Author: Marisa Palmer

A lot of parents ask what our long-term plans are regarding school size, location, and middle-school and high-school offerings. The answer is yes! We do plan to offer a middle school (that’s when apprenticeships start) and a launchpad (our name for high school). Our first goal is to grow our elementary school to ~75 heroes over the next few years across the Spark and Discovery studios.

In terms of location, we lease over 8,300 sf of classroom and indoor activity space on the sunny garden-level of Westminster Presbyterian Church (we are a non-religious school), so we have plenty of room to grow and can lease additional space, as needed. When the weather is too cold or too wet, we play gross motor games (tag, four square, hula hoops!) within our 4,000 sf Fellowship Hall, which serves as indoor gym, cafeteria and indoor drama and exhibition area.

In addition to our indoor spaces, our outdoor options are myriad. We are situated across the road from Nakoma Park where our heroes explore the creek, playground and fields. We take walking field trips to UW Arboretum. And we have quite the sledding hill!

In addition, we have access to a large patio outside our building where our learners can work on projects and core skills in the fresh air during warmer months. And this coming Spring, our learners will be building and installing raised garden beds where they will grow their garden and explore plant science!

Being partnered with the church location-wise has the added benefit of giving our school community immediate opportunities to engage in community service and intergenerational activities. For instance, we are planning food and coat drives, meal-packing for children without weekend meals, and senior-learner read-together activities.

One day, we would like to build our own campus. For the foreseeable future, we absolutely love our location and community in the heart of Madison’s Nakoma neighborhood.

Come explore what Acton Academy Madison West has to offer. Schedule a tour HERE. Want to map us? We are located at 4100 Nakoma Road, Suite 100, Madison, WI 53711.

The Wisconsin State Journal featured Acton Academy Madison West on the front page this month. The hardcopy headline said, “Parents crave choices.” We agree!

And parents aren’t the only ones. At Acton, we empower children to take ownership over their own learning, offering them agency and responsibility within guardrails. This is directly in-line with our mission to inspire every child who enters our doors to find a calling that will change the world.

At Acton, learning is an adventure. Learn more by reading the full article here:

Wisconsin State Journal: “In Wisconsin, alternatives to traditional public school see post-pandemic boom.”

As parents, we all want to support our kids’ dreams. We also want to raise humans who are self-motivated and care about serving their communities. Yet these goals can be in conflict if and when we “snow plow” the obstacles away from our kids’ paths, as admittedly tempting as that may be.

Whether it’s starting a new business, pursuing a cause, changing the status quo, inventing something new, or leading others, our children will eventually need to motivate themselves while also having a passion for solving the world’s problems. And they will need to build the habits necessary to do so while they are still children. Maybe they won’t be the next Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, or President of the United States (or maybe they will), but the spirit of service and innovation at any level is about the drive to seek solutions and refuse to be a victim of the way things currently are.

Acton Academy Madison West is a local private school that prides itself on helping each learner develop that spirit. We can also apply some of the school’s guiding principles at home with our family. Here are four ways we can raise the next generation of community leaders and problem-solvers:

1. Encourage children to pursue their interests and their “call to adventure” 

Go back in time to your high school English class, when you learned about the hero’s journey that underpins every epic narrative. The hero of the story is called to an adventure that takes him or her outside of their comfort zone, tests them, and changes them. Like life imitating art, we all experience the hero’s journey. At home, we can embolden our kids to explore their passions and meet challenges, big or small, as part of their journey. Are they beginning a new friendship? Learning about volcanoes? Playing a new sport? These are all examples of the call to adventure. When they encounter inevitable obstacles,  guide your children to see them as learning opportunities. Help them brainstorm solutions by asking powerful questions. Encourage them to find mentors or friends (fellow travelers) to support them. Help them reflect on what they have learned and how they are growing and changing. Instill in them the notion that the hero is the one who takes on the challenge and gets up when her or she fails.

2.       Create time for independent, learner-driven projects

These days, it’s not uncommon to jam-pack our schedules with activities. But even visionaries need time to daydream, tinker, and pursue their ideas and interests. Heroes are self-motivated, driven by curiosity and fascination. A project or topic chosen by your child can be the fuel they need to spark a passion for research, problem-solving and discussion. For us, we stumbled upon a book about the Trojan Horse, which sparked weeks of interest. My son asked us to draw pictures together of the horse, and read more books. I found documentaries for us to watch together, and finally he initiated a playdate with a friend to build and decorate Trojan Horses out of boxes and role-play the Greek invasion of Troy. When your child has down time, away from screens, their minds and curiosity will flourish. 

Pro tip: don’t fear boredom. It will happen, but give it time, and from boredom will spring curiosity and creativity!

3.       Provide questions rather than answers

Sometimes the best answer is another question. As parents, it’s tempting to direct and provide solutions, especially when we are trying to get out the door on time, or adhere to our daily timelines. But when we can slow down, and turn the question back on our children by asking, “What do you think?,” they are often more resourceful and capable than we expect them to be. It’s in these child-led discussions that our children develop a habit and pride of self-efficacy.

4.       Find, or be, a “running partner” for your child

Every hero needs fellow travelers on their journey. Partners help each other set goals, act as sounding boards, and even provide accountability. You can be your child’s running partner, or even better, help them find a peer who can play that role, likely a friend who shares a strong mutual interest with your child. Running partners encourage and inspire one another by providing a space to discuss big ideas. Leaders and change-agents know the value of intentional friendships.

About Acton Academy Madison West

Do you believe in heroes? Do you believe character still matters? Do you believe that learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be are more important than tests alone? Do you yearn for your child to find a calling and not just a career? Then Acton Academy Madison West may be right for you and your family.

Described as a “one-room schoolhouse for the 21st century,” Acton Academy Madison West provides a learner-driven education incorporating Montessori principles using mixed-age classrooms (studios) and allowing learners to move freely about the classroom, in addition to 21st century e-learning tools, immersive real-world projects (quests) and adherence to the Socratic method. Our learners don’t just memorize facts; they learn how to learn, learn how to do, and learn how to be. Our heroes (our name for students) are independent learners who find great joy in learning in a tight-knit community that upholds the highest standards of excellence.

Want to know what goes on inside an Acton Academy, and makes the Acton learning community special? This October we hosted a virtual open house via Zoom.

Learn more by watching our Zoom virtual open house recording here!

Ready for the next step?

Request a FREE copy of Courage to Grow

Schedule a tour by emailing info@actonmadison.com

Schedule a one-on-one call with our Head of School, Marisa Palmer

Apply!

Courage to Grow: How Acton Academy Turns Learning Upside Down was written by Laura Sandefer, one of the founders of Acton Academy. It tells the story of how and why Acton Academy was started, and details the challenges and joys of embarking on this path with our families.

This book is required reading for anyone applying to Acton Academy Madison West. It’s a wonderful read. It will fill your heart, and if you are anything like me, even bring you to tears.

If you’d like a copy, please reach out to me at info@actonmadison.com.

What others are saying:

“Acton Academy is on the vanguard of change in education in our country. After reading Laura’s story, your first two questions will probably be, ‘Why couldn’t my school be like this?’ and ‘How can I send my kids to Acton?’ This is an important story about learning what matters.” –Seth Godin, author of STOP STEALING DREAMS

“Even skeptics are soon converted by the hum of productive energy at Acton Academy; more high tech start up than school. Laura’s book has the same contagious hum, only a screenwriter away from being a major motion picture, more like Rocky or Hoosiers than Waiting on Superman.” –Clark Aldrich, author of GLOBAL EDUCATION THOUGHT LEADER; AUTHOR OF UNSCHOOLING RULES

Here at Acton Academy Madison West, we believe our words should intentionally reflect our purpose and philosophy. Some terms we use may initially sound strange. Over time though, they all start to make sense, and you will experience how our language reflects our promises and beliefs.

The following is a list of words and ideas that are commonly used at Acton Academies around the world:

HERO’S JOURNEY: The guiding structure of many of the greatest stories and myths in history. The structure describes the stages that heros go through on their journey. This structure, which follows a set pattern, is a key principle in the Acton model.

HERO/EAGLE: These terms can be used interchangably. We prefer to use these terms instead of “children” or “student,” because we are all students on a learning journey.

LEARNERS: We prefer to use the term “learner” instead of “student.” Learners take an active role in their education.

GUIDE: We believe that heroes need “A guide on the side” more than a “sage on the stage.” This is our term for a “teacher,” because it better reflects the role of adults in the school.

STUDIO: Studios are where collaborations happen and great exhibitions are planned.

TRIBE: We are intentional about building trust and friendships between all of the Heroes in a studio. We refer to them as a “tribe” because of this level of camaraderie and vulnerability that is required to truly belong to the team.

CORE SKILLS: Reading, writing, and math are the foundational academic subjects that all Heroes work on individually and at their own pace.

BLENDED LEARNING: A style of education in which students learn via electronic and online media as well as traditional face-to-face teaching.

D.E.A.R.: An acronym that stands for “Drop Everything and Read.” Our goal is to have young Heroes who love to read. D.E.A.R. is a time for learners to read anything they enjoy – even comic books.   Over time, Eagles naturally begin to read more and more challenging books – if they care about the subject. 

QUEST: A quest is roughly equivalent to a unit in project-based learning. It represents a significant amount of work with a team and a high level of mastery to complete.

GROWTH MINDSET: According to Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.”

JOURNEY TRACKER: The proprietary Learning Management System (LMS) built by and for the Acton network. Think of it like an Eagle’s educational plan, calendar, and record of work.

BADGE: One of the ways young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills and character is by earning badges. Parents can use badges to track academic progress in core skills like reading, writing, math and character development in “Learn to Be” badges.

RUNNING PARTNER: Classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS: Used to help guide goal setting. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.

JOURNEY MEETING: The Acton equivalent of a “parent-teacher conference.”

LAUNCH: A Socratic conversation that is geared toward exploring deep and meaningful concepts or challenges. Every school day begins and ends with a “launch.”

SOCRATIC DISCUSSION: A formal discussion based on a defined concept or question that requires participants to clearly articulate their positions or arguments. A leader’s role in a Socratic discussion is to ask open-ended questions that will help the participants lean into deeper understanding.

MICRO-SCHOOL: A school where people are rethinking the traditional educational model to better prepare children for the future. They are small, private institutions where students are empowered to personalize their own educations and are held accountable for their own progress.

Are there other terms it would be helpful for us to define? Let us know and we will add to the glossary!

In preparation for hosting our own business fair, we traveled to West Salem, WI this weekend to check out the 1st annual Children’s Business Fair hosted by Acton Academy Midwest. One word: WOW!

For those unfamiliar with the Acton Children’s Business Fair, it’s an opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business. Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at the host’s one-day marketplace.

One of the really cool things about this event is that the kids really do the work. If a parent is found selling or promoting a child’s product or service, their child’s business will be disqualified from the competition. Awesome, right? Of course, parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales.

And wow, do the children rise to the occasion.

There were 24 booths at the Acton Midwest fair. Children ages 6 – 12 created and sold products and services like lawnmowing, web development, manicures, hair braiding, jokes and magic tricks, bird feeders, cupcakes, beautifully packaged cookies, eggrolls, house plants, bookmarks, tote bags, slime, upcycled shoes, jewelry…..the list goes on. Can you tell this necklace is made from a fork?

A group of local entrepreneurs and businesspeople served as judges and awarded prizes for most original business, best presentation, and greatest business potential. Most importantly though, the children gained feedback during the three-hour fair from the marketplace.

Success, failure, all are winners for going for it!

Seeing the business fair firsthand this weekend was a powerful reminder as to why we are starting Acton Academy Madison West. The growth mindset, resilience, teamwork, creativity and courage we saw on display this weekend was inspiring. I can’t wait to see what young heroes of Madison can do!