-product of the governments education model. They gain skill sets that apply to where we are today in the world and are encouraged to dream, explore innovative ideas, and how they would go about accomplishing them.. The first location we attended was wonderful. We have seen creative sides of our learner since moving to the The Forest that we did not see while in public school. This rewards those who learn well online. We had regular parents nights, but we expected to be able to influence what was happening at the school and have an input, but instead it was the school training US on what WE should do as parents. We focus on Montessori-inspired and real-world experiences for our students, in a way that encourages them to take full ownership of their education. A sibling discount will also be applied to families that have multiple children enrolled. Acton Academy: San Diego East. One of the ways Acton keeps costs low is to utilize education technology for Math and English Language Arts, so that no expertise is needed by educators for what they call core skills learning. 2. We felt the kids were left on their own to self-learn to such an extreme that they werent being encouraged to produce their very best work. Acton Academy Cy-Fair is based in northwest Houston. We all attended public school, currently live in a great school district, and have confidence that our children would do fine in that setting. With student led learning and self-pacing, my kids have been able to grow deeply in knowing themselves more, knowing how to work with a team of people different than themselves, receive constructive feedback and choose to become their best self. Our whole family was in tears in our living room as we discussed it. Start typing in the city or country in which you are interested. We also had a negative experience at a different Acton Academy. My goal in this blog post is not to convince you to send your kids to an Acton, nor to avoid Acton. Acton Academy Tyler's 2021-2022 school year will run from August 29th, 2022 to June 9th, 2022. Between the non-traditional learning styles, the administration, and the staff, the school is a breeding place for independent, aware, and prepared citizens of the world. We've heard about the excessive homework and standardized tests that start in the early elementary years. Every morning, guides welcome each learner by name with a friendly welcome, direct eye contact and a firm handshake. We were so disappointed that it was NOTHING like the atmosphere or culture of the Acton wed experience in Boise (which was awesome). Even if the incentive is not as powerful as the intrinsic motivation-what is being taught by the incentive is the value of following the path that an authority said is right and good and not learning to experience intrinsic motivation and its inherent outcomes. We support every student to complete . We didnt have much time, so we paid our deposit and jumped in. Discover his or her most precious gifts and learn to use them to solve difficult problems in the world. Serious commitments, genuine relationships, authentic accountability. Acton Academy could serve as a cost effective model for other schools worldwide. They would sometimes be sad on Sunday nights in anticipating school the next day. 3. Below is a video of a site visit Jason and I filmed near The Slope School in Provo, Utah. Joining the Acton Academy Tribe Acton Academy Joining the Acton Academy Tribe from Acton Academy on Vimeo. through hands-on project-based quests that promote curiosity and problem solving. He then moved into the education market (data-mining). 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. in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, When we homeschooled, we found that in just 2-3 hours per day, we could keep our kids ahead of the public school. We have written about the average tuition cost at Acton, so check that out for more info. Acton Academy is a 21st century solution for the epidemic of mediocrity and apathy that plagues young people in traditional school. I love that Acton doesnt track absences and many locations have a great school schedule that will allow you to go on family vacations, still focus on school, and not have a zillion half days just so the local public school gets credit for holding lunch that day. The Jersey Village location serves ages 5-18 and operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They were seeking out challenges to do together. I write about innovative K-12 learning models. 6 - Criticism. Acton isn't for everyone, though. Acton Academy Claimed 2201 Alexander Avenue, Austin, TX 78722 Contact info Website Private schools are not rated 7 reviews Private school ? 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. The push for growth coupled with that for-profit nature are particularly a reason for pause. The Wilder Schools Gregory thinks that the growing interest in private education stems from remote learning during school shutdowns that gave parents a close-up look at what their children were learning. They encourage every family and child to be proactive, begin with the end in mind, to hold themselves and others accountable and to high standards. Acton Academy has lots of systems like Journey Tracker (an online tool for goal setting and progress), and freedom levels (reward levels for their work each week). Home > United States > Milford, PA . 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. Each year, the Acton community shares an overarching question (e.g., what does it mean to be human; is truth discovered or created?) The 360 reviews ask students to anonymously rate everyone in their studio on a scale of 1 to 10 based on how tough-minded and warm-hearted they are. Do you wonder if Acton is right for your child and family? We believe students learn by doing. Let's embrace more independence in our learners and more entrepreneurism in our leaders. This tracker allows you to look at the progress, bucks balance, 360 review scores, and badge earnings of everyone in the studio. Instead of letting some things go, they would bring another student to account in front of the council. CEO Approval. I want to end with a positive so that it is clear that we were very happy with Acton. Acton Academy Lincoln | A Montessori Inspired Private School in Lincoln, Nebraska - The School That Empowers Your Child For Life | Lincoln's Montessori Based Private School A PRE K-12 Private School in Lincoln, Nebraska Where Learners Become Leaders Now Offering Part-Time Preschool and Kindergarten! 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. Acton learners become powerful communicators by observing world-class examples, practicing in many genres and vehicles, through peer critique, and by writing for public audiences. Im proud of the students my learners are becoming. Seriously, when my family and I walked out of a tour of the school in the city we moved to, we all literally cried. As a thank you, we will send you this free ebook on how Acton Academy is turning learning upside down! He is especially excited about the opportunity to participate in an apprenticeship this year! Actons website said all of the things we had loved before: self-directed, real world experiences, learner-driven, small classes, guides not teachers, etc. A fantastic GPA didnt provide me with the skills for self-motivation, or curiosity, as I had been guided by getting the grades. Acton Academy admits learners and affiliates of any race, color, Acton offers a unique education model which complements individualized learning plans with small group, collaborative projects, she told me. The start-up was not just a school, but also an education technology company looking to create a personalized learning product to sell. As a parent, the teaching style was very foreign to me at first, and my wife and I spent a lot of time confused about what was happening at the school, but in the end, my kids were happy and thrived while at Acton. A non-refundable curriculum fee of $350 is due upon registration per child. We hope your experience at Acton is great! Our nine year old is happy and thriving! Business Outlook. Get the inside scoop on jobs, salaries, top office locations, and CEO insights. Sam. Hes learning a lot about responsibility, accountability, speaking up with kindness and respect, she told me. While Dallas, Austin, and Houston are leaders in digital empire building, the playbook is the same wherever you go. The Guides and staff are incredibly caring and truly invested in my hero's journey. My kids look forward to going to school every day. The results of the 360 reviews were one of the metrics used to determine a students freedom level. We join teams in Wisconsin, Chicago, Toronto, Houston and London who won the right to open a new wave of Acton Academies to build on the success of the original Acton Academy in Austin, Texas. Because Acton allows each location to set their own prices, the tuition cost varies drastically. They are also tapping in to growing demand by parents for private schooling options. 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. There is one location in Washington DC charging over $25,000+, and other locations that are nearly free. Acton students are empowered to thrive in a world that needs independent, motivated thinkers and learners. The Acton model relies heavily on self-directed learning with a lot of peer feedbackolder students help younger students set and monitor goals. The school, an Acton Academy affiliate, was founded by Matthew Clayton, who studied under the late Clayton disruptive innovation Christensen, worked as an analyst for Goldman Sachs, and was recruited to help build the Acton Academy brand. I cant emphasize enough how big of a difference there is between locations. They are asked to make and defend difficult real-world decisions building habits and mindsets that forge character. In the morning, learners of different ages are dropped off and have some free time to prepare for the day. 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. First in Asia, Acton Academy KL is an innovative Preschool through to High-School launched in 2016. Thereafter, you have to share 1% of the revenue with the network (not entirely sure what that means, but that is likely a big number). Launched by Jeff and Laura Sandefer out of frustration about educational options for their own children, Acton Academy is now the flagship of a global school network with more than 185 owner partners in 30 states and 20 countries. A student or teacher with a fixed mindset ignores constructive criticism, instead relying on what they think they already know about themselves. Again, I want to repeat that our kids were happy at Acton and liked it there (which Ill discuss in the next point), but they did also express frustration at the confusing systems. 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! We launched in 2018 and currently serve grades 1 to 9, with plans . We are a tightly knit community of life long learners who are finding a calling to change the world. Welcome to Acton CE Primary Academy. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Pros. They talk to a few students, and get confusing and contradictory instructions. Plans often change if an Acton near you doesnt reply they are still in the process of preparing to launch. That last phrase, falling behind is one that is kind of ignored at Acton. Will this approach adequately prepare our children for a successful, fulfilling life in the 21st century? Judy Kent Director, Media Relations 703-477-7476 - Email Jackie Jones Media Relations Consultant 316-644-9538 - Email Dan Faoro Director, Communications The tracker and the education technology learning platforms are forms of surveillance. Microschools: tiny schools with powerful relationships. 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.. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin None of your business! We aim to create a positive, growth mindset environment in order to develop curious, independent students who find great joy in creating, learning, and collaborating in a tight knit community while discovering their own personal gifts and talents. Acton learners practice critical thinking and powerful writing and speaking through deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history, and self-governance. Find out what works well at Acton Academy from the people who know best. There is not a moment in the day when bucks are not in jeopardy. Acton Academy Seacoast uses the latest technology in a self-paced learning environment that is designed to foster responsibility, goal-setting, and teamwork. The ed-tech company closed all the schools after a few years and kept the tech product in creation. To begin the enrollment process please begin by submitting an inquiry. Now, if a student runs out of bucks they must go to an isolated room and work on core skills all day, for as many days as it takes to earn another hero buck by completing a badge. Acton Academy at Serenbe 255 Prom Field Rd Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268 770.463.0081 . It is the ideological child of Jeff Sandefer, a former business teacher at the University of Texas and founder of the Acton School of Business. Like other networks, there are requirements to be a member such as satisfaction surveys. One of the best arranged daily programs of work I have seen for a school of seven grades called for thirty-three class exercises per day. On the day I visited The Wilder School, a bright, colorful and welcoming classroom in a standalone, home-like building behind the church from which Gregory rents the space, I got a glimpse of how a day at an Acton Academy operates. These are ways data can be harvested and utilized. Acton Academy is in the lower right corner, and you can click here to explore the whole interactive map. Similarly, classes can sometimes vote another student out of the school if they are taking away from the experience (obviously, within limits). We are so pleased and confident it is a great fit! We attended an A++ location in Boise, Idaho (Heroes Academy), but when we moved to a new state, the owner was not providing anywhere close to the same quality of experience. We feel that a little adult mentoring could have produced a result that the kids would be proud of. 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