…but it’s CODE inside!”
A BIG thank you to Mason for guiding Computer Science Club this session. The Eagles had so much fun and learned tons. They can’t wait for more Acton Academy CSC in the fall (pretty please, Mason??)!
All posts by sandefer
today was only penultimate
…yet kind of hard to top.
This morning we decided to add an additional mile to the Official Summer Session Tues/Thurs 2-mile outing. An extra mile on the water, that is- paddling around the mysterious island in the wide, easternmost part of Ladybird Lake.
Energized by their morning adventure, the Eagles set to making portfolio boards for themselves and their new Running Partners, to help insure that the new Studio will be a welcoming, joyful space to come together in again this September.
Then it was time for a final bit of reckoning- which Eagle had accrued, and maintained, the highest number of Eagle Bucks this school year? The top three winners got to choose music for the party tomorrow, the flavor of cake we’ll enjoy (thank you, Ellie!) and one other surprise.
This penultimate day of the academic year day ended with a surprisingly rigorous (a guide was surprised, anyway) Socratic discussion about the Hero’s Journey and how best to introduce the concept in a meaningful way to our incoming Eagles in the fall. This penultimate blog post will end with a less Socratic question: can you tell exactly who is tipping whom into the lake??
tiebreaker
Hearts and brains played pivitol roles in today’s events, literally and metaphorically.
The showdown between Hearts and Brains ended in a standoff: a Brain won first prize, but a team of several Hearts took second…. (royal flush?).
Both organs were put to good use in composing welcome emails to incoming students. Below, a glimpse of the focus. The excitement was palpable.
As always, the Middle School Eagles were fantastic hosts, and today’s guest felt the love from all of their beautiful hearts.
more than one way to be a hero
After 10+ months together, the Eagles are clear that gifts come in many shapes and sizes. For some, a two-mile jog is a walk in the park. For others, exhausting- mentally or physically. After their run this morning, the Eagles checked their heart rates, knowing they would compare them to their resting heart rates later in the day.
Making the choice to take good care of your body is part of being on a Hero’s Journey. And making the choice to know how to save a life is another- not for everyone, perhaps, but for this group, absolutely.
Congratulations to all 11 Eagles who passed the American Heart Association CPR test (for a school that’s not really into tests, it’s been quite a month- but viva the tests that matter)!
Heroes don’t need to actually be faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, but our community is fortunate to be fortified with the knowledge that these scholars/adventurers are acquiring along the way. Effort, understanding, accomplishment.
Learning to know, learning to do, learning to be. Even in July.
Hearts v. Brains
What’s inside you? What’s important?
This is Acton- take a side! Learn, choose, defend, learn more, listen, and maybe change your mind.
It’s July 8th. Most friends are out of school, and unlike the peers of the Elementary School Eagles, most of these friends are old enough to be left to their own devices (of course, school starts again for those friends about 3 weeks before Acton starts… hard satisfaction to enjoy right now).
But at Acton, it’s cool despite the heat. The Eagles gamely undertook a mini-project, Hearts V.Brains, and will compete for most persuasive argument on Wednesday.
During free time, they played in the rain.
A grand sweep of the classroom in anticipation of our move to the new Studio yielded a happy surprise- Eagles’ pastel paintings of their earliest selves, done early in the school year. As we focus in on our year-long exploration of whether the past determines the future, we lucked upon these remnants and touchstones that help us delineate the journey and the lessons learned.
So what is it- hearts or brains? We’ll find out Wednesday from the Eagles, but for now, see below, this makes me happy in both ways and I hope it has the same affect on you.
Proud Citizens!
At Acton, we share as a community a deep appreciation of the freedoms and responsibilities that go along with the good fortune of American citizenship. To celebrate and commemorate Fourth of July week, the Eagles explored why so many immigrants from the world over choose to seek citizenship here, and what they must do to attain it. The week began with a visit from Sheetal Kakkad (dad of Eagles Nikita and Akshay), who shared his story of making the difficult decision to relinquish his Indian citizenship and become an American. After going through the arduous processes of applying for student visas, work visas, and a green card, there was one hurdle left- the Citizenship Exam.
For Mr. Kakkad, passing the exam was less difficult than the other terrain he’d already navigated. But what about for our Citizens of Acton?
The Eagles were handed the challenge of passing the U.S. Citizenship Exam themselves. To prepare, they studied. Hard. They had Socratic discussions about issues including the balance of power between federal government and states, the meaning of equality, and individual freedom vs. the rule of law. They read stories of recent immigrants/new U.S. citizens, and researched the stories of not-so-new immigrants who helped shape America.
So, finally- testing day….did they pass? Not without a bit of sweat and panic. But yes- everyone of them symbolically won the right to the freedoms they were given at birth, and more importantly also won a deeper understanding of the struggles, sacrifices and accomplishments of the people who built our nation and keep it strong, whether born here or not.
They gained insight into the complexities of our ever-evolving nation, deeply dedicated to freedom but with a diverse population and many opinions about what freedom really means. Whatever it means to you, this weekend and always, let it ring!
The pros and cons of adaptability
Standardized tests for highly unique individuals? Hmm. Data gathering is interesting, and Eagles, parents and guides share curiosity as to how the learning that happens at Acton translates when compared to schools that “teach to the test”. The Eagles underwent zero prep for these tests, and are not used to working with a timer ticking down the seconds. “Is the point to understand the material, or to check a box before the timer runs out?” one Eagle wondered aloud. The vibe in the learning studio Monday morning was icky with stress.
Tuesday morning was better. A fun Othello craze swept the room during free time. Venting during debriefing discussions seemed to help. One Eagle who’d been in tears on Monday wore a relaxed smile on Tuesday.
But adaptability can be bittersweet. A Krishnamurti quote comes to mind: “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” A bit dramatic for these circumstances perhaps, but the worst part of the testing process from a cultural standpoint has naught to do with the tests themselves and everything to do with the disintegration of the disciplined independence the Eagles have so carefully cultivated over the course of the year. Heroes in charge of their own destiny reverting to asking permission to use the restroom? Alas. But one morning of testing was all it took (and we’ve got three). Fortunately, the days come fortified with afternoons as well- stay tuned for a more upbeat report on what’s been happening during the less robotic part of the week (hint: speaking of independence…).
Why do some civilizations rise and other fall?
“Why do some civilizations rise and others fall?” This is the overarching question in History at Acton Academy.
History is delivered by using great texts, powerful video and penetrating Socratic discussions to explore the great hinge points and heroes of history.
This session Eagles will be exploring important moments and people between the late seventeenth and early nineteenth century, including Tulipmania in Holland and the American and French revolutions.
Eagles will be adding heroes and events to a timeline and plotting them on a map to add perspective, as well as choosing various history challenges to dig deeply into individual areas of interest.
In each case, they’ll examine the effects of the following “sources of power” on various civilizations:
- Economic power
- Political power
- Military power; and
- Ideological power.
One more powerful tool to help our Eagles to make better decisions as begin to change a 21st century world.
The Charge of the Acton Brigade
After the sunrise ceremony and breakfast at the ranch, it was time for one more round of fun.
The male Eagles had decided to play a game of capture the flag; the female Eagles would be armed with paint guns, laying down a murderous field of fire.
We assembled to read Lord Tennyson’s famous poem:
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!’
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho'(though) the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
The defenders took their position. The cavalry prepared to charge the artillery, even though they knew it was suicidal.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
The slaughter was difficult to watch. Brave Hayes stormed the beach and fell.
Then Brave Mason would grab the flag before falling in a hail of gunshots, that seemed never ending. (Apparently “cease fire” sounds a lot like “keep firing” if you’ve never been to a firing range.)
Brave Charlie would capture the flag too.
Following paintball, more swimming and sack races and watermelon eating down by the swimming hole, until a tired band of Eagles gather up to go home.
It would be the last time the original cast would be together as one; next year we will add twelve new Eagles to the original band, and the following year twelve more.
It was a fitting celebration for our original band of pioneers, one that none of us will ever forget.
Beautiful Souls
After a hayride, Eagles gathered by fireside for s’mores and the first of two ceremonies to close out the year.
Eagles had been asked earlier to draw avatars of themselves. One by one, each Eagle placed his or her avatar in the fire, a act signifying that a mask prepared for the outside world was far less important than your true self.
Just before dinner, each Eagle was asked to collect five objects that stood for a role that mattered to them: Son or Daughter; Brother or Sister; Dancer; Athlete; Actress; Friend. They carried their sacred objects to the campfire.
Heroes often have to make difficult choices and tradeoffs. This night, one by one, Eagles were asked to choose the least important role and throw it into the fire. Then, the second most important role; then the third. With each completion of the circle, the decision became more difficult, as roles like “Friend” or “Brother” that were precious, had to be given up.
The mood was somber; the decisions were being taken very seriously, by serious people, who understood that their lives would matter. Finally, it was down to two roles, one of which had to be thrown into the fire, before declaring the most important role you held in your hand.
Which role was left? For two Eagles, it was “servant to God.” For another: “Compassion.” Still another: “A meaningful life as a hero.” We heard the pledge to be “a good fellow traveler” and another to “make a real difference.” Each Eagle held in his or her hand a role that meant the world to them.
The words were beautiful to hear. Nothing you would ever expect from a group of young adults. After it was over, both Guides were speechless, blessed to have been observers.
Later, one Guide turned to the other: “I have tried to convince myself that these are just ordinary young people – but after what I saw tonight, there’s no way I can still believe that.”
Later that night there would be poker, wagering with points earned earlier in the day, learning more about probabilities and human nature. Plus watching Jurassic Park and playing pranks late into the early morning hours.
Then up at 6 AM for a silent sunrise reflection on a nearby mountaintop: the steep climb reminding each Eagle of how far he or she had come in the last year; the forty mile views a preview of how far each could go.
Each Eagle would leave his or her final symbol on the mountaintop, as a promise to themselves and their fellow travelers of what they would hold most dear.
Acton Academy is open to all students; Acton Academy accepts only gifted students; gifted students with beautiful souls.
Closing Out With a Celebration
On Thursday and Friday, we symbolically closed out the year as we started, with a ranch trip.
The first activities were three real world math experiments, designed by Eagles to introduce trigonometry, algebra and geometry.
For trigonometry, teams competed to solve a surveying problem that required calculating the hypotenuse of a right triangle, in order to earn the right to solve a trigonometry puzzle, which revealed the first clues of an algebra puzzle, that involved creating a human Cartesian grid to unearth buried treasure.
Next came a geometry challenge that led new meaning to the term Pi – as contestants had to find the real life area of an apple pie with one slice removed.
Did the math challenges go smoothly? No.
One of the challenges fell apart when a mistake was discovered and the instructions turned out to be confusing. A shouting match broke out between frustrated Eagles, leading to tears.
A disaster? Not at all. Everyone quickly made up and all was forgiven. But what wasn’t forgotten was the importance of prototyping field experiments before introducing them into the wild.
Next came competing on an obstacle course designed with input from the Navy Seals.
Two rules: “no person left behind” and “no one can re-enter the course after finishing.”
These rules put Eagles under stress, because after most had crossed the finish line, one Eagle sat down, “paralyzed” (following secret instructions from the Gamemakers.)
Would the Eagles listen to an adult and refuse to re-eneter the course or go to help their fallen comrade? Of course, most disobeyed the authority figure and rushed to help their fallen Eagle, the same Eagle who had bungled leading the math challenge, carrying him to victory.
Next it was time for swimming and watermelon eating by the river.
After swimming, time to gather five special objects, eat hamburgers and hot dogs and tour the ranch on a hayride looking for wildebeests, buffalo, elk, deer and other wildlife.
In the next post, our final ceremonies.
Heroes and Toilets
Today we reenacted the end of year Hero Celebration for an Eagle Middle Schooler who was out of town for the original ceremony.
We also faced a difficult decision with regard to the new campus. It seems the lowest bid to have daily janitorial service was over $18,000 per year, far above earlier estimates.
The cost could be reduced to $6,000 annually if the complete cleaning was only two days each week, enough savings to offer partial scholarships to several Eagles in the future or keep tuition affordable for everyone. But who would clean bathroom floors and toilets in the interim? The Guides?
Yes, occasionally Guides will be asked to clean, as members of the community. But the bulk of the dirty work between professional cleanings will be done by the Eagles themselves, as part of their ownership of the new studio.
Moms clean toilets. So do entrepreneurs in one person start-ups. So do Heroes-in-Waiting who know that answering a calling requires hard work.
Who knows, maybe a few dorm rooms and apartments will have cleaner bathrooms a few years from now. Or perhaps that’s hoping for too much.
Math Challenge: Algebra, Geometry or Trig?
Today was the conclusion of the Math Challenge, with three Eagles pitching to convince their fellow travelers to take either Algebra, Geometry or Trig next. (Thanks to Khan Academy, Eagles are free to pick and pursue an individual specialty in Math.)
Each Eagle described the history of their math specialty, how it could be used in real life, the level of difficulty and the “math heroes” who invented and added to it.
Following the presentation, a spirited Socratic discussion changed quite a few minds.
Then the final vote: Algebra wins! (Though each Eagle will be allowed to pick his or her individual path.)
A Dress Rehearsal
Today each MS Eagle presented his or her portfolio to a group of Elementary Eagle volunteers, as a dress rehearsal for showing the portfolios to parents.
Hard individual work. Multiple repetitions and drafts. Doing something that matters to you.
In the end – a new skill. Showing the world what you can do, using an electronic portfolio.
Critiques
Next to public expositions, peer based critiques are the most important tool we have to inspire higher and higher standards.
Today the Eagles assembled to critique end of session electronic portfolios.
First the group established the target audiences (potential apprenticeship employers, friends and parents) and criteria by which portfolios would be judged on a 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) scale:
1. Include examples of excellent work – “the best you can do.”
2. So easy to use that a third grade Eagle could navigate.
3. Lots of variety – Hero’s Journey; Passions; Core Skills; Apprenticeships; Projects and Fun.
4. Multimedia – images, text and video.
5. The five words you’d want the audience to say about you after seeing the portfolio.
Next the Eagles split into two groups, where each presented his or her portfolio and received a 1-5 rating and warm (positive) and cool (“I’d suggest this”) critiques.
The entire group then assembled to listen to the finalists present their portfolios again, provide more warm and cool critiques, and vote for first, second and third place.
The creator of the top rated portfolio (left) spontaneously congratulated the second and third place finishers.
All portfolio creators then returned to the drawing board to use what they had learned to improve their presentations.
Setting their own criteria. Giving and receiving critiques. Choosing the “best work.” Taking what you have learned for another round of improvement. A far better approach to 21st century mastery than having an adult award “A’s” to those who obediently regurgitate answers on a standardized test.
Who won?
Coach Carpenter made a special appearance in the Middle School Studio this afternoon. And wearing a suit (not talking about the Speedo Laura gave him after the Olympics)! The Eagles wondered: WHY?
“You just got back from a business trip?”
“You are heading to Ellie’s dance performance after this?”
Wrong, he informed them. The suit is for YOU.
After a year of working with these amazing young people- driven and highly competitive, yet kind. Empathetic. Honest, and able to applaud the best in themselves, their team mates and their competitors. After a year of this, Coach C came in with data both hard and soft, and certificates and medals for both.
Hard data: School-wide push-up champ knocked out 70 in one minute, which, more importantly, was an improvement of mega-percents over her own previous record. Similar stats for our 40-yd dash winner and our mile-run champ.
But the inarguable climax of the ceremony was when Coach invited the Good Sport winners of last semester to stand and deliver the trophies to the newest Good Sports. How appropriate to have Eagles deliver the news, as they all voted on the issue with no input from any guides.
So who won? Speculation crossed the room; names thrown out, it could have been anyone. It could actually have been anyone. They’re that good.
Congratulations to all the Eagles on their efforts, improvements, and sportsmanship this year- and congrats to Ana and Mason for being….drum roll…. Good Sports of the Semester!
And a HUGE thank you to Coach Carpenter for being a great role model, setting a high bar for the Eagles, and guiding them to value sportsmanship even more than winning… or at least act that way:).
Thanks to the Eagles’ fantastic sportsmanship, everybody won.
(Except the Spurs, unfortunately….)
Higher Math and Journalling
We launched this morning with a Sal Khan video on the beauty of Algebra, a first step in helping Eagles choose between Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry as their next math challenge.
The speed at which the group is mastering PreAlgebra is impressive.
So is Khan Academy’s ability to track each Eagle’s progress, including each question, each answer and the time to complete each problem.
As the math becomes more difficult and increasingly conceptual, the Khan videos will become even more important.
Later in the day, the Eagle run Journal Contest asked: What will you choose as your next math challenge? Here’s what one Eagle wrote:
“No question; no doubt; no maybes: Algebra. Algebra is one of the most useful tools in the world because it covers so much. Trig uses variables. Geometry uses variables. Algebra can write formulas to solve almost anything.
You saw the video this morning. You heard what Sal said. Isn’t it incredible how two completely different real world problems can be solved using the same equation?
Algebra can help us span the gaps in our understanding of the universe. Math is the universal language and Algebra is its sub language and best friend. I look forward to getting to know it better myself.”
Learning new math skills is important. Knowing why learning a math skill matters to your life is more important; and knowing that math can be beautiful, matters even more.
A relaxing summer day
A relaxing summer day at Acton. Sure beats video games (at least some of the time.)
Fun Fridays
Our Eagles are in school while most of their friends are on summer break. So we try to make Fridays extra fun.
So after a morning of Core Skills, we nixed Pizza Friday for a walk down the street to the local food trailers, for a hamburger, a game of touch football and a few minutes down by the lake.
Then later in the afternoon, Game Time.
Having fun at school? Sure, they’ve earned it.
Mood
Why are Mondays so difficult?
Many days, the intentionality at Acton Academy is intense. Eagles are focused and concentrating so hard that you can feel the brain waves pulsating through the room. Even the extreme silence seems energized.
On these days, it’s easy to feel smug about how well the incentives, contracts and other cultural levers are working. The studio and its owners are a well oiled machine.
Then comes the breakdown. Eagles interrupting “flow” for trivial reasons. One Eagle shouting across the room at another about an Instagram picture from the night before. Horseplay erupts.
Of course, it wasn’t a well oiled machine after all, but a living, breathing organism. Learning is progressing, just not in the way a teacher would decree that it should.
Learning is messy.
How have I changed since the start of the school year?
As we near the end of the school year, it’s time for Eagles to begin to synthesize their “lessons learned.”
Here’s what one Eagle wrote in his journal today:
How have I changed since the start of the school year?
I have changed in so many ways:
I used to hate to read. Now I love to read. I learned how to enjoy it.
I learned to get a job. I learned that from my first apprenticeship.
I mastered seven years of math in twelve months.
I learned to make a great public speech.
I learned how to write a research article.
I learned how to write a mystery story.
Last, but not least, I learned that my fellow Eagles and I are on a Hero’s
Journey that will change the world.
If only everyone could change so much in a single year.
A 21st Century Town Hall Meeting
Town Hall meetings at Acton are nothing new. Eagles create their own rules of engagement, guidelines and consequences.
Today, an Eagle traveling with his parents for the summer, Skyped in to participate in the discussion, all the way from California.
Welcome to student led education in the 21st Century.
Apprentice Guide – Our Most Important Role
Next to the Eagles themselves, our Apprentice Guides are the most important people at Acton Academy – far more important than the Lead Guide or Head of School role.
Why? Because we expect each and every Apprentice Guide will run an Acton Academy or a similar school someday soon. So we only hire superstars who believe that each Eagle is going to change the world in a profound way.
Ms Abigail, the Apprentice Guide in the Middle School, has been an oasis of calm in many storms – unflappable, and determined to deflect any question that comes her way, no matter how cunningly crafted. We joke at times about how little Guides do at Acton, but it’s incredibly hard to stay in a pure Socratic mode.
So how do you know when you’ve found the right person? You ask the Eagles.
Humility; vulnerability; a willingness to work extremely hard; a deep caring for people and respect for each and every journey – Eagles can spot these traits far more reliably than adults.
Yesterday our Eagles interviewed a potential Apprentice Guide by listening to his hero story, asking questions and filling out a detailed questionaire afterwards.
Honest customer feedback and involvement. Something all too often lacking in the world of education.
Rapid Prototyping a New Scoreboard
The pictures above may not look like much, but they represent a fascinating experiment.
One team of middle school Eagles is rapid prototyping a new scoreboard for the school – visual displays of SMART goals, Running Partner critiques and examples of work-in-progress for Math, Reading, Writing, MyHJ, Civilization and other projects.
Displaying information in a clean visual format that is easy to use is no simple task – just read Steve Job’s biography to see how hard Apple works on problems like this.
Yet our team of Eagles is working diligently to collect customer feedback, mock up prototypes and hold Socratic discussions to create increasingly powerful displays.
Rapid prototyping. Without doubt a 21st century skill.
Pausing to Celebrate
Today we paused to celebrate the year with family and friends, listening to the powerful hero speeches of the graduating Elementary School Eagles and hearing each Eagle praised by friends and Guides for a special character trait.
Not one word about curriculum or buildings or capital campaigns – simply a community celebrating learning and living with their fellow heroes-in-the-making.
At the end of the celebration, each Eagle received a copy of Our Hero’s, Our Stories, a retrospective of the year, told in impromptu pictures and the words of each Acton hero.
Ceremony matters. It puts into perspective the struggles, mistakes and lessons of the year, setting the stage for even more powerful growth. A reminder that it is individual sweat and toil that powers discovery and learning, and sharing with those we care about that gives accomplishment greater meaning.
Summer: Intentional Celebration
At Acton Academy, we see the summer session as six weeks of intentional celebration.
Yesterday, three middle schoolers were awarded Independent Learner badges in a school wide ceremony, symbolizing that they had completed all of the challenges necessary to become an Independent Learner. An elementary Eagle received his Independent Learner binder during the ceremony, signifying that he had completed all of the math, reading, writing and critical thinking prerequisites needed to start work on his Independent Learner challenges.
The Independent Learner; Running Partner; Socratic Guide; Project Leader and even more senior learning badges present challenges that Eagles need to master to run their own companies and not-for-profits. Each badge earned is a big event at Acton, and worthy of a celebration.
Intentional celebration can be just pure fun too, especially since Eagles are still learning long after most traditional schools have dismissed for the summer.
Today was “Crazy Hair” day, with the middle schoolers inviting the elementary Eagles over to serve them a surprise Ice Cream sundae party.
Learning can be fun and hard at the same time. It also can be intentional and celebrated — just like a Hero’s Journey.
From Tweety Bird to Road Runner
How does it feel to choose your own educational challenges, including to accept the challenge of a real world apprenticeship?
Here’s a quote from this week’s Journal Contest, from an Eagle who last year attended an excellent suburban school:
“Public school and Acton are complete opposites. Now I don’t have to wait for my friends in Math. Now when they are falling behind, I can keep going. Here at Acton, I can run freely because I’m not in a cage like Tweety Bird anymore. Now I feel like a Road Runner, running as fast as I want and stopping at any point.”
Here’s the same Eagle discussing “lessons learned” at his real world apprenticeship:
“The most important lesson I learned from my apprenticeship was to be patient and loyal, because when my golf teacher said: ‘I need you to do an inventory of our clubs,” I was about to say ‘I quit, because this is the most boring thing ever.’ But I told myself I needed to stay loyal and do it.
So I did it and the next time I had my apprenticeship I got to do a lesson on the course with my teacher and teach someone.
This will help me on my Hero’s Journey because now I know there’s always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
Syllabi versus Quests
A battle is raging over the Common Core curriculum, a nationwide effort to deliver a standardized syllabus to every teacher in America.
Yesterday, I asked our middle school Eagles how soon they would be comfortable designing their own Learning Quests, the series of real world challenges, set in a compelling narrative, that Acton Eagles use to acquire world skills and “learn to be” lessons.
“Probably a year and a half,” replied one, “I need to see a few more examples.”
“More like a year,” answered another, “if we made it a priority.”
“We could do it now,” chirped a third, “it just wouldn’t be our best work.”
Government committees, decreeing standardized lessons, designed to allow teachers in a classroom to deliver facts, at a cost of over $10,000 per student per year.
Aspiring heroes, creating their own personalized quests, full of real world challenges, guiding each other and preparing for paying apprenticeships, at a cost of $1500 per student per year.
Care to wager which approach creates more 21st century leaders?
Learning on the fly in the 21st century
Overheard at Acton Academy middle school yesterday:
Student #1 to his Running Partner: “I’m going to be in California for the next two weeks, but we’ve got lots of work to do, so we’ll need to be holding each other accountable while I’m gone. How would you like to keep in touch: email, text, Skype, by phone or some other way?”
Running Partner :”Email would work best. Let me give you my personal email because I check it more often than the school address. We can Skype too, if we need to discuss something in real time.”
Twelve year olds. Learning while on family vacation. Affirming and holding each other accountable from 1,500 miles away.
Welcome to the future.
Why read?
One of this session’s projects is: “How do I choose what to read next?”
Eagles were asked to select favorite subjects, genres, time periods and heroes that might assist in choosing a “next book,” as well as being introduced to ways to analyze titles, first sentences and table of contents as a guide to style and voice.
Then, silence. Not much energy. Little interest.
“Why go to so much trouble,” one Eagle asked, “when you simply can read what you enjoy?”
“What about when you need to learn to do something?”.
“Usually it’s easier to watch a You Tube or try a simulation,” came the reply.
Our Eagles read a lot. Half the class are voracious readers; the other half just avid readers. So this seemingly lackadaisical approach was puzzling.
“What about the classics?,” a Guide pressed.
“We hate the classics. Those are books that teachers used to make us read, so no one likes them.” Many heads nod in agreement.
“What about books like Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird or Frankenstein?”
“Those aren’t classics, those are books we enjoy because they help us on our Hero’s Journey.”
Enjoy. A word like “flow.” It doesn’t mean easy, it means to be delighted or pleased. Like when you love to learn, even if learning is sometimes hard.
Starting the summer
Around June 1st, most schools begin to dismiss for the summer. Not at Acton Academy, where we see the summer session as a time for individual learning projects, reflection on lessons learned during the last ten months and a time for celebration.
The map above reflects our journey for the next six weeks. Much of our energy will be focused on completing the Independent Learner and Running Partner badges and inspiring every Eagle to master Khan’s Arithmetic and Pre-Algebra before school starts again in September.
We’ll also have a “What do I read next?” project that explores how using Amazon, Shelfari and recommendations can help Eagles select and prioritize a powerful reading list.
Eagles also are breaking into teams to tackle one of three mini-projects:
The Math Challenge – for Eagles who have completed pre-Algebra to explore the history, heroes and practical applications of one of the three following areas: Algebra; Geometry or Trigonometry. The Eagles choosing this mini-project will pitch their specialty to the class, and the winner will be the person who convinces the most classmates to choose their particular area of study.
The Scoreboard Challenge – a rapid prototyping exercise to develop and test the displays and tracking tools we will use to set goals, provide inspiration, incite competition, determine priorities and ensure accountability for next year, when we’ll have 26 middle school Eagles.
The Portfolio Challenge – this group will be choosing formats, designing processes and curating blog posts – as well as crafting journal questions — that will allow each individual Eagle to reflect on all that he or she has learned and assemble a powerful online portfolio.
So while many students are at home watching television, our Eagles will be designing 21st century learning tools for next year’s class.
I’m leaving, on a jet plane
Yesterday our Eagles posted their travel itineraries, budgets and Google Earth tours.
Knowing how to plan a trip and make difficult tradeoffs between time, distance, money and which sights to see. Understanding how to navigate Expedia and compare reviews on Trip Advisor and use Excel to craft a budget. Seeing how Google Earth can show you the world – from 22,000 miles away or as close as ten feet, all without leaving your home.
All important 21st century skills, and far more important for inspiring critical thinking and great questions than any textbook ever written.
Speeches that change the world
Winston Churchill.
Martin Luther King.
Ronald Reagan.
At key turning points, great leaders use powerful words to change the world.
Yesterday, each MS Eagle gave an original ten minute speech, standing in the shoes of a great leader, at a particular place and time. Winston Churchill; George S Patton; Joan of Arc; Nat Turner; Sam Houston; Ethan Allen; Pocahontas; William B Travis; George Washington and others.
Over a six week period, draft after draft of the speeches were written, focusing on Ideas; Organization; Sentence Fluency; Word Choice; Voice and Convention (grammar.) Peer critiques were provided, but not one word of text was changed because of advice from an adult Guide.
Then time to verbally draft. To listen for which words had impact, cadence and flow; to eliminate others. To hone the delivery and solicit the advice of peers. Could middle schoolers really teach each other how to give powerful speeches?
Yesterday, we found out the answer, in front of a roomful of parents, elementary school Eagles and other guests. The results were stunning. Truly stunning. At times you felt that Churchill or Houston or Joan of Arc were in the room. The words were beautiful. So were the deliveries.
Then time for a celebration. A well earned celebration.
Our Eagles now know that when called on to give a world changing speech, they can deliver. Quite a skill to have in your quiver. Even more amazing that you and your friends taught each other how to do it.
Does not compute. Not!
“Raise your hand if you’ve done any programing before” ( a smatter) “Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Java Script” (a few) “Raise your hand if you have no idea what I’m talking about” (several) :”That’s okay! We’re here to learn together.”
And Mason then led the wonderful group of 12 mixed-age Eagles, 3rd-7th grade, girls and boys, through a Socratic introduction to Comp Sci, taking well into account that some of the youngest had accrued more expertise than some of the oldest, but staying true to the Acton belief that every child is a genius that can change the world.
The joy the Eagles find in collaboration and the depth of learning that enables are humbling.
The future they will invent, rather than accept, will be a (perhaps complicated for those of us over 30) joy to behold.
Software Frustrations
Google Earth crashed today for one Eagle, wiping out his carefully recorded tour just before it was ready to post.
Frustrating. Maddening. Makes you want to scream.
As a Guide, you want to swoop in and fix these types of technical problems, because they interfere with learning. But of course, they are part of the messy practice of learning to learn: learning to create back ups; learning to read the directions — and sometimes learning the hardest lesson of all – that life sometimes isn’t fair.
The Acton Olympics
Spring was in the air (and at 90 degrees, even a little summer) as we held the annual Acton Olympics today.
Elementary and Middle School Eagles competed to see who was “most improved” in push-ups, the 40 yard dash, the mile run and other events.
Perhaps the most impressive display came in “the plank,” where Eagles had to hold a fixed plank position for as long as possible. Six Eagles broke the old school record of fifteen minutes, with the winner “planking” for more than 26 minutes.
If this doesn’t sound difficult, take out a stopwatch, assume the plank position, and see how long you can last (our Guides have a hard time making it past a two minutes.)
The joy of competition; personal improvement — and most of all – mental toughness. All important if you want to thrive and prosper in the 21st century.
Town Council, Property Rights and the Separation of Powers
An exchange of letters between diplomats. Tension, with the possibility of all out war. Misunderstandings. A flurry of activity within and between the leaders of two democracies. Finally, a peace treaty.
History class? Europe, just prior to World War One? No, just another day at Acton Academy.
It seems that Middle Schoolers are disturbing the peace of Silent Core Skills for Elementary Eagles, especially now that spring has come to Austin and classroom windows are open. Likewise for the Middle Schooler’s Silent Core Skills when the Elementary Eagles are on free time. Plus, disagreements about the intensity of dodge ball and how younger Eagles can be included in Middle School games without the risk of injury.
Town Council meetings can be unruly, even to the point of wasting time – just like real world democracies. But eventually conflicts get worked out, property rights are re-established and civil society is sewn back together, stronger than it was before.
Next fall we’ll grow from twelve Eagles to twenty five in the Middle School. Time to revisit the US Constitution and hold a Socratic Discussion about how the separation of powers might help the Eagles create an even more effective governance system.
It’s one thing to read about the Founders. Quite another to be a Founder yourself, and face their same struggles. No question which approach better prepares the leaders of tomorrow.
Spare time for learning
Eagles are hard at work on speeches, budgets, itineraries and Google Earth tours – not to mention working on Core Skills. Still, with today’s game based adaptive learning programs, there’s always time for more learning.
Take, for example, the student generated computer science craze that is spreading like a virus at Acton Academy. Eagles are staying inside during their free time to teach themselves to write code.
We’ll soon begin to experiment with an after-school Computer Science Khan Club, to see how we can help build on this enthusiasm.
Our Eagle’s interest meshes well with an earth shattering announcement (at least for higher education) that Georgia Tech will be expanding its Masters in Computer Science program from 300 to 10,000 students over the next thirty six months, as it slashes tuition 80% (to less than $7,000 for the entire degree.)
If you are a parent, student or taxpayer, these opening shots in a higher education price war, almost surely to be joined soon by Stanford and MIT, are a reason for celebration. If you are a traditional university president, yesterday was a bad omen, of worse days to come.
Our Eagles are unlikely to care, since many will be taking these same courses not at Georgia Tech, MIT or Stanford, but while they are in Acton Academy high school, between breaks in their apprenticeships.
Please let me know if your Eagle would like to stay late next Wednesday. Snacks/ supervised free time 3:15-3:30, pick-up 4:30 sharp.
“Blood, toil, tears and sweat”
A young Winston Churchill prepares to address Londoners during the Battle of Britain, 1941. Nothing quite concentrates the mind like a good hanging, unless it’s a fast approaching speech deadline.
The Acton Academy classroom is humming with intentionality. Energy is high. Deadlines are looming. There’s a hint of anxiety in the air – each and every speech must change the world by moving people to action. A high hurdle indeed.
A pause at the end of a busy day and a Guide’s question:
“What will be more important for your long term Hero’s Journey:
- Setting and reaching milestones and long range goals?
- Planning a trip to anywhere in the world?; or
- Delivering a a speech that moves people to action?”
Some of the answers:
“I’ll use goal setting more frequently, and it will be an important skill for my Hero’s Journey.”
“Yes, and being able to plan a trip will come in handy, if I have to travel for my calling.”
“But the technology for trip planning will keep getting better; someday machines may be able to do it. A machine will never be able to give a speech that moves people to action.”
Where will tomorrow’s Churchill’s, JFK’s and Martin Luther Kings come from? Tune in next week for an answer, as a flock of aspiring heroes prepare to give their first world changing speeches.
Intentional Water Fights
Lots of serious intentionality today. During Core Skills, you could feel the brainwaves in the air, made even more serious by complete silence. Eagle Heroes at work.
During PE and lunch, a high energy water fight broke out and continued full force. The far ranging water war became the subject of an Elementary School Town Hall meeting, with younger Eagles split between censuring and joining in the fun.
As Project Time kicked off at 12:30 PM, many Eagles dripping wet. But wet or not, the mood changed back to serious learning. After all, deadlines loomed next week for Hero Speeches, travel budgets, itineraries and Google Earth tours of far off lands. The deep concentration continued until 2:45 PM, broken only by a brief Charlie Break at 2 PM.
When asked about the day’s blog theme, one Eagle suggested “Intentional Water Fights” and heads nodded all around.
Work hard. Play hard. Work hard again. Not a bad motto for becoming a hero who changes the world.
Blacking Out
Khan Academy and the various other game based adaptive math programs make teaching math an anachronism. Our Eagles have proven they can learn math, even though we no longer teach it.
Two of our Eagles have “blacked out” all of the Khan skills in mathematics and pre-algrebra. That’s seven years of math mastered in less than nine months.
Several more Eagles will finish all of the pre-algebra skills in the next few weeks, and every middle school Eagle will reach the same lofty goal by the end of the summer term. All of despite the fact we haven’t taught a minute of math in the studio.
Eagles learn at a rapid clip; Eagles lead each other through Socratic questioning; adults stay out of the way. There’s an avalanche headed towards your favorite school system, and it will be a lot more fun to be surfing it than being swept away.
de Tocqueville and Civil Society
A visitor who wants to import the magic of Acton Academy to his school, circled the Eagles to ask the secrets to a strong culture.
Their answers:
1. Strong covenants between students.
2. Eagle Bucks and accountability.
3. A Town Council and Council Meetings that made Eagles, and not adults, responsible for creating and enforcing laws.
4. A belief that “we are all in this together, and not separate tribes like the Stanford Prison experiment.”
5. Socratic discussions where we hold each other accountable for respecting and upholding the discussion process.
6. Daily, weekly and session long SMART goals, where we have the freedom and responsibility for our own learning.
7. Running Partners who are assigned, so you learn to get along with people who are different than you.
8 Faith that we really are heroes, who are going to change the world.
Not only do the Eagles know what makes a strong culture, soon they will be able to build their own, in companies, not-for-profits and community groups. Exactly the kind of everyday heroes that Alexis-de Tocqueville observed in Democracy in America.
Eagles Taking Control
Yesterday, we had some important visitors who wanted to see Acton Academy in Action (we now average three to five visiting groups each week.)
After the morning launch, one of our Eagles asked for a moment to propose changes in the way Running Partners collaborate during Silent Core Skills time. Here’s a report from an observer on what happened next:
“An Eagle stepped up to facilitate. He grabbed a white board and refocused the group by reintroducing the topic- Collaboration Requests. He asked for suggestions, listened intently, and wrote them down. When more than one person began talking, he reminded them of the Socratic Rules of Engagement. After a few minutes of discussion, he read the list of suggestions and took a vote. He kept the discussion on topic and was mindful of time. The class came to a unanimous decision in seven minutes.”
A group of middle school students. Recognizing a need to make changes in the way they govern the classroom. Taking control; mindfully discussing; coming to a conclusion and implementing the changes in seven minutes.
Without any help from an adult.
An Acton Academy Riddle
In the last few months, we’ve heard from a dozen or more entrepreneurs and educators who want to open an Acton Academy.
This fall we’ll host a contest/tournament to select between five and ten education-entrepreneurs to open an Acton Academies (or a generic version that doesn’t use the Acton name.)
If you are interested, here’s a riddle that captures the spirit of what we’ll be trying to do.
How can both the following statements be true?
1. Acton Academy is open to all students; and
2. Acton Academy only serves gifted students.
If the answer to the riddle is obvious, you’d make a great Acton parent, Eagle or education-entrepreneur.
Seeing the World
“Your should start as close as possible, then pan out. That way there’s suspense as you unveil the surprise.”
“No, start up high, especially if it’s a large object. That way, you gain perspective before diving down to street level.”
“Wow, look at this, I can even walk around in the British Museum.”
“I’d much rather go for a visit after I see it in person, otherwise, it would ruin the surprise.”
What in the world? Actually, it is the world, as seen through the eyes of our Eagles, creating tours on Google Earth.
Road Work
The road gets slippery, and people stumble. How do you get back on track? If you, like the Acton Academy Middle Schoolers, are committed to independent learning and being on a Hero’s Journey, you might refer back to the standards that you have set, dig into the specifics of how those standards look and feel in action, and recommit with deeper intentionality.
The Eagles believe that striving towards excellence is an important part of what defines their community. But what are the signs of that? And how does it feel- what are the symptoms?
Respect topped their list of characteristics that distinguish them from any other group. Nice word, but what does that look like? How does it feel?
After brainstorming specifics, they discussed how to bring these back into the classroom to return the bar to where they prefer it (quite high). So, how’d they do? The group ranked itself at a (low) 3 on a scale of 1-10 coming into the morning. By closing, they’d climbed to an 8-9, and left the classroom with enthusiasm about striving for a 10 tomorrow.
Everyone has off days, and no road is always smooth. The Eagles are learning how to attend to the rough spots, then get right back to the business of their Hero’s Journey. Maybe, some days, that IS the business of their Hero’s Journey.
And speaking of Excellence…. Congratulations to Claire, who became our first Eagle to nail her Khan goal (2.5 weeks ahead of schedule!). She’s looking forward to taking a break from all that math… so she can move on to a couple of weeks of intense computer science. No wonder Hayes commented, “I felt really respected when Claire took the time to help me on math”.
Take me to your leader. (Beeeeepp…. Does not compute?)
If a Martian had shown up on campus today and presented that demand, the outcome would vary depending on the moment. Core skills? An elementary school guide who came in to verify the Friday pizza order was amazed at the intensity of the Eagles’ focus. Who led that?
The Socratic discussions during Civilization learning? Well, it depends on which question was put to the group. If it was “If you were a noble during the French Revolution, would you have joined the fight or stayed loyal to the Second Estate?” it would have been Sarah, who came up with the question, which was deemed by her peers to be worthy of discussion. Different question, different student leader.
If our otherworldly visitor had shown up during the journal reflection contest, it would have sought out Claire, who MC’ed the event (after a guide misguidedly tried to tap a student to MC only to be told indignantly that “we’ve already decided who’s doing it”).
Any Mars native who floated in at 2:45 would have been certain that the go-to guy was Crayton, who assembled the troops and set them to task with the surety of General Patton, the notable figure he’s delivering a powerful speech in the shoes of in just a couple more weeks.
And if the Martian had come during Game Time, it would have been certain that the committee of four guests from the elementary school (in the MS to guide our Eagles in learning a rhythm game) was where the power dwells. Happy Friday, and here’s to all the leaders of tomorrow!
We play games.
Clue, Boggle… Alamo Dodgeball, check. But we also use games to inspire and motivate, to gauge comprehension, and to challenge the Eagles to keep striving towards excellence.
Yesterday the Eagles spent the morning doing core skills as usual, with the added twist of acting as members of the clergy, nobility, bourgeoisie or peasantry of late18th-century France (didn’t take long for a revolution to manifest). In the afternoon, they competed in the Anticipate the Questions game, putting their virtual travel itineraries through a series of fun but grueling real-world troubleshoots.
Thanks to the dad of an incoming Eagle for sharing this article about the latest research on the creaky monarchy of the A-F system: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/05/the_case_against_grades_they_lower_self_esteem_discourage_creativity_and.html
Games, projects and discussions instead of lectures, tests and grades. In the words of King Louis XVI’s advisor, it’s not a revolt, sire, it’s a revolution.
Motivating with Drafts on Display
Exhibitions naturally motivate, without the need for a grade. A looming speech focuses the mind like a good hanging (with apologies to Samuel Johnson.)
But how do you motivate someone to do their “best work” on the first, second or third draft of a multi-week project, without having a teacher assign a grade?
Here’s one way: Post a few examples of world class finished products (in this case, a travel itinerary and budget.) Then ask students: “We are xx% finished with the time allotted for this project; are you xx% of the way to ‘the best work you can do’ at completion?”
The Beauty of Competition
Why does spontaneous order work in the classroom and society? Because individuals in community, learn to compete; to launch efforts to serve the community while also helping themselves, without being brutish and nasty.
A few months ago, one Eagle started a store at school, selling snacks for admittedly high prices. Still, with a monopoly, she did quite well.
Yesterday, a competitor opened, with lower prices and different offerings.
Neither Eagle is selling health food – these are middle school efforts, not adult directed activities. Nor has the original entrepreneur lowered her prices – at least not yet. But healthier food and lower prices will emerge, if the individuals who make up the market demand it.
Competition within community, that’s what makes a health civil society.
The Messiness of Trial and Error Learning, Self Government, and Spontaneous Order
The Acton Academy curriculum would be so much simpler if the adults would just take charge of the teaching: lessons could be planned and delivered; classrooms would be free from disruptions and students could move forward in a lockstep curriculum.
The Acton Academy studio would be much neater if adults were in control: food could be prohibited; janitors could be hired and free time would be quieter and less raucous.
Parents would be much easier to manage in a more well ordered school too, especially if we didn’t consider having families of lifelong learners so important or would stop conducting those pesky weekly surveys of customer satisfaction.
Trial and error learning, self government and spontaneous order are just so messy. Especially when we are trying to craft a model for 21st century learning.
Those of us who guide in the school make mistakes. Early on, we made it clear that standardized testing wasn’t important – building a curriculum and school around standardized testing stifled curiosity and ingenuity; being “smart” was better than the alternative, but not nearly as important as having character and perseverance.
Yet we wanted to make sure students weren’t too far behind in the basics, so we tested how Eagles were doing in reading, writing and math. The results were astounding, so suddenly we began touting the rapid advances in learning that we could easily measure, forgetting the far more important “messy” lessons that were being earned and learned.
At one point, a third or so of our older elementary students had maxed out the SAT10 test, so it was inevitable that the rapid advancement in grade levels would slow, as many Eagles approached the limits of the tests, some focused more on one subject than another and others went through natural changes in development and cognitive growth.
Yet now we had to explain to a few anxious parents that even the brightest and most motivated Eagles can’t advance multiple grade levels every year, not if you want the far more important and messy lessons of self government, learning how to learn and apprenticeships to take hold.
Yes, real learning is messy. So are genuine learning communities. So are parents and lifelong learners like us trying to find our way.
Yet we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Your Hero’s Journey
Every Eagle at Acton knows that he or she is on a Hero’s Journey that will change the world, in a profound way.
We learn the most as Guides, when we ask important questions. Today we asked which experiences in the last seven months havebeen the most valuable for each Eagle’s individual Hero’s Journey.
The results surprised us:
- First Place: My Apprenticeship
- Second Place: Setting and Achieving My Own Goals
- Third Place: Exhibiting My Work in Published Exhibitions.
The lessons for us:
- The real world is far more important than any classroom.
- “Learn to Do” and “Learn to Be” trump “Learn to Know” in the 21st century; and
- Incentives matter but grades do not.
If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium…
“If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium” is an old movie about a nine country, eighteen day bus trip from London to Rome.
These days, Acton Academy feels a little like the whirlwind tour in the movie, as Eagles are using Google Earth, Tripadvisor, Expedia and other tools to virtually visit and plan trips to England, New Zealand, France, Angola and other countries to prepare to give a world changing speech, in the shoes of a historical figure, at a particular place, at a pivotal time in history.
Acton Academy – a school where you can visit nine countries in the morning, and still make it back to Austin in time for a 3 PM Socratic Discussion.
Be Amazed
We expect far too little of our young people. Really. Even when we know they are geniuses-in-the-making.
Our Middle School Eagles just published a Mystery Anthology, and presented two copies to the Elementary Eagles, who have been competing to see who can devour it first. Today we received this email from on of the ES students:
Hi Ms.Abigail,
I have a blog called Read This! and I recently reviewed your storybook on there. I am sending you the link so if you would like to read it you can. The link is http://readthisnk.blogspot.com/
Sincerely,
Nikita
This afternoon, we found out a Middle School Eagle will have an editorial published in the Austin paper next week, as a result of her apprenticeship.
Finally, and most powerfully, today we asked our MS Eagles to “stand in the box” as they read the rough draft of their hero speeches. We even invited in a flock of Elementary Eagles as an audience, to increase the pressure.
Frankly, I didn’t expect much. It was a first draft of a difficult speech, performed by two of our more reserved Eagles, who had struggled with the assignment. The goal simply was to get them in front of an audience.
Then the first Eagle began to read, and we were all mesmerized by her words. And the the second Eagle delivered a powerful plea to save his homeland from invaders. In both cases, I promise you that anyone within earshot would have answered the calls.
Later, as I was describing the impact of the performances, one of my high powered MBA’s said: “It’s so good that you are teaching them such a critical life skill.”
But you see, we didn’t teach them anything. Each Eagle knew all along how to write and deliver a moving speech, in an original voice.
An eight year old with a blog, writing book reviews.
A twelve year old publishing an editorial in a major metropolitan newspaper.
Two moving speeches – each from a first draft.
Today, as most days, I didn’t teach at all. I learned something new.
Be amazed.
The Alchemists
Being on a Hero’s Journey is not easy at any age. Heroes face challenges, they fail and get up again, they take risks, they show vulnerability. And they use their natural gifts and the tools they’ve developed along the way to guide themselves forward.
Changing the world is hard work, as is writing a speech that you’ll soon deliver in public. Planning a trip for the first time can be a tremendous challenge, but even if you’ve done it before, troubleshooting all the potential pitfalls and organizing myriad details is hard work. And can be extremely…. stressful.
Some say young people should be protected from stress; others say they should “learn to deal with it”. Maybe there’s some truth in both approaches, but the Eagles have found a third way. Drawing upon the work they did finding and understanding their own “shadow selves”, and then finding the gold in those shadows, Eagles are teaching themselves and each other to find the gold in the stress and transform those negative feelings into tools they can use to increase their focus and commitment to the tasks at hand. Alchemize stress into productivity, using their gifts and the tools they’ve aquired along their journey so far? If anyone can do it, it’s the Eagles. Foremost among those tools: friendship.
Why do we care so much about the education of children?
Why do adults care so much about the education of children?
- Do we want to build a better society?
- Or are we more interested in showcasing our children or disciples, to make ourselves look better?
- Or perhaps we seek to relive our own childhoods, to right old wrongs.
None of these are legitimate reasons. Children are not raw material for social architects or props for a “parent of the year” contest or tools for middle aged psychodramas. Children are precious beings, each a genius, with an individual hero’s journey.
It is surprisingly easy to forget this, but children can sense when the motives of a teacher, coach or parent shift, and they move from being curious and joyful in learning to suspicious and guarded.
Better to leave them to explore on their own than to try and mold them for the wrong reasons.
Our class journey into History became 3-dimensional for the Eagles on Friday, when they left campus for an expedition to the Alamo. For an hour and a half, the Middle Schoolers explored the Alamo with an audio tour tool to use as they wished. This was a terrific opportunity for them to exercise their skills as independent learners, sometimes exploring in pairs or clusters, sometimes going off alone to study details that grabbed only their attention. Some spent more time in the shrine, some became absorbed in the museum displays… and quite a few were captivated by the Koi.
At a given time, we all rejoined for a guided Alamo Battlefield tour filled with stories of early Texas history and details about the battle. As always, Eagles came up with probing and creative questions that took the group deeper into the lives of the heroes and bystanders whose lives were changed by the events and decisions made.
Then a well-earned lunch on the Riverwalk, in a restaurant chosen by the winners of our series of History Challenges. The two winners also had the privilege of choosing a streamlined menu with options within our budget, and the responsibility of navigating the group to the chosen establishment. (Yes, we made it!).
The ride home gave all a chance to reflect and share surprises and take-aways from the Alamo. Oh, and (at least in one car) to listen to music at exceptional volume. Who says hard work and fun can’t go hand in hand?
Learning to communicate
How do you learn to write a powerful speech? To use your ideas and words to change the world?
Many schools focus on grammar, making sure every apostrophe and comma is in the right place. Certainly we want our Eagles to be able to write and speak in correct English, but we care even more ideas and having an original voice.
So how does one learn to write and speak in a way that changes the world?
First, we believe by seeking out, experiencing and critiquing world class examples, in the case of a speech, The Gettysburg Address or Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
That’s why we are drawing inspiration from Corbett Harrison, a teacher who has developed a terrific set of modular tools that students can use alone or with peers to polish their ideas and words.
We’ll break down these critiques into six areas:
Idea – How original and powerful is the idea?
Structure/Organization – Are the ideas are sequenced and arranged in a way that is easy to follow?
Craft
- Voice – Does the author’s style make you want to read more?
- Sentence Fluency – Are there interesting sentences of different lengths?
- Word choice – Are the words vivid and memorable?
- Convention – Is the grammar correct?
Eagles will practice force ranking, discussing and providing evidence of these traits not only for Mentor Texts – great works that are provided or found, but also applying them in their own pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing – all with the goal of publishing a powerful piece or giving a world changing speech.
In the revision stage, Eagles will learn to self critique, and solicit and deliver peer reviews and expert critiques.
Writing, speaking and communicating through the visual arts are all skills that are “learned by doing,” in deep relationship with others, while referencing great works of the past.
Note that this requires learners with the courage to think, draft, revise, edit and perform – but not a teacher, at least in the traditional sense.
The Speech Quest
At the end of this six week session, our Eagles will deliver a world changing speech: standing in the shoes of a historical figure, at a particular time, in a particular place.
Learning to move people, to call them to action, is an important skill for a hero. But the Speech Quest is about more than writing, polishing and delivering a powerful speech.
Eagles also will be required to use Expedia, Trip Advisor and other travel related sites to create an itinerary and budget for a multi-day trip to visit the city where their speech will be delivered, including touring historical sites, museums and other point of interest.
While planning the trip, Eagles will make a “bare bones,” “luxury” and “actual” budget, so they can learn to make the difficult trade offs in time, money, breadth, depth and comfort that traveling requires.
Also included in the Speech Quest is the requirement to create a Google Earth guided tour of the city, including street level views of the sites to be visited, including pictures, images and historical commentary (if you haven’t tried Google Earth – it’s an amazing tool.)
Even the introduction to these tools and the various adventures and expositions has raised important questions, like:
“Why do we travel?”
“Is it for new adventures and new experiences or to learn deeply about a culture?”
“Is it better to spend a little time in many places, staying in hotels, or to spend an entire week or month living with one local family?”
Learning to ask questions is as important as the final product. So is making difficult tradeoffs between time, money and goals. So is learning new cutting edge tools.
All a part of becoming a hero in the 21st century.
Changing the world through a speech
“I have a dream…”
“Four score and seven years ago…”
“Ask not what you your country can do for you…”
There’s only one reason to give a speech: You want to change the world.
No photos from your latest family vacation; no boring PowerPoint slides to control your audience’s attention; no droning lectures to put people to sleep. Simply a moving speech that moves people to action.
Six weeks from now, each Eagle will deliver a world changing speech, as a historical figure, at a pivotal point in time, on a subject he or she feels passionate about. It will be an original speech, drafted, revised and crafted over a six week period.
Today several Eagles were called forward to stand “in the box” for ten minutes to speak on something they care passionately about. The lesson: giving a great speech takes passion AND serious preparation. You cannot just “wing it.”
Next came two hours of Improv training and practice. Because giving a world changing speech means letting go of your fears and saying “yes” to being comfortable being yourself on stage.
At the end of the day, our Eagles went to the Elementary School to present a gift of two copies of last session’s Mystery Anthology, and give each author a chance to pitch his or her story by reading a few lines.
How do you learn to give a world changing speech? You start by having the courage to get into the arena.