8 Things We Don’t Do (Never Have, Never Will) That are Normal Practices at Most Schools

When looking for the right school, sometimes it's nice to cut the chase and find out what makes one school different from another.

Here are 8 things we don't do at Acton Academy Lakewood (never have, never will) that are typical practices in most schools today:

1. We don’t come between a parent and a child. Family first. Parents know their children far more deeply than we do, and their decisions are respected. 

2. We don’t require your child to wear a mask. Seeing one another’s entire face is important to the educational, social, and developmental experience at Acton Academy Lakewood.

3. We don’t discourage diversity of thought. Our school is Socratic. Talking is thinking, so children are free to have a clunky conversation in order to think through something without fear of judgment. Anything and everything is up for discussion and challenge. We love that children at Acton Academy Lakewood know that some of their best friends have parents who voted differently than their parents did in the last election. 

4. We don’t give everyone a trophy. Trophies are for winners. There are many ways to win and lose at Acton Academy Lakewood, and we believe both experiences are important.

5. We don’t divide children into categories that encourage a victim mindset. We recognize that life brings many challenges and injustices, so we emphasize individual agency with lots of community encouragement, seeing that each child is on a Hero’s Journey. Our studios hum with questions that tap into personal responsibility.

          

6. We don’t promote your child until they demonstrate complete understanding in a core subject. 100% mastery. An incomplete understanding early on can have devastating results later, especially in math. “Passing” at 70%, 80%, or even 90% isn’t enough to be shuffled on to the next grade level at Acton Academy Lakewood.

7. We don’t sort children into groups of all six-year-olds, all seven-year-olds, etc. We believe that children learn best when working with those younger and older than themselves. 

8. We don’t expect your child to stop progressing at grade level. Instead, the sky is the limit no matter their chronological age. Children love advancing beyond the limits of schools where the class must move at the same pace.

Read more about what we DO on our FAQ page. See photos of what we have been DOING this week on our Facebook page.

We are finishing up our Game Design Quest. I can't wait to share it with you next week.


Sincerely,

Molly Franklin Lucia, M.Ed.

Head of School