What I've Learned At ACTON

Acton Academy's slogan is “Find a calling, change the world.” This tells you that the goal for the school is to prepare you for the rest of your life. To help you find your passion and gain the skills you need to achieve that dream. 

Acton is an entirely learner-led school. So we the learners, make all the rules and hold them accountable we get to choose what we work on and when. We choose how we go through our day. This is really hard but ultimately teaches you so so much. It builds the skills of intentionality, time management, independence, self-motivation, accountability, and so much more. 

In the past year at Acton Bee Cave, I have seen 3 BIG Benefits.

1. I have learned who I am. How I learn, what ticks me off, how I control my emotions, what I enjoy, why I do the things I do, what I need to work on, and what I should avoid. And so so much more. I have learned what makes Esther Briggs the way she is. This deep understanding of myself has led to a fantastic feeling of fulfillment. It gives me confidence. I can do anything, and I know it bc I know myself. I can say what I want bc it's me. It has given me self-love. I love the way I am. I was created by god just as I am with these mixes of skills, and I love it. It makes me efficient. I know how to learn something, so I set myself up for success. Making learning enjoyable and so much faster. I learned how to snowboard a few weeks ago. After 3 days, I can do black diamonds comfortably!! Just because I knew how I learned and used it optimally. 

2. Getting to know others. I have spent the past three years with my group of three launchpadders. We have gone through a lot and have built such a strong relationship. We just went on our launchpad trip. The relationship that was built was powerful. It's really hard to really get to know someone, but I feel I really do know my other two learners. 

3. Confidence is key. Once you know yourself, all you've got to do is channel confidence, and you can do a lot. For example, I have gained full confidence that I can do anything with the right motivation, learn anything with enough work, and change anything.

A day at acton is super open; we simply have two blocks of open time to complete our work. we set yearly, session, weekly, and daily smart goals to keep us on track. so it is really open to what we want to do and feel is essential to do.

Acton Academy goes from 3-year-olds to 18-year-olds. We do not do grades. We have studios where ages are grouped together. Each studio focuses on building a set of skills. 

Spark (3-6) - Outdoor play, creativity, it is a majority of montessori. 

Explorer (6-8) - Leadership, self-motivation, and has a little bit of Montessori, 

Travel (8-11) - Learn how to make and uphold rules, get the work done that needs to be done, mini businesses.

Adventure (11-14) - How to work hard, keep friendships with accountability, apprenticeships, public speaking, 

Launchpad (14-18) - Real-life skills (emails, websites, speeches, interviews), having a real business, maximizing your time, and knowing who you are. 

Acton Acadmey really is a great place if you would like to learn more you can visit Acton Academy Bee Cave's website!