All Acton Academy Madison West Posts

We had a great week! We kicked it off with a visit to the UW-Planetarium. The Planetarium was an old-school analog light projection, which was very cool. The heroes learned a new things about constellations and galaxies while exploring some of what they already knew in new ways, like seasons and sunsets and sunrises. Spark Read more…

Houston, we had a…..great week! The Spark heroes continued to explore outer space! They learned the Earth is 4.5 billion years old and throughout this time, the Moon has been our planet’s constant companion. This week they explored the moon’s phases and its role in causing the tides. They learned that gravity is different on Read more…

Spark returned focused and ready to learn this week! We kicked off our space-focused session. During our circle times, we focused on weather as a bridge to our space topics. We learned about Doppler radar and satellites, and how they help show us what’s going on with the weather. We also watched some videos of storm Read more…

Spark heroes had a great week working on final preparations for their end-of-session exhibition. The focus was seasons and weather. They created “thunder bags” and “hurricane houses” which they incorporated into their exhibition activities and gallery display. They proudly displayed their weather and temperature chart and seasons timeline, along with all their other wonderful makerspace Read more…

Discovery has been buzzing with excitement as the heroes began planning for their upcoming Marine Science Exhibition! Discovery heroes have been working hard, blending creativity, teamwork, and their growing knowledge of marine science to create an experience their parents will remember.  We kicked off the week by discussing the roles each hero would take during Read more…

The focus of the week was kind communication. We explored the idea of “invisible bandages,” the things we can do to help friends with hurt feelings like apologies, checking in, or hugs. We talked about icy, hot and warm forms of communications and how we can use the words, “I feel…..” to express ourselves in Read more…

This week, Discovery heroes dove into the “Whale-Level Quest Challenge,” an exciting and thought-provoking task as part of their Marine Science Quest. The challenge calls on heroes to identify a significant challenge facing the ocean today and come up with creative solutions. Heroes began by brainstorming a variety of issues threatening our oceans, such as Read more…

The Discovery heroes continued with their marine science quest this week! First, they examined a couple of real fish specimens. The heroes were fascinated by their scales and eyes. The next day, they explored marine food webs. Some were surprised to learn that humans are at the top of the marine food web, and explored Read more…

This week’s focus was growth mindset. We explored questions like are you born smart or do you get smarter with hard work? We also discussed the word “yet” and explored how powerful it can be when we encounter a challenge, as in “I can’t do this……YET.” We’ve continued to explore weather through books and activities. Read more…

This week, our Discovery heroes dove even deeper into the mysteries of the ocean with an exciting project on light and how it transforms underwater. They started by cutting out deep sea glasses and taping them onto file folders. Next, they taped blue film over the eye holes, allowing the glasses to filter light similarly Read more…

This week in Spark the heroes explored weather as part of our “Seasons and Weather”-themed session. Each morning, they are graphing the temperature. At the beginning of the session, they predicted that they would see their line chart decline as the session went on, so they were surprised this week to see temperatures increase! We Read more…

This week, our Discovery heroes continued their marine science journey with an exciting new focus: the Coral Reef Challenge! As part of our Marine Science Quest, the heroes dove into exploring the intricate world of coral reefs, a crucial marine ecosystem teeming with life and color. To kick off the challenge, the heroes tackled some Read more…

It has been a productive and rewarding week in the Spark Studio! The heroes are growing accustomed to practicing working independently in the mornings. With this practice comes deepened concentration. Several of the heroes are beginning to focus on earning either a writing, reading or math badge! While others continue to enjoy exploring art, building, Read more…

The Discovery heroes embarked on an exciting new quest—Marine Science! On this quest, heroes will explore ocean currents and waves, biodiversity on coral reefs, the deep sea, and the open ocean.  Each week, the heroes explore a different topic area by completing challenges from one of five levels. As work is completed, groups “level up.” Levels include Read more…

What a great week back in the Spark studio! Our theme this session is the Seasons and Weather. Autumn is such a wonderful time to explore this because we recently experienced summer, and will soon head into winter. There is so much change to discover! So far, we’ve explored why Autumn is also called Fall, Read more…

The Discovery heroes were full of excitement and joy this week. The highlight of the week was the end-of-session Exhibition of Learning, where the Discovery heroes proudly invited their parents to witness the incredible work they’ve done so far in the ‘Build the Tribe’ quest. Discovery heroes took charge of planning the entire exhibition program, Read more…

This was an exciting week in the Studios as both the Spark and the Discovery heroes prepared for their first exhibition of the year! One of the major goals of the first session of the year is to “Build the Tribe,” by coming together as friends and studiomates. The Spark heroes have been having a Read more…

This week at Discovery Studio was filled with creativity, collaboration, and excitement! The heroes dove into some hands-on art projects, creating beautiful leaf art that showcased the vibrant colors and beauty of fall. Using leaves they gathered, the heroes experimented with different designs, turning nature into artwork. With just a little glue, paper, and a Read more…

This week in Spark we continued to focus on routine and guardrails. Montessori is new for many of these heroes, so we went back to some basic guardrails including stay in the studio, let a guide know when you need to leave the room, treat the materials as tools not toys, and be a marshmallow Read more…

Kerry McDonald’s LiberatED podcast conversation featured Marisa Palmer, cofounder of Acton Academy Madison West in Madison, Wisconsin. Formerly an investment banker and hedge fund analyst in New York City, Marisa and her husband moved back to the Midwest and enrolled their son in the local public kindergarten. From Kerry’s blog: “It’s actually one of the best districts Read more…

It was a huge week of learning this week in Spark! One of our focuses was routines. The Spark heroes helped the guide create a daily visual schedule. It was great to have their input so that together we all understand what activity each picture represents. Now when a Spark hero asks, “When is lunch?” Read more…

This week has been filled with both fun and growth! We had a discussion to start the day about “Seeds of Potential,” where we explored how every hero has their own unique gifts waiting to be cultivated. The heroes got a chance to examine a variety of apples, each one different in color, shape, and Read more…

What a wonderful week in Spark! This week, we began our “Montessori Mornings.” Each hero earned badges by demonstrating mastery in rolling a rug and walking around a rug. They were excited to place their first badges on the Spark badge wall! In addition, two heroes earned “Bravery” badges for trying new, challenging things. One Read more…

The Discovery Studio was filled with creativity, teamwork, and celebrations as our heroes took on a variety of exciting challenges and activities this week. We launched the hero board challenge this week. The heroes dove into the researching phase of gathering elements, reflecting on their hero’s journey, and refining their ideas to ensure their boards Read more…

This year’s question of the year is “What motivates a hero?” and we will explore this question throughout the year. The entire school started this process during our annual school year kick-off “Welcome Party” where each hero – and their parents parents – shared with the group one new thing they tried or learned this Read more…

This year’s question of the year is “What motivates a hero?” and we will explore this question throughout the year. The entire school started this process during our annual school year kick-off “Welcome Party” where each hero – and their parents parents – shared with the group one new thing they tried or learned this Read more…

What a wonderful week it has been here in the Discovery studio! This week, Discovery heroes continued to prepare for their upcoming survivor quest exhibition & camping trip. They created signs and programs. The heroes’ creativity shined through their designs, and they took great pride in making sure their signs would inspire and guide attendees Read more…

What a wonderful last week of the school year in Spark! The Spark heroes continued to work daily with Montessori materials in the morning, focusing in on many of the new works that have been added to the studio. However, the heroes also had a ton of fun in the afternoons with lots of outdoor Read more…

It was a fun and wonderful week in the Discovery Studio. On Monday, the Discovery heroes began planning their upcoming camping trip. They brainstormed and listed the various skills they would like to demonstrate to families for the exhibition portion, and even included some challenges for their parents, ranging from setting up tents to building Read more…

What an exciting week it has been here at Spark Studio! This week, the heroes practiced memorizing their parents’ phone numbers. They brainstormed reasons why this is important to know and when they might find it useful to have. The children had a fantastic time welcoming Ms. Olivia, a forest school guide, for a hero Read more…

The Discovery heroes had a super fun week! For the Survivor Quest, Discovery heroes drafted their own identity map to describe themselves. These identity maps showcase their heroes’ journeys and aspirations. After delving into their personal stories, they shifted gears to focus on practical survival skills, starting with first aid. Understanding that safety and preparedness Read more…

It has been a busy week of exploration and learning. Here’s a glimpse into Spark’s adventures: Heroes have been honing their awareness by memorizing their full names, addresses, at least one parent’s phone number, allergies, and medical conditions. This knowledge ensures that they can seek help if needed. The learners crafted “Where I Live Flip Read more…

This week, Discovery Studio was filled with excitement as we welcomed some heroes from Spark Studio for a visit week in Discovery. The collaboration added a vibrant dynamic to our activities, and it strengthened friendships and shared learning experiences. The week kicked off with the continuation of our Survivor Quest. On Monday the Discovery heroes Read more…

We’ve had an exciting week here in the Spark Studio! Let’s dive into what we’ve been up to: This week, we delved into the world of fire safety to prepare for our upcoming field trip to the fire station. We learned about the importance of fire and imagined what life was like before stoves, grills, Read more…

This week, the Discovery heroes were immersed in the Growing Curiosity Quest where the oldest heroes have the opportunity to design, plan and lead a week-long quest on a subject of their choosing. This week, a hero led a creative writing quest. She kicked off the week with inspiring launches about the essential components of Read more…

What an exciting week it has been in our studio! We’ve been busy exploring the wonders of nature, learning about different cultures, and diving into the fascinating world of mathematics and geometry. We embarked on a journey to discover the unique plants that are edible right here in Wisconsin. Our adventure took us to a Read more…

The Discovery heroes enjoyed another fun and enriching week! This week’s highlight was our first Growing Curiosity Quest week, which was entirely planned and facilitated by one of our oldest heroes. The quest theme was centered around chickens, offering a unique and engaging learning experience for everyone. The heroes then held real chicks. They had Read more…

Curiosity was sparked in the Spark studio this week with the study of water cycles as a part of this session’s Survivor Quest! The children learned about how rain forms including evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Later in the week, they used the concept of condensation to make fresh, drinkable water using solar stills they built Read more…

Discovery had a wonderful week to kick off the final session of the year! This session we launched a Mandarin language special for both the Discovery and Spark heroes. First, they explored the concept that Chinese is a tonal language, which means that the pitch or intonation used when pronouncing a word can change its Read more…

The heroes kicked off a new session this week in which they are exploring the “Survivor” quest! This week, the heroes delved into Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and explored the difference between wants and needs. It’s fascinating to understand how little we really need to survive! They applied this new knowledge to the real world, Read more…

It was the last week of the session in Discovery this week, which means lots to do, and lots of fun! All the heroes planted and labeled the vegetable seedlings in the garden bed, as well as the wildflower seeds into the planters. The Discovery heroes organized and led the process, getting practice with their Read more…

This week, with the Discovery heroes, the Spark heroes planted and marked the vegetables and wild flowers. With determined hands and hopeful hearts, they put the finishing touches on their green oasis. Here’s to hoping our community garden flourishes even more than our studio greenhouses. The also heroes eagerly prepared to welcome their loved ones Read more…

The Discovery heroes had a fun and meaningful week! In core skills, they their IOWA tests. They maintained great focus during the test despite it not being their favorite activity. On Friday Spark joined discovery for an ice cream party to celebrate this important milestone. The ice cream party provided a great chance for the heroes to Read more…

Another exciting week has flown by in our bustling studio! Here’s a peek into this week in Spark: In our quest this week, the heroes became gardeners as they crafted garden markers for the community garden. With these markers, they’ll know exactly what’s growing. The learners also explored photosynthesis, discovering all the incredible gifts plants Read more…

This is the third week that discovery heroes have done “focused free time” in the morning in the studio. They all had a lot of fun reading, doing word searches, practicing math facts and crossword puzzles during the 30-minutes time period. Integrating these activities adds another layer of engagement and excitement for the Discovery heroes. It’s Read more…

Another exciting week has flown by in the BUZZING community garden quest! Let’s DIG into the wonderful adventures and discoveries we’ve had together. This week, the Spark learners joined forces with the Discovery heroes to build a garden bed from the ground up! They filled it with soil with determination and teamwork, preparing it for Read more…

Discovery had a wonderful and meaningful week. In core skills, discovery heroes demonstrated great focus and continued to meet their daily SMART goals this week. They all received character-call outs this week for showing their best work effort in the studio. Recognizing their hard work with character call-outs surely reinforces a positive learning environment and motivates Read more…

This was the second week that they children went straight to core skills after arriving at school, and there is a marked difference in their focus on Montessori activities! They are feeling a sense of pride as they delve deeper into their work and feel success as they make progress towards their goals. The week Read more…

The Discovery heroes had a wonderful week following the weekend’s Acton Children’s business Fair! They kicked off with the second week of ‘Debate a Game’ communication challenge. They learned about several types of logical fallacies. Each of hero created their own logical fallacy card. By using real-life examples to illustrate each fallacy and accompany them with Read more…

We’ve had an exciting and productive week in Spark! Here’s a glimpse into what we’ve been up to: This week, we implemented a new morning routine to reduce the transitions in our mornings and create a calmer, more focused atmosphere. Based on guide observations, the change has been a huge success! While learners might feel Read more…

One of our favorite events each year is the Acton Children’s Business Fair. It’s a one-day marketplace open to children from all over the greater Madison area. It’s an opportunity for children to create a product or service, develop a brand, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at the fair. Every important step Read more…

What a wonderful week back after the long spring break. The week started with a special solar eclipse viewing party. After lunch, the children gathered for a launch about what causes an eclipse and why this week’s eclipse is so special. The children were surprised when they had the realization that they will be in Read more…

Welcome back from the long spring break! We’ve kicked off our new quest with enthusiasm and curiosity, diving into exciting projects and discoveries. The studio was abuzz with energy as we reunited after the break. The Spark heroes shared tales of their adventures and dreams for the new session ahead. A hot topic was what Read more…

Adapted from a blog post by Laura Sandefer. Nemo. Luke Skywalker. Mulan. Odysseus. Dorothy. The Little Engine that Could. These stories strike a chord of yearning we share –  adventure, identity and meaning in our lives.  They also have a structured rhythm that’s been repeated in stories for thousands of years. Joseph Campbell’s work revealed Read more…

The Discovery heroes wrapped up this session’s Detective Science quest with an exhibition of learning where they created a crime scenario and crime scene for exhibition attendees to solve! They set up a jailbreak scenario and parents and friends were asked to figure out whole helped the criminal escape. They used finger prints, footprints, and Read more…

As winter bids its farewell, we eagerly embrace the warmth and joy of spring here at Spark! The Spark heroes have been buzzing with excitement and curiosity, ready for the adventures that lie ahead. Let’s dive into the highlights of our recent escapades: With the arrival of spring, we eagerly embarked on our Gardening Quest. Read more…

A question we commonly hear at our London, ON, Canada Acton Academy is this: “How is your school different from a Montessori school?” We relied on the experience of having both of our children attend a wonderful Montessori program as toddlers and pre-schoolers, our own research on this topic, as well as the input from other Acton Academy owners who Read more…

On one of the rainy days this week, it was a close and controversial vote, but the children opted to go outside 6-5. Some borrowed sweatpants from Acton to keep warm, others mittens, and we doled out several umbrellas. It was a delight to watch them transform from a group of five bored and angry children Read more…

What an exciting week the heroes had in their detective quest! They kicked things off by exploring “morse” code and created secret messages using invisible ink. As if that weren’t mysterious enough, the children decoded messages. With their trusty decoder sheets, every Spark learner became a master code-breaker, unraveling hidden messages and creating their own Read more…

This week in Discovery, the heroes continued their exploration of Detective Science! From preparing slides to look at suspects’ hair samples (including cat vs. human), to observing fruit flies on a banana to simulate the way detectives can use insects to determine the age of decomposition, and matching microbes on hands and keyboards to find Read more…

During the Detective Science Quest this week, the Spark heroes delved into the fascinating world of fingerprints! Every Spark learner became a skilled investigator as they discovered the unique patterns of their fingerprints. Armed with this knowledge, they solved mysteries by examining the fingerprints left at the “crime scene” and comparing them with those in Read more…

Asked about her favorite part of the annual Acton Children’s Business Fair in Madison, 9-year old Corrine quipped, “being creative and making profit!”  She launched her business, So Fresh by Corrine, last year and has dedicated herself to manufacturing natural bath products with home-grown herbs over the kitchen stove ever since. At the upcoming 2nd Read more…

The Discovery heroes continued solving the mystery of the stolen files this week as part of the Detective Science quest. They ventured outside to make plaster casts of shoe prints, lifted fingerprints, and identified the culprit! They have also been developing their research and presentation skills. This sessions, heroes have the opportunity to earn a Read more…

This week the Spark heroes took their detective science quest outdoors to take advantage of the sunny days and hone their observation skills to solve a mystery. Spark learners used their keen eyes and sharp minds as they studied objects, recalled details, and uncovered missing items. Working together as a team, they identified the culprit Read more…

The Discovery heroes kicked off the week with lots of new challenges! First up was the Detective Science quest. They will be investigating a crime scene for the next two weeks and investigating various suspects. They found a table with moldy bread, cheese, a strange powder, missing files, fingerprints and shoe prints. Who done it!? Read more…

The Spark heroes embarked on a new Detective Science Quest, into a world of mystery and exploration during their first week back from break. During Quest time, the young detectives crafted their spy code names and delved into clues and mysteries, solving mini-mysteries, and sharpening their deduction skills with every clue uncovered! During World Cultures, Read more…

This week was exhibition week! The heroes planned for their Coding & Robotics exhibition which included a tour of their Code.org work, a friendly robotics competition, and a panel discussion where heroes were asked questions like, “what did you learn from this quest that will help you on your hero’s journey?” The answer, overwhelmingly, was Read more…

It was a week of exploration, learning, and surprises in Spark! We kicked off the week with a Hero Spotlight of author, Maya Angelou. Heroes explored her resilience, courage, and creativity. Our whole school community enjoyed a memorable field trip to the Madison Children’s Theater to see “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me.” The play is based Read more…

Children need twice the amount of free play as structured experiences for mental and physical health At Acton Academy Madison West, we intentionally provide myriad opportunities for unstructured play indoors and outdoors. Recent research suggests that children should experience twice as much unstructured time as structured play experiences. Yet, according to Dr. Peter Gray, researcher Read more…

Watch the videos below to learn more about what real parents are saying about Acton Academy Madison West. From self-paced learning, character and leadership development, to encouraging curiosity and accommodating different learning styles, we at Acton Academy Madison West believe that every child is a genius. Our learning design allows each child to discover their Read more…

The highlight this week was the launch of Robotics to cap off the last two weeks of our 6-week Coding & Robotics Quest. The heroes have completed a 19-lesson course on Code.org to learn block coding. They also engaged in guide-led group “unplugged” challenges and games to learn more deeply about specific programming concepts like Read more…

The Spark studio has been buzzing with creativity and collaboration! The children spent the week putting final touches on their tree houses, robots, and large structures. But shh, this next part is a secret! Parents and family will need to wait until next week’s exhibition to discover the giant, collaborative structure on which the children Read more…

We welcomed a new hero to Discovery this week! In order to prepare to welcome him, the Discovery heroes discussed what makes a successful tribe, and what the role of leaders within that tribe is. They decided that it’s important to help tribe members and to act as servant leaders. They also remembered back on Read more…

In our quest for knowledge and fun in Spark, we’ve had an amazing week filled with adventures, new challenges, and important lessons. Let’s dive into the highlights: In our quest this week, learners have been busy constructing wonders! From magical tunnels to majestic boats, castles, and mighty forts, the Makers Space has transformed into a Read more…

Supporting Our Children Through Change Acton is growing! And with that comes change. On the one hand, I believe we (parents, heroes and founders) all want our school to grow and thrive. At the same time, change causes uncertainty. Even positive change, is still change. New children have joined and may join. One Discovery hero Read more…

Although it was a short week, the Spark Studio learners were unstoppable, achieving and surpassing their goals with a SPARK of brilliance! This week’s quest: ROBOTS! Embarking on an exciting quest, Day One saw our young explorers diving into the realm of creativity and innovation. Armed with Magnatiles, nuts, bolts, and paper clips, each learner Read more…

Journey Meeting Preparations This week, the Discovery heroes worked diligently to prepare for their journey meetings with their parents. Journey Meetings are Acton Academy’s version of parent-teacher conferences. However, rather than parents and teachers meeting to talk about a child, at Acton, we support the process of parents talking with their child. This is part Read more…

Happy new week from the Spark Studio! We’re “snow” excited to share highlights from our “frostastic” week! In the spirit of the new year, the Spark heroes accepted the challenge of extending their core skills time (focused on reading, math, and writing) from 1 hour and 45 minutes to 1 hour and 55 minutes. They Read more…

What a fun week back in Discovery to kick-off the new year! This session, the heroes are embarking on explorations of mathematics, the middles-ages, coding and robotics, gratitude, passion projects, learning-to-be badges and taking responsibility for their own journey meetings with parents. Mathematics Exploration We consistently work to integrate mathematics into everything that we do Read more…

Happy New Year from the vibrant Spark studio! This week was filled with excitement as we warmly welcomed a new friend into our creative space. Together, the children revisited the promises, systems, and expectations that set the foundation for our amazing learning journey at the the beginning of this year. The Spark heroes enjoyed the Read more…

Grow Your Child’s Creativity and Problem-Solving Why a Makerspace? At Acton Academy Madison West, children unleash their creativity and making-skills everyday in our STEAM-based makerspace. You can do the same at home. Rather than toss those holiday boxes and wrappings, re-use them to create a mini-makerspace.  Makerspaces are fun, and support the development of the Read more…

The Discovery Heroes wrapped up their Acton Athens quest this week! As with every thing we do at Acton, it was an opportunity for the children to “learn to learn.” They choose from myriad “doing” challenges each day: knit a hat, build an abacus, create a wax tablet and write your name in Greek, make Read more…

The heroes wrapped up a fun curiosity-Sparking session this week. Here is a glimpse into the highlights: The young Spark learners delved into the wonders of grassland habitats! They engaged in hands-on activities to create a vibrant habitat collage to bring their collaborative grassland to life. To close out the winter celebrations quest, the children Read more…

One of our promises to families who attend Acton Academy Madison West is that we won’t come between parents and their children. This includes family time. We offer flexibility for family travel and we don’t assign homework that can creep into home life. As the hustle of holidays is upon us, how can families maintain this Read more…

It was an exciting week in Spark, filled with exploration, creativity, and a touch of dance magic! Here is a peek into the highlights: World Culture and Celebrations In the exploration of world cultures and celebrations, the Spark heroes learned about Kwanza, delving into its principles and customs. To bring the spirit of Kwanza into Read more…

The Acton Athens quest is proving to be a favorite! The heroes are working hard and having a lot of fun exploring the quest areas: Oikos (home), Academia (the Academy), Stoa (place of debate), and Agora (marketplace). Each day the heroes learn a bit about ancient Greece. For instance, do you know about the myth Read more…

This week in Spark, the heroes set sail on an adventurous journey, exploring the magic of winter celebrations and the enchanting habitats of our planet’s creatures. Here’s a peek into what they have been up to this week! This session, they are embarking on a global exploration of winter celebrations. Our first stop? Hanukkah! We Read more…

The Discovery heroes kicked of the new session by transporting themselves to Ancient Greece! Each morning, they climb into their time machines and transport themselves to Acton Athens, where they become their Greek hero avatar (there is a Poseidon, a Hephaestus, an Athena…..) and don their laurel wreath headwear. This week they compared and contrasted Read more…

When your child joins the Acton Academy community, it’s not just your child who begins a new journey. It is an invitation for the family to begin their hero’s journey, too.  A common question we get is: “What are the main things parents can expect when they join Acton Academy?”. Here are some things you can Read more…

Congratulations to Jeff and Laura Sandefer, founders of the first Acton Academy in Austin, TX, for being recognized and awarded the Simon-DeVos prize! From the announcement: The Sandefers’ notable accomplishments include founding Acton Academy, a cutting-edge, global network of K-12 schools that encourage students to be “curious, independent, lifelong learners” and the Acton Children’s Business Read more…

This week was exhibition week! The Discovery heroes worked hard to prepare for the final lemonade “stand-off” with the Sparks, bringing together all they had learned through this five-week entrepreneurship quest: company formation, brand and image creation, market research and calculating costs and risks. Hero Talk Joe McGrath, photographer, videographer, animator, and founder of NextWave Read more…

This session flew by in a whirl of Halloween spookiness! It’s been a joyous journey of learning, exploration, and building lasting memories. Here are some of the exciting moments from our recent adventures: The Spark heroes embarked on a field trip to Trader Joe’s, navigating the city using the city bus. The journey not only Read more…

Intentionality A big focus this week was intentionality: doing something with purpose. On Monday, as a group, the childrens’ focus was all over the place. They played and chatted instead of doing their core skills. Discussion attendance was spotty at best. Finally, two heroes rose up and said, “we can’t take this!” The next morning Read more…

This week has been a blast as the heroes geared up for the Lemonade Stand Off! After learning and debating about what roles they would need to run the stand, everyone took on a different role – from drink tenders to money managers. Get ready for a lemonade stand extravaganza that’s not just about drinks Read more…

This week was the “Market Challenge” in the E-ship (Entrepreneurship) Quest. The Discovery heroes kicked off the week with a coffee shop simulation, then moved onto conducting actual market research with their Spark cohorts. They surveyed potential customers to understand how much customers would pay for an 8oz glass of lemonade. They also conducted blind Read more…

Another exciting week has flown by in our Spark studio, and we’re eager to share the highlights of our learning adventures with you! Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to: Quest: Entreprenuership In Quest this week, we embarked on some fun and engaging activities. First, we held a vote to decide on the Read more…

Have you listened to the podcast? Kerry McDonald of the LiberatED podcast, interviews Frank Farro, cofounder, along with his wife Natalie, of Acton Academy North Broward, in Coral Springs, Florida. Acton Academy is a popular, and fast-growing global network of learner-driven microschools, now encompassing more than 300 independently owned and operated Acton-affiliated schools, including Acton Academy Read more…

E-Ship: Image Challenge This week marked week 2 of the E-ship quest where the heroes explored image and brand. First they explored and reflected upon world-class examples of logos, advertisements and slogans. They were then challenged to create their own! They have named their company, and developed a catchy slogan. Throughout this Quest, the heroes Read more…

We are excited to share the latest news from Spark! This week was filled with creative activities, learning adventures, and the excitement for the upcoming Halloween Holiday! Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to: Writer’s Workshop: Love Letters In our Writer’s Workshop, we’ve launched one of the learners’ favorite projects: Love Letters! Every Read more…

E-Ship Quest Kick-Off We started the new session by kicking off the highly collaborative E-Ship (entrepreneurship) Quest! This week’s challenge was the company formation challenge where the children explored their job roles (e.g. bookkeeper, customer service, lawyer, etc.). The wrote their mission statement and determined how they would make decisions together. Over the course of Read more…

There was so much excitement during the first week back in the Spark studio after the weeklong break. Every Spark hero brought their energy and enthusiasm to Acton, especially as they are anticipating the upcoming Halloween festivities. Harnessing this excitement, they decorated pumpkins and crafted spooky-shape paper chains. Their ownership of the space continues to Read more…

The Discovery heroes were hard at work this week preparing for this session’s Exhibition of Learning! The focus of this session’s exhibition was sharing with parents more about core skills, Acton systems and processes, hero boards, and collaborative artwork the heroes created together. Core Skills The heroes had a core skills “open house” where they Read more…

Wow, time flies when you’re having fun! It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the end of our first session. This year has gotten off to an amazing start, filled with exciting discoveries, meaningful connections, and loads of fun. During this session, one of our main goals was to build strong relationships within our Read more…

This week in Discovery, the heroes focused a lot on core skills. They gained more familiarity with their badge plans, and with the Guide, set year-end goals. Then they broke those year-end goals down into two-session goals, and further broke those down into a weekly work plan. We are also lengthening the amount of time Read more…

It has been quite an eventful week in Spark! It’s no secret that sickness has been sweeping through Spark lately. This week, we emphasized the importance of compassion and understanding. We talked about what “Do our best to be our best” means, and that our best efforts may look different from day-to-day and from person-to-person. This lesson Read more…

This week was a week of coming together. It’s sweet to watch the Spark and Discovery heroes play together. The Discovery heroes are serving as mentors and guides (e.g. getting to and from the playground as buddies, serving as “Creek Leaders” and “Crossing Guards.”) Meanwhile, the Sparks are also finding their voices to talk with Read more…

The Spark heroes wrapped up their “All About Me Boards,” Part 1. This project allows the learners to showcase their unique personalities and interests. It was a blast seeing their creativity shine through! They have also been diving into a treasure trove of books, sparking their imaginations and fostering a love for reading. And they have said Read more…

Art at Acton We had our first art special at Acton. It was a lot of fun! Since we are “building the tribe,” children worked on individual pieces as well as a collaborative piece where they wove yarn, beads and found objects into burlap. This was a new skill for many heroes, and they found Read more…

What an exciting and colorful week of learning in Spark! The eager learners embarked on a mission to earn their Rug Rolling Badge, and with determination and teamwork, they flawlessly rolled up every rug in the room. They experienced the vibrant hues of Fall as they explored the beautiful colors in the UW Arboretum to Read more…

We’ve had a wonderful week here at Acton Academy Madison West. The newest heroes are settling in very well and having a lot of fun, while the experienced heroes are stepping up as leaders and welcoming the new dynamics of a bigger group and varied personalities. Already, the children held their first joint Spark-Discovery town Read more…

During this first session, the Spark heroes are “building their tribe,” focused on team-building, collaborative challenges, creating studio contracts, and introducing Acton processes and systems. This week they: The explored their space and learned about expectations for different tools and times of day They got to know our studio mates through get-to-know-you games and desk swaps! Read more…

Have you listened to this podcast?  Zach Lahn, co-founder of Wonder, an Acton Academy in Wichita, Kansas, was recently interviewed by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson. They walk through a day in the life of an Acton learner (the same model we use here at Acton Academy Madison West), the curriculum designed to help inspire these Read more…

You know how so many children come home from school, frustrated, mad, tired and / or exhausted. They don’t want to go to school. They don’t like math or reading. At Acton Academy Madison West, we solve this problem by creating an environment that fosters responsibility, rigor, and JOY. One of our promises to families Read more…

Field Trip! The Acton heroes headed to Wingra Boats and Henry Vilas Zoo for their field trip this week. They had a great time! And they planned it all themselves! From researching potential locations, to mapping the bus route, and sticking within a budget, the heroes were in charge of determining where to go and Read more…

Pitch a Field Trip – Writer’s Workshop Persuasive Writing This week, the heroes pitched their field trip ideas to each other. Wingra Boats won!  The initial challenge was to research and pitch a field trip within a few main parameters: Within 20 minutes of school via walking and bus $10 or less per hero (funded Read more…

Why does it matter that children not only know how to read, but also love to read? Because reading for pleasure is linked with not just better academic and cognitive outcomes, but also to better social and emotional outcomes. For instance, children who read for pleasure also have: Greater engagement and higher motivation in school Read more…

This weekly blog update is a little different this week. Ask your child(ren) what their favorite part of school was this week! In the meantime….. Summer Reading You may have seen the numerous articles today about continuing national math and reading test score declines. While COVID has certainly exacerbated learning loss in recent years, the decline has Read more…

It was a quieter week with a couple of learners out, but we had a great time at Acton nevertheless. Making Learning Compelling and FUN! As you know, our team attended the annual Acton Owner’s Conference a couple of weekends ago. It was great to learn from other owners and experienced guides. Our goals for Read more…

Quest This week we continued our “Newton’s Physics of Toys” quest. Last week, they built gravity-powered cars and tested them and competed in teams using a ramp. This week, the heroes built balloon-powered cars to explore the concepts of thrust and propulsion. The focus was Newton’s third law: that for every action, there is an equal Read more…

The sun and heat have brought with them a lot of energy at school! Also a lot of enthusiasm. It was a short week with the holiday, so here are a few things to note: Core Skills: We are noticing the children work best when they have a core skills schedule. The Guide will meet with each Read more…

We are so excited to host the exhibition today! Some things to expect: A reading of science-based fiction stories A scavenger hunt Information and displays about arthropods and insects Live insects! A Socratic discussion demonstration (you will learn about SOLEs) Ancient technology display Badge ceremony Butterfly release This week the children focused on exhibition planning, Read more…

Theme of the Week This week, we are exploring heroes and their hero’s journeys. Specifically, the children learned about Malala Yousafzai, Shirley Chisholm, Steven Hawking, and Everyday Heroes! We are looking for more ways we can integrate examples of heroes into our days at Acton. One idea we have is highlighting a few heroes on the Read more…

Theme of the Week: Intentionality We’ve been noticing distracting behaviors in the studio. For instance, a hero might sit next to another hero and begin touching them or talking to them while they are working on core skills. Or during Quest or Writer’s Workshop, heroes will choose to play instead of work, and actively draw others Read more…

We kicked off the week with a birthday celebration! One of our heroes turned nine this week. We had a celebration borrowed from Montessori where she circled around the “sun” nine times, and after each revolution, her mom and sister shared a milestone from that year. It was such a nice way to honor her! Read more…

The Guides have been having one-on-one meetings with each hero to go through each app and detail exactly where they are, and what they need to accomplish towards their badge plans. This process was an eye-opener for some in seeing that they will need to work with more intentionality to make progress, and that sometimes they need to Read more…

With the warmer weather, the children have been opting to play in the creek in Nakoma Park. We recommend wearing to school or sending some water shoes (water shoes or water-resistant sandals) for outdoor time. They also are enjoying climbing on the playground equipment! Back to School! The heroes did a great job of setting Read more…

Badge Celebration: We had our first badge celebration this week! Each hero earned a Business Fair Badge. Every Friday we will hold a badge ceremony to celebrate heroes who earn a badge that week! The Guides created a badge wall where the children will be able to display their badges as they earn them! D.E.A.R. Read more…

This year’s spring break camp theme was “Survivor!” Campers learned survival skills through fun challenges and mini-adventures. The week ended with “s’mores” around a campfire . . . campers grappled with questions like: Where will we be able to find food and water? How can we find a place to stay warm and dry? How Read more…

Acton Madison Children’s Business Fair Children from all over the greater Madison area had the opportunity to create a product or service, develop a brand, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at this one-day marketplace. Each young entrepreneur was responsible for the setup, sales, and interaction with customers. Cash prizes were awarded in Read more…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We had a leprechaun visit this week! He seemed to be after some gold coins that two heroes had left at the bottom of a leprechaun trap they built together in the makerspace. Unfortunately, the leprechaun was too sneaky, and got the gold coins but escaped the trap and left mayhem in his wake. Read more…

Core Skills This week we introduced a new points system for freedom levels. On the one hand, the new system (which is in-line with Acton Austin) makes it harder to earn points (i.e. they get fewer points than they did before for the same amount of work), but they have more opportunities to earn points Read more…

As usual, this week was a lot of fun! E-Ship Quest: The heroes are displaying a lot of enthusiasm for their businesses! Next week, please bring prototype materials, product packaging materials and/or booth decor materials. On Monday, they will have the opportunity to either work on their prototypes, packaging or booth decor and signage (the booth is an 8′ Read more…

Despite the snow days, this was a productive week! E-Ship Quest We launched the session’s “E-Ship” quest. E-ship is short for entrepreneurship. And heroes are sailing from Motivation Island to Market Island to Identity Island this week. Next week: Unit Economics and Hiring Island…… You may notice your child(ren) coming home with handouts or activities Read more…

Today was exhibition day! And it was exciting. The heroes invited parents to join for the exhibition of learning where they shared what they have been working on in the studio. They started with a demonstration of core skills. That was followed by an exhibition of completed poetry (odes, haiku and free verse). Everyone watch Read more…

Next Week is Exhibition Week! – the heroes are planning diligently for their upcoming exhibition. The heroes are very excited to invite parents to the studio and share their work with them! What They Worked on This Week –  we don’t want to steal the heroes’ thunder before the exhibition, so this will be a brief update. Read more…

Makerspace: The makerspace is a work-in-progress, but over time, we have been bringing in more supplies: cardboard, beads, yarn, wires, tubes, paints, etc. This week, our Guide did a lot of makerspace organizing in advance of our open house and the children will continue to explore and use the area more and more. Our goal is Read more…

You may notice more outdoor photos and photos in Fellowship Hall this week. We are aiming to start our mornings with activities in Fellowship Hall to help our learners get more energy out before going into the studio for launch at 8:30am. We’ve also lengthened outdoor time. Seems to be working so far as we’ve Read more…

Today, Acton’s heroes were thrilled to spend time reading, and they even proposed “reading one book a day” as part of their contract of promises to each other that they will each sign at the end of this first session. Talking with your hero(es) about their first week at Acton: During this first session, our heroes Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

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 Read more…