How is Acton middle school different?
What is Acton?
Acton Academies are small schools where the learners take ownership of their education. The first Acton Academy was founded in 2009 in Austin, Texas by Laura and Jeff Sandefer. Their first class only had 7 students, but their innovative methods gained the attention of others, and a whole network of schools was born that all share the same mission: to inspire every person who walks through their doors to find a calling and change the world.
Acton schools turn the traditional model of education on its head—instead of emphasizing academics with a sprinkling of character education, Acton schools focus on character and work ethic first. If a young person builds character, learns how to form habits, and has a “destination” in mind, the strong academics will follow… One of the best parts? The skills gained through this kind of education are applicable to any pursuit or profession.
“ We believe that: Clear thinking leads to good decisions. Good decisions lead to the right habits. The right habits forge character. Character determines destiny.”
Core Practices
Many things about Acton schools are different from what you would see in traditional schools, but here are a couple of the core practices that really make them stand out:
Self-governance. Students take ownership of their studio and learn to contribute to their school community. They create studio contracts with promises that everyone agrees to follow, they hold weekly town hall meetings to discuss issues that arise, and they learn to hold each other accountable for maintaining excellence. This provides opportunities to practice leadership, learn how to solve problems for the collective good, and gives learners confidence to try new ideas.
Socratic Method. The adults in the studios do not take on the role of teacher—they are called “guides” and are much more like coaches. Acton guides prepare the studio and equip the learners with the tools needed for self-directed learning. Using the Socratic method, valuing questions above providing answers, they guide students to the right resources where they can discover the answers themselves.
The Studio
When you walk into an Acton middle school, you immediately know that it’s different. For starters, there are no “classrooms,” only “studios.” Middle schoolers come to the studio to work, create, and build skills for their future. The look and feel of a studio is also different. A traditional middle school classroom looks something like this:
An Acton middle school studio looks more like this:
The studios are designed for young people to come to school excited to do individual work, as well as collaborative team work.
Daily Schedule
The schedule for the day is not broken up into specific classes. It includes large blocks of time for them to choose what work to focus on. Here’s a sample schedule:
8:00 - Arrival & Free Time
8:20 - “Launch” Group Discussion
8:35 - Important Work Time
11:00 - Enrichment (P.E., Music, Art, Cooking, etc.)
12:00 - Lunch & Free Time
1:00 - Collaborative Project-based “Quests”
2:45 - Clean up / Community Service
3:00 - “Landing” Group Discussion
3:15 - Departure
“Launch” Group Discussion
Each day the learners come together for a group discussion or activity to “launch” the day. The goal of these launches are to equip, inspire, or connect the group.
An equipping launch introduces the learners to strategies and principles that will help them think, learn and work more effectively—such as time-blocking, conflict resolution, or note-taking.
An inspirational launch is meant to spark curiosity about something new to learn about, or encourages learners to rise up by sharing stories of people who overcame adversity.
A connection launch helps the middle schoolers to form a tight-knit community of learners who want to help and encourage each other to make progress in their personal and group goals.
Important Work
Every learner who comes to the studio has important work to do. For these 2 to 3 hours, learners are able to choose how to spend their time, but it is expected that they are doing some form of “important work.” At Beacon Academy, important work can include academic work, community service when they do something to help their school community (such as volunteering in a younger studio, weeding the garden beds, etc.), or they can do a deep dive into something they are curious about. Over time they learn how to prioritize their work and how to manage their time.
Project-based “Quests”
Acton’s “Quests” are 6- to 8-week themed units which promote multi-disciplinary learning, plus real success skills. Here are some elements of the Quests:
Learning by doing. Students learn through hands-on projects, which ultimately lead to one large project.
Collaborative work. Many of the projects are designed to be completed in teams. Acton students spend time every day working collaboratively with others in their group. Among the many benefits of this valuable practice, they learn to divide up work, recognize the strengths of others, and give/receive constructive feedback.
Exhibitions. Rather than learning for a test, the students host an exhibition at the end of each quest to share what they have learned in a meaningful way. Parents and friends (and sometimes others in the local community) are invited to attend. The exhibition gives learners a purpose for learning, a deadline for completing work, and an opportunity to learn valuable organizational and presentation skills (including public speaking).
Interesting, fun, and relevant topics. The quests invite students to learn subjects in fun and interesting ways like learning to diagnose diseases for biology, or holding a mock trial based on a famous trial in history.
“Landing” Group Discussion
Acton middle schoolers end each day with a reflection activity so that important lessons learned can be remembered. Activities might include mindfulness quiet time, “character callouts” (when students acknowledge actions they have seen in their studio that demonstrated character), self-reflection on important work progress, or 360 reviews by peers.
Signature Experiences
At the core of all Acton schools is the belief that every child has a super-power. At every age, the experience at an Acton school is designed to help children discover their super-powers and learn how to use them for good.
Studios for the youngest learners—as early as age 3—are designed to encourage independence, decision-making, and getting along with others. Elementary-aged learners continue that journey, but also begin to learn how to set goals for themselves and be curious. Starting in middle school, learners begin to participate in signature experiences that will help them to find their place in a community, understand themselves, and find a cause that is important to them. By the time Acton learners graduate from high school, they have found and committed to a “Next Great Adventure,” and have already worked with mentors and spend over 100 hours in their chosen field.
What are those signature experiences in middle school?
Servant Leadership. Ready to take on bigger leadership roles, students do community service throughout the school communities to learn to put other first, and also explore talents and interests. Examples of some of these leadership roles include being a reading buddy for a younger learner, leading enrichment classes such as P.E. or cooking, or being an ambassador for visitors to the school.
Overnight Trips. Acton middle schoolers spend time planning and implementing at least one, sometimes multiple trips each year together. Through this process they learn project-management skills, budgeting, and negotiation. The trips themselves are transformational—forming a bond between the studio members, and providing opportunities to broaden horizons.
Apprenticeships. Through the Acton Apprenticeship process, students learn about career options, how to reach out to acquire apprenticeships, spend at least a couple of weeks a year apprenticing with a master, and finally take time to reflect on what they’ve learned. During middle school and high school, Acton learners do many apprenticeships which allows them to explore and narrow down their post-high school “Next Great Adventure.”
Who is Acton middle school for?
The Acton middle school experience would be beneficial for all young people to go through. The day-to-day and Signature Experiences develop strong life and universal professional success skills. The ultimate benefit is that the apprenticeship and mentoring process helps middle and high schoolers to come to know themselves and find a calling. They graduate with a clear view of their next step in life, and have years of experience practicing the skills to make a difference in their chosen cause.
Despite being a valuable experience for all young people, there are some factors that make the difference in learners getting the best out of the process. Strong Acton learners/parents:
Play the long game. It takes years for people to learn how to make good decisions, build habits, forge character, and create their destiny. Learners and parents who prioritize these skills will have the patience to work through academic plateaus. Learners and parents who use traditional school milestones (or general comparisons with others) as a measure of their success will struggle to wait and work through the challenges of learner-driven education.
Desire to make progress. Acton learners aren’t perfect—just like anyone they have days when they don’t feel motivated to work, or they feel stuck on a problem. Guides, peers, and parents use various methods to inspire and encourage learners to move forward. However, tweens and teens who demonstrate indifference to their personal progress consistently, for extended periods of time, may have difficulty with the freedom of self-directed learning.
Seek to lift others. It is essential for Acton students to build a studio community where they can trust and encourage each other. Learners who tend to criticize or tear others down by word or action aren’t tolerated in the studio.
Recognize that overcoming challenges is essential for deep learning. Acton learners and parents see challenges as an opportunity to refine ones skills, and a necessary experience for learners to work through on their own (with support if needed) to get the full benefit. Parents who tend to solve problems or do work for their child when they see them struggling have a very hard time with Acton’s learner-driven model.
Want to learn more?
Through self-directed learning, apprenticeships and other signature experiences, the Acton middle school program prepares young people to find their calling AND equips them with essential skills to succeed. Beacon Academy is an Acton affiliate school, and is proud to be bringing this opportunity to families in the Triad of North Carolina. If you’d like to learn more about it, schedule a tour!