School: You sit at your desk. You listen to your teacher. You copy down the notes she writes. You do worksheets. You do homework. You take a quiz. You listen to your teacher. You copy down the notes she writes. You do worksheets. You do homework. You take a quiz. You study. You take a test to see if you remembered it all.
And you repeat this until you die... just kidding. (kind of)
But seriously, this is totally what we do! Like h o n e s t l y every child I know who goes to school does this. Private school. Public school. Charter school. And we don't know better. I mean, I didn't know better. When every answer to every question we can think of is just a, "Alexa...?" or "Siri...?" or "Hey Google...?" away, is this learning model really the best we can do? How fulfilled by, engaged in, challenged by, and passionate about their education are your kids?
The first time I entered an Acton classroom, I felt like I had entered the twilight zone.
It was early last spring. A friend of mine, Mandy Callister, asked me to open a private school called Acton Academy with her. I was intrigued. I watched a million YouTube videos and a few Ted Talks, and agreed to tour an Acton Academy campus in Orange County. I had to see this crazy, upside-down school for myself before I made any decisions. We drove up together one hot afternoon. We met the director outside, and she walked us up the stairs to where her Elementary, Middle, and High school students were working. When we entered their studios, it was like there was light radiating out of the faces of those children. I had never seen anything like it before. To say these kids were "happy" is like saying that the weather in San Diego is "nice". These kids were straight up JOYFUL. And every Acton studio I've visited since then has been exactly the same.
I started to devour books about education. What on earth was Acton Academy doing to make these kids act like that, to look like that, to speak with such confidence and poise, to be so dang engaged in learning?! I HAD TO KNOW. The One World School House by Salman Khan, Courage to Grow by Laura Sandefer, Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning by Peter H. Johnston, The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle, Unschooling Rules by Clark Aldrich, How to Open A Private School in the Middle of a Pandemic by literally no one, and every book on the Montessori Method I could find... I could. not. stop. reading.
At Acton, they call their students "heroes". And they mean it. Young people on a journey to find their calling in life and to change the world. It's woven into every single detail. No tests, no grades, no homework, no lectures, no teachers---but rather GUIDES who inspire students to find the answers to their own questions. Heroes work on core skills at their own pace, set personal goals, and hold each other accountable. Instead of rules, there's a list of promises the heroes make to one another-- a list they collaborate on, write, and sign together. The classrooms are multi-age, tight-knit communities, and students are constantly mentoring and working with one another. There is character building, outdoor education, Socratic discussions, challenging real-life projects, community exhibitions, apprenticeships, music and art education. Why doesn't everyone do school like this?!
As of last August, there were over 18,000 applications submitted by people wanting to start an Acton Academy in their community, and there are currently 270 worldwide. The fact that we're opening an Acton Academy in San Diego is seriously one of the coolest things I've ever been a part of. I always thought I'd use my passion and love for children to open an orphanage or become a foster mom, and I might still do those things, but for now...I'm opening Acton Academy San Diego East.
And you repeat this until you die... just kidding. (kind of)
The first time I entered an Acton classroom, I felt like I had entered the twilight zone.
It was early last spring. A friend of mine, Mandy Callister, asked me to open a private school called Acton Academy with her. I was intrigued. I watched a million YouTube videos and a few Ted Talks, and agreed to tour an Acton Academy campus in Orange County. I had to see this crazy, upside-down school for myself before I made any decisions. We drove up together one hot afternoon. We met the director outside, and she walked us up the stairs to where her Elementary, Middle, and High school students were working. When we entered their studios, it was like there was light radiating out of the faces of those children. I had never seen anything like it before. To say these kids were "happy" is like saying that the weather in San Diego is "nice". These kids were straight up JOYFUL. And every Acton studio I've visited since then has been exactly the same.
I started to devour books about education. What on earth was Acton Academy doing to make these kids act like that, to look like that, to speak with such confidence and poise, to be so dang engaged in learning?! I HAD TO KNOW. The One World School House by Salman Khan, Courage to Grow by Laura Sandefer, Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning by Peter H. Johnston, The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle, Unschooling Rules by Clark Aldrich, How to Open A Private School in the Middle of a Pandemic by literally no one, and every book on the Montessori Method I could find... I could. not. stop. reading.
As of last August, there were over 18,000 applications submitted by people wanting to start an Acton Academy in their community, and there are currently 270 worldwide. The fact that we're opening an Acton Academy in San Diego is seriously one of the coolest things I've ever been a part of. I always thought I'd use my passion and love for children to open an orphanage or become a foster mom, and I might still do those things, but for now...I'm opening Acton Academy San Diego East.
