If You Have A Straight ‘A’ Student…

Is your child being challenged in school? If your child can do well anywhere, where could he thrive, take off, and have no ceiling on how far and how fast he can go?

In a traditional school, children are sectioned into their age category and given work that is deemed appropriate for that age group. But at Acton Academy, children can go as fast as they can if they are gifted in certain subjects.

I have heard before “My child is fine in any school environment because he is a straight-A student”. I encourage you to imagine what your motivated child could accomplish in an environment like Acton. The sky is the limit when adults step aside and say “Go for it!” One Acton student who loved math and was extremely motivated, ended up finishing college math by age 14 and then embarking on a NASA math program designed for scientists. Another student was publishing her own books by age 9! And then there was the Eagle who designed her own stationary and sold it on Etsy. She ended up making over $30,000 in profit her first year in business at age 11.

If you have a self-starter or a motivated straight-A student, maybe it’s time to consider if they are being challenged and allowed to reach the heights they are capable of. Give me a call, let’s talk, and let’s see if Acton Academy is the community you’ve been looking for!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Anxious about the new school year and At-Home Learning? We can help!

I was talking to a friend about how her child’s school was going to operate remotely for the rest of the year. She became stressed out and anxious that at-home learning was going to continue. Google classrooms and some interactions with the teacher are available for her child, but there is still a lot of instruction that she has to figure out at home. For instance, her daughter wasn’t holding the pencil right no matter how many different ways she tried to guide her. She was frustrated with trying to be a teacher because she isn’t trained or in the mindset to be one.   

Her experience is not uncommon. There are many parents today that say, “I cannot teach them myself, I am trying but they are not listening to me.” But when their child is with an instructor, it’s different. They suddenly become attentive!

There are times when this happens. It is really not easy. That’s why I admire homeschooling parents that make an effort to take the initiative and figure out a system where it works for them and their child.

Are you the tutor of your child at home right now? I do have access to various resources for at-home learning. Even if Acton Academy is not right for you right now, I would love to help you by offering resources or websites you can utilize that may make your time at home with your children a little easier. Feel free to reach out to me anytime!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Why Community Strength Matters More than Size

We always hear people say, “I want my child to be able to be social.” This has been one of the biggest arguments against homeschooling. But did you know that even if there aren’t many students, your children could still be in a place that empowers them?

Let me challenge you to answer this question: What matters more to you, the size of the community, or the strength of the community?

On one hand, you have a traditional type of education where your child gets to sit in a classroom with around 30 kids, do group projects occasionally, pick their one close friend as their partner, and are surrounded by children with the same ability level.

On the other hand, your child could be in a smaller group, engaged in real-world projects every day, and interacting with everyone regardless of their differences and/or similarities with the people around them – just like in the real world when you are at a job and you don’t get to choose who your peers are! As a result, your child is both challenged by the older students, to bring themselves up to that level, and by the younger students, to be a role model and a mentor to help guide them up towards their level.

So, what matters to you? The community’s size or strength? Which way do you think would be more valuable for your child’s development?

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Making It Through Being Uncomfortable

We finished up with our survivor quest camp last week and it was amazing. The kids did many cool things such as making bows and arrows. It was so much fun!

However, part of the experience that the campers had, especially on the first day in the woods, was being uncomfortable. The campers were complaining about their feet hurting, the bugs, and being tired. Some of them had never experienced such discomfort before. They were so uncomfortable but they had to keep going and stay with the group. As a result, they emerged from the woods having done something hard and knowing that they could get through it! The week ended with two days in the woods actually using all of the survival skills they had been taught during the week. 

When you go through something uncomfortable, your mind takes a giant leap in confidence and you gain the ability to push through things. It is a life skill that people who love outdoor adventure learn over and over again. This ability to get through tough situations then reflects into other areas of life – such as the ability to get through being uncomfortable with public speaking or simply writing an email, or having a tough conversation with someone. 

If children are kept protected in their comfy houses and never pushed into a place of discomfort or the brink of giving up and having to keep going, they won’t be able to sharpen the muscle of not giving up, having grit, and doing whatever it takes to achieve their goals.  When it comes to the real world, they would have no sense of what it’s like to deal with discomfort.

Whether you’re a child or an adult, it is so powerful for us to go through uncomfortable times. It may not be easy, but it is one way to gain the confidence we need and strengthen the muscle of being able to make it through anything.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Authenticity Comes From Practice

Starting in high school, I began to give speeches because I was in the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) club and we had speaking competitions! I would always write my script word for word and read them whenever I need to speak in public. My voice was usually wobbly at the beginning of the speech until halfway through. When I wasn’t feeling confident, my true self was being buried under nervousness and fears. 

Fast forward to today, my public speaking has evolved to where I do not have a script anymore. Sometimes I don’t even think about one and I still feel confident. I have had many opportunities to practice in different situations and environments over the last 5 years and it has truly made me feel authentic. I am finally able to speak from the heart and address each unique audience in a different way. 

At Acton Academy, we believe that authenticity comes from practice. That’s why we let our Eagles practice skills they will need for their everyday life, such as public speaking or simply writing an email. We let them practice real-world skills over and over again until it becomes second nature. What a gift to come out of school having already mastered skills that are needed in today’s job world!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Happy July 4th!

Every year on July 4th, I can’t help but think about the Founding Fathers of this great nation. I admire the strong character traits they had, such as bravery and creativity, and being visionaries for our great country by writing the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Back in that time, the education model was a one-room schoolhouse.

A child’s thirst for knowledge is what would inspire them to find knowledge. Today, you can just ask Google whatever you’re looking for, but back then, it was different! If a child was interested in a certain subject, he had to either search for books about it or find a mentor who was a master in the subject. Perhaps, even become an apprentice!

At Acton Academy, we value the roots of our traditional education system that our country was built on: with apprenticeship work and being a one-room schoolhouse. We also honor each learner’s thirst for knowledge. If a child has big questions, we don’t just recite to them the answers. We empower them to find the answers themselves, which not only broadens their knowledge, but also helps them to become self-sufficient and autonomous and keeps their innate curiosity flourishing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Teaching Your Child to Make Good Decisions

Traditional school systems are focused on an authoritarian type of model where teachers dictate the day and children don’t have many choices. This comes from the 1950’s paradigm of an authoritarian household where the father would be followed by the wife, and the children would follow after her. This is the way society used to operate.

However, today’s society is much different! In most households, both parents share the responsibilities. Parents also talk through decisions and debate and negotiate. Today, a lot of moms have careers and stay-at-home moms are highly valued for their contributions. Even in the workplace, women today don’t just blindly follow what the men say. Today’s paradigm is much more democratic and children see it. It is no wonder that they expect to have a say in their own lives and be respected too.

When we are parenting at home and dictating a lot, our children start pushing back at us – that is when the power struggle starts. To avoid this, what you can do is give your children more decisions throughout the day. If they have a say in what’s going on, it will make them feel more in control.

Human beings are hardwired to want to have power in their lives. We all want to have control and feel independent. At Acton Academy, children are practicing being in control of their choices, goals, and actions every day. They have freedom in their day to make their own choices and to learn from the outcomes of those choices, whether it be success or failures. Rather than being dictated to, they are respected and responsible for setting the tone of their day.

Don’t we want our children to feel independent, have a sense of control in their lives, and feel empowered to make good choices? At Acton Academy, children get the chance to practice making age-appropriate decisions, even bad ones, so they can be prepared for their futures. They are given freedom in their day, trusted with responsibilities like an equal, and encouraged to reach for their dreams!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Acton Academy NH Updates + Virtual School Tour

We are so excited about how our program is growing. We have been very busy lately with school tours, family auditions, and interviews with new potential Eagles. We also just had a  professional virtual tour video made of the studio!  You can find it on our website and Facebook page.

We are limiting our student body this year so we can come back in person in August, but we still have spots open for this Fall!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to jump on a phone call with you to see if this is the community you are looking for.

You can watch the virtual tour video here.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Acton Celebrates How Every Child has a Different Learning Style and Pace

Do you believe that we all learn in different ways?

Since we’re all individuals, we require different tools and motivations when it comes to learning. There is no one-size-fits-all learning since we have different passions and interests. 

Many are struggling with remote learning right now, but Acton has been doing fantastic at it! We are flying along as normal. The learners can choose for themselves what Online Program best fits their learning style. We also have hands-on projects where they can learn math either through cooking a loaf of bread or building a bridge.

At Acton, we embrace every child’s individuality and uniqueness. We try to find the best fit for each child. The hands-on learning mixed with our online platforms make our Eagles well-rounded and empowered to pursue learning in a way that works best for them.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Excited for our Fall 2020 opening plans!!!

ATTENTION LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Acton Academy NH will be open in person for Fall 2020!! Our first day of school is Monday, August 17th.

I have been getting a lot of questions about what our plans are for Fall 2020. We realize that a few local schools have already decided that they will be returning to school in the Fall via remote learning. Acton has decided to pivot in a different way! We have always valued outside time for our Eagles and gone on many weekly hikes and outside adventure time. Now, we are going to bring the entire studio outside! 

Our generously-sized backyard will allow us to have many places for the students to do core skills, group quest projects and even relax with a good book. Our extremely small class size, and additional cleaning and safety protocols, makes Acton one of the safest options for your children. 

Another huge asset that we have is our Lead Guide, Mr. TJ, who went to school for Outdoor Adventure Education! He is ready to lead the charge outside and set up a learning environment that is truly exciting and refreshing.

We can’t wait to see everyone again and welcome in our new Eagles as we Build the Tribe for the 2020-2021 school year!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Create your website at WordPress.com
Get started