Category Archives: Culture

Five Rules for Would-be-Guides

Culture, Guides

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How we equip and inspire Guides at Acton Academy?

Becoming a Guide is difficult, but it’s not complicated.  Here are five simple principles to follow:

1.  Make a deep and personal covenant with each Eagle.

Eagles must know you care about them.  That’s why a Guide’s first task is to memorize each Eagle’s name, face and personal history before stepping into the studio.

The second task is a five to ten minute one-on-one meeting to listen to each Eagle’s dreams and set the learning contract.  the message is: “If you pledge to live up to your promises to try hard and never give up and practice intentionality, I’ll be by your side as you work to make your dream a reality.”

2.  Praise effort.

Praising results – for example, saying “great job” – may seem innocent enough, but it sends the message: “I’ll be grading your work.”  Instead, praise hard work and demonstrations of character, and the quality of the work will soar, with far less stress for you and the Eagles.

3.   Never answer a question.

Never.  Ever. Not for any reason.  Not one. And when you do, admit the mistake publicly, apologize, analyze what went wrong and find ways to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

4.  Offer questions, choices, natural consequences and processes to try.

Instead of answers, offer a deeper question.  Or a choice of actions, with natural consequences described by you (or even better, an Eagle.)   Or offer a choice of processes that will lead to the acquisition of a new skill, a character trait, or both.

5. Count slowly to 100 before intervening. Then count to 100 again.

This is the most difficult task of all.  When the studio slips into chaos, it is natural to want to step in and restore order.  It feels like torture to let the bedlam continue.  But just wait; count to 100 and then count to 100 again, if necessary, before intervening.  With enough patience, leaders will emerge to restore order.  Do not rob these young heroes of the opportunity to lead their Learning Communities and practice self governance just because of your ego or need for control.

Being a Guide is hard, but not complicated.  Just like being a parent.

A Heroic Year

Celebration, Communications, Culture, Hero's Journey, Ranch trip, Speeches

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Masai warriors are fierce. Yet the traditional Masai greeting is a tender question: “Kasserian Ingera?” or “Are the children well?”  The traditional reply: “All the children are well” signifies that life is good, because the children are growing and flourishing.

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Thursday the middle school Eagles assembled at a nearby ranch for a celebration of the year, with obstacle course challenges, swimming and fellowship.

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Late that night we circled around a campfire. Eagles reflected on the past months of hard work, describing how they had grown and sharing  “greatest lessons learned.”  Words of gratitude flowed from friend to friend, directly from the heart.

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We welcomed dawn from a mountaintop, looking towards the horizon in silence, with reverence and anticipation for the year to come.   On leaving, each Eagle made a sacred pledge to future growth, the growing  pile of stones a group commitment to the individual dreams of each young hero.

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Last night, we celebrated with parents and friends, listening to speeches from graduating  Eagles.  We left in awe of our young heroes, with great hope for the future they will create.

Kasserian Ingera.  All the children are well indeed.

Fun Campus Improvements

Place

Two new campus improvements are generating great glee among the Eagles.

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GaGa ball is drawing a crowd of elementary and middle school Eagles alike: before school, after school and during every break.

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Construction Corner is like having a human sized LEGO kit.

The Eagles have worked hard all year, so a few new toys and lots of summer fun are well deserved.  Enjoy.

 

But I Want to Do Your Homework

Guides, Independent Learner, Parent's Meeting

The_New_York_Times

It hurts to watch your child struggle, whether it is with a math problem, a poorly written story, or even worse, a social issue or that first crush.

So we offer a little assistance; perhaps even a tutor.  Before long, the parental ego kicks in.

Empathy is a skill we all need to model as parents; no child should feel alone or without emotional support.  So we need to acknowledge struggles and frustrations.

But in a world where the best tutors and teachers are only a click away, and with our Eagles surrounded by a caring culture of peer collaboration, direct help is no longer a necessity; perhaps even harmful for heroes in the long run.

So next time you are tempted to intervene, pull up Judith Newman’s New York Times piece But I Want to Do Your Homework.  If nothing else, you’ll have a good laugh.

The End of an Era; the Dawn of a New Adventure

Celebration, Culture, Hero's Journey, Ranch trip, , , ,

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Significant passages deserve to be recognized and celebrated.  Ceremony and ritual are an important part of the human experience and a Hero’s Journey.

Four young heroes started in the Little Blue House at Acton five years ago.  Now they have earned to right to pass from the elementary studio to the middle school.   This brave group marks the last  who will remember the launch of Acton Academy and the bravery it took for Founding Families to start out on an uncharted journey.

We marked this passage with a weekend ranch trip; an evening ceremony by the fire; the creation of FAMP, a small tribe that will enter the middle school dedicated to changing it for the better with three objectives to by transferred by the actions of the tribe. (The meaning of FAMP and the three objectives will remain a secret within the tribe, which will be melted into the middle school tribe on December 1st.)

In the morning, we walked in silence before dawn to a hilltop with forty mile views.  In silence we watched the sun rise.  Each Eagle placed a special memento in an ancient rock pillar and marked the moment with a word dedicating themselves to the journey ahead: Try; Future; Responsibility; Diol (an imaginary word meant to distract you from your troubles.)

Heroes conquer mountains; then rest and recharge; then look for new challenges on the horizon.   The end of an era; the dawn of a new adventure.

A Customer Review of 2013-2014

Feedback

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At Acton Academy we believe deeply in customer feedback.  So last week we displayed the Journey Maps for this year’s sessions, and asked Eagles to rank which processes and exhibitions were the most “fun” and most “important.”

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Being surrounded by the breadth and depth of forty six weeks of very hard work is  overwhelming.  Our Eagles have an incredible capacity for learning, that is only minimally captured by the class being, on average, five grade levels above age in Math and Reading.

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The customers have spoken, giving us suggestions for more exciting challenges for next year.  Even better, perhaps we’ll just ask the Eagles to create the curriculum themselves.

 

 

 

 

Please, can it be my turn to pick up the trash?

Collaboration, Culture, Guides

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What to do? Strong spring winds and lots of Eagle play spread small pieces of trash across the campus.

Should Guides pick it up?  Surely not, because the campus belongs to the Eagles.

Should we order the Eagles to police the area?  That wouldn’t be very Acton-like.

Instead, the Middle School Eagles were treated to a challenge.   Tom Sawyer convinced a friend that fence painting was a special honor.  Could they concoct a scheme to inspire Elementary Eagles to pick up the trash?

The MS Eagles went to work.  A game was created. Roles set. Rewards invented.

Soon eager cries were heard downstairs.  Before long, bags full of trash appeared and the campus was pristine.

Let’s just call it a double-Tom Sawyer moment.

Principles for Parenting Heroes

Parent's Meeting

It is not easy to be an Acton Academy parent.

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Yes, you love the fact that your Eagle loves to go to school.

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Yes, it’s nice to know that working hard and having fun are not mutually exclusive.

But it still can be difficult to believe that the most powerful way we can encourage deep learning is to relinquish control.

So here are seven principles  recently sent to incoming middle school parents, to help ease the transition to a Learner Driven Community:

A Primer for

Acton Academy Middle School Parents

 Acton Academy is a self governing Learner Driven Community where Eagles set individual goals, manage their own time and govern themselves.

Given that it can be frustrating for parents when Guides do not intervene to address concerns, but instead put this responsibility back on the Eagles, we thought a few principles might be worth restating:

Parents have the ultimate responsibility for each Eagle.

We believe our parents are the ultimate authority in their Eagle’s life.  You pay the bills so you get to make the decisions.  This also mean upholding Acton’s written promises to you is our highest responsibility and trumps even our promises to Eagles.  Because of this, we respect your responsibility to set expectations for how much work your Eagle will do and how long it will take him or her to graduate to LaunchPad (high school.)

Eagles run our studios.

We trust your Eagle and give great latitude to our young heroes to practice self governance.

Allowing your Eagle to fail early, cheaply and often can be painful for parents.

It may be painful to see your Eagle struggling, whether it’s a tightly wound Eagle who needs to learn to relax or a slumping Eagle struggling to find the right motivation.  Painful though it may be for all, we believe the lessons learned in our studio prepare our Eagles for glorious adventures in an even less forgiving real world.

Quality is judged by Eagles.

There are no grades at Acton Academy. We use real world standards instead.

All work approved by Eagles to count for a badge will either:

  • Be “the best work I can do” if it is something being done for the first time; or
  • Show improvement from previous work in a skills or area; or
  • Be green-lighted (approved) by fellow Eagles as being worthy to represent Acton Academy quality work to parents or the public; or
  • Be judged as high quality by outsiders in a public exhibition.

Interpersonal issues are addressed without adult intervention (unless it is a matter of safety.)

While Guides will listen to a parent’s concerns about interpersonal conflicts, we always will put the responsibility back on the Eagle to work out any problems, just like in the real world.

Eagles do receive frank anonymous feedback from their peers through periodic 360 surveys to help build stronger relationships and Guides will provide safe dispute resolution processes.

High community standards may result in an Eagle being sent home for a day.  This is a serious message from the Learning Community. Under the current accountability system, an Eagle being sent home three times within a year will not be invited back.  Your Eagle will understand these rules and has a responsibility to keep you abreast of any serious issues that may lead to being asked to stay home.

Eagles are busy so please limit outside communications.

Under the current studio rules set by Eagles, cell phone use is not allowed inside the studio, so email is the best way to communicate.  If you need to text or talk, please set a specific time so your Eagle can pick up his or her phone and step outside.  If you have an emergency, please email or text a Guide or Laura.

If you have a question about how Acton is working, ask your Eagle.

We believe in the power of customer feedback.  If you want to know how school is going, ask your Eagle or read the blog or the weekly surveys.  Out of respect for both you and your Eagle, Guides are not allowed to offer detailed feedback.

Eagles know what needs to be done.  Each has a list of badges needed to move to Launchpad and the requirements for each badge.  While we always are improving this system, your Eagle should know when he or she can expect to leave Middle School, given his or her current pace.

From time to time we will schedule a meeting in which your Eagle can present his or her Personal Learning Plan (electronic portfolios) and a physical portfolio of work.  You also may want to review your Eagle’s progress on his or her Khan math plan or review Points Tracker sheets at the end of every week or session.  As part of the Honor Code, Eagles are required to be truthful and transparent about their progress.

No, it’s not easy some days being an Acton Academy parent.  But it is an exciting adventure.

 

 

An Intellectual Appetite that Leads to Purposeful Action

Culture, Parent's Meeting

The_New_York_Times

David Brooks offers advice on learning in today’s New York Times:

1.  “Say ‘yes’ to the subject that arouses a terrifying longing, and let the terrifying longing crowd out everything else.”

At Acton Academy, we call this “being in flow.”

2. “Look at the way children learn in groups. They make discoveries alone, but bring their treasures to the group. Then the group crowds around and hashes it out. In conversation, conflict, confusion and uncertainty can be metabolized and digested through somebody else. If the group sets a specific problem for itself, and then sets a tight deadline to come up with answers, the free digression of conversation will provide occasions in which people are surprised by their own minds.”

This is the magic of  a Learner Driven Community, built and owned by Eagles.

3.  “The only way to stay fully alive is to dive down to your obsessions six fathoms deep. Down there it’s possible to make progress toward fulfilling your terrifying longing, which is the experience that produces the joy.”

This is the challenge and the reward of the Hero’s Journey.

Our mission is to equip and inspire Eagles to whet an intellectual appetite, one that drives them to master the skills, habits and questions required to change the world.

 

The Most Important Processes of All

Collaboration, Consequences, Covenants, Culture

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A process is a step by step progression of tasks needed to accomplish an important goal, in a timely manner, with limited resources.   Exposure to and practice with processes are perhaps our most important tools for our “learn to do” and “learn to be” work in the studios.  During the 2012-13 school year, we cataloged thirty seven major processes that Eagles learned to use in real world challenges.

At the end of Session Six, Eagles paused to reflect on the most important processes used this year.  Was it the Socratic Method; The Scientific Method; initiating a life changing conversation; conducting a world changing interview or securing an apprenticeship?

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All of the processes above were mentioned, but a consensus quickly formed around the two most important processes: (1) Time Management and (2) Self Governance.

When asked why, Eagles responded:

  • “Because rich or poor, powerful or not, each person only has twenty four hours in a day.”
  • “Setting priorities helps me use my gifts to their full potential.”
  • “Leading people is difficult; so is knowing how to choose a leader and when it is  your time to follow;” and finally
  • “These processes teach you about yourself and what you need to change to live a  hero’s life, which is the most difficult challenge of all.”

No wonder these two processes take so much time, effort and practice.  It’s because along with courage, they are the very foundation of the Hero’s Journey.

 

Advice for Parenting Heroes

Parent's Meeting

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Decades ago psychologist J. Zink  published a series of parenting books so helpful for raising young heroes that out-of-print copies soon commanded $100 per copy.

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Now, thanks to the prodding of Acton Academy parents (and others)  J. Zink has come out of retirement to update one of his classics and offer it as an E-book titled Upbringing.

Simple, common sense, easy to follow.  Advice many of us hope we practice every day.  Nevertheless, an invaluable refresher course offered by a kind and gentle man who has helped tens of thousands of young heroes and their parents.

 

The Importance of Process

Apprenticeships, Culture, Feedback

We started this session’s Apprenticeship Search with the same plan as last year.  Introduce one Apprenticeship Challenge at a time, each with a note to read and a skill to practice to help Eagles find, pitch and land a world changing apprenticeship.

Almost immediately the plan began to unravel.  Veteran Eagles who had mastered the Apprenticeship Challenge last year, and who all year long had been cataloging apprenticeships that fit their gifts, flow experiences and opportunities, wanted to skip ahead and pitch for apprenticeships immediately.  Some were quite talented and offered well targeted and compelling pitches.

Unfortunately, this led to less experienced Eagles believing they too could launch an Apprenticeship pitch, without doing all the upfront work.  The Acton brand would be at risk if Eagles began pelting potential employers with poorly worded emails.

This led to a morning launch on the importance of process:

Would you build a bridge, “on the fly,” just winging it?  would you be willing to be the first person to drive across the bridge that had no blueprint?

Why do you need processes?   Is it to prove to others that you know what you are doing?      To have a record that you followed careful procedures, in case something goes terribly wrong?  As a beginner, to learn the steps?  As a master, to lay steppingstones to inspire and equip the next generation?

The Eagles weren’t buying it.  Many thought the Apprenticeship processes were stilted and unnatural.    Plus, a set of procedures for bridges made sense, because it was a matter of life and death; apprenticeships weren’t as important.  Even an attempt to paint apprenticeships as a bridge to anew life fell flat.

For some Eagles, moving forward without practice was almost certain to fail; but requiring Eagles to use a process just didn’t seem like the Acton way.  Yet there was great risk in a  laissez faire approach that could damage the community’s reputation.

Finally, a reasonable compromise emerged:

1.  Eagles could either opt completely in or completely out of the Apprenticeship Process.

2.  Any Eagle opting out would not be able to mention the Acton name in an email, phone call or in person pitch.

3.  If an Eagle elected to opt out of the Apprenticeship Process, he or she would need a parent’s approval.

Choice and consequences; freedom and responsibility.  Processes only when you think you need them.  The right to fail.  They’ll be some hard lessons from this, but the world hopefully will have fewer failed bridges in the long run.

 

Two more governance experiments

Consequences, Covenants, Culture, Distraction, Eagle Buck-Pts, Feedback, Guides

Yes, everyone dislikes Eagle Bucks and those who ask for them.  Few people have warm and fuzzy feelings about petty regulations or overzealous Mall Cops on Segways.  Plus governance disputes seem to eat up far too much time.

Yet without a few simple rules and small fines, what would happen to a society?  Would peer pressure alone prevent people from driving at dangerous speeds or rolling through stop signs?

We have just finished Part One of a two part experiment by abolishing Eagle Bucks for up to two weeks, starting last Monday.  Bottom line, we only made it eight days.  The vote to reinstate Eagle Bucks was nearly unanimous, and even some of the harshest Eagle Bucks critics have changed their minds.

Once we digest the lessons from this experiment, we may try one in the opposite direction – arming Guides with Red Cards.  During this experiment, if a Guide sees an Eagle violating a rule adopted by the community, the perpetrator and his or her Running Partner will each owe double the normal penalty.  And Guides will reserve the right to prospectively raise the fines for certain violations that keep occurring.

The idea here is that Eagles will have an excuse for asking for legitimate Eagle Bucks.  Either I ask you, or both of us risk owing a double fine if a Guide has to intervene.  This way, it becomes easier for someone who doesn’t care about popularity to draw crisp boundaries on certain types of disruptive behavior.

If this experiment proves valuable, eventually the Guide’s Red Card prerogative would be transferred to an older Launchpad Eagle, removing adults (but not authority) from the governance structure.

Sugata Mitra, SOLES and Acton Academy

Culture, Hero Story, Hero's Journey, Independent Learner, SOLES, Storytelling

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Sugata Mitra is the father of the Hole-in-the-Wall experiments, where in poor neighborhoods all around the world, he installed computer terminals that allow students to “self-organize” to learn.

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In case after case, the poorest of children  —  without a teacher or school –  outscored the most privileged private school students in their countries, leading to Mitra winning the first $1 million TED talk prize.  Mitra went on to create Granny-in-the-Cloud, an army of British grandmothers who acted as virtual Running Partners (coaches) for Sugata Mitra’s students.

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Now, Sugata Mitra will be coming to Acton Academy the second week in June, to lead our Eagles in a SOLE (Self-Organized-Learning-Environment.)

How does a SOLE work?  Eagles form into four person teams, around one computer.  Mitra asks a compelling question, and the Eagles go to work.  An hour or so later, the teams convene to present their findings.

Here’s an example of a SOLE Sugata Mitra led for group of poor Indian children a few months ago:

He started with a story:

“Five hundred years ago, barbarians invaded India and were repelled, because the natives had better weapons, forged from superior steel.  The barbarians regrouped, wondering how to acquire such steel.   One suggested: ‘Perhaps we could just offer to buy some steel from them in the normal course of trade.”

Another replied: ‘Surely they would not fall for such a trick.’  But they did.  The barbarians analyzed the steel and created a superior metallurgy, forging weapons three inches longer.

Because of that three inches, the barbarians were successful in their second invasion, changing India forever.”

Mitra then asked his question: “What were the metallurgy changes and the science that made the extra three inches possible?”

He left and came back a week later.  The presentations were powerful, incorporating deep questions in and lessons about chemistry and metal working.

Mitra then issued his second challenge: “What problem can you find in the world today, where ‘three extra inches’ would change the world, and how would you propose to solve it?  I’ll be back in two weeks.”

A compelling story to set the stage.  A powerful question.  Four students, a computer and a great deal of faith.  No adult in sight. Perhaps the most effective curriculum and classroom of all.

(By the way, during his visit to Acton, Mitra will invite an Acton parent who knows little about science to lead a second SOLE on physics.  Consider it our chance to learn from a modern day Socrates.)

Session Six Focus: “Which questions motivate a hero?”

Apprenticeships, Hero's Journey, Journey maps, Launches, Motivating a Fellow Hero: Conversation, Motivating a Tribe: Interviewing

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For the next six weeks, we’ll be exploring the theme: “Which questions motivate a hero?”

Our adventure will have three main thrusts:

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1. Which questions will motivate YOU on your Hero’s Journey?

Here we’ll dig deeply into the three questions our Eagles will ask to measure if they are happy, satisfied and fulfilled:  Am I contributing something meaningful? Am I a good person? and Who do I love, and who loves me?

Eagles will work hard to identify their gifts; explore “flow” and investigate the  irresistible opportunities that will motivate them to brainstorm, select and acquire a world changing apprenticeship.

As part of this work, Eagles will learn to write compelling emails, make irresistible phone pitches and dazzle in face-to-face interviews on their way to finding apprenticeships for next session.

The final exhibit will be an electronic portfolio designed to secure an apprenticeship, which will include a two minute “Message to Garcia” video showing each Eagle promising to “get the job done” if given the chance.

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2. Which questions will motivate a FELLOW HERO?

The focus here is  becoming a world class conversationalist, so our Eagles will be able to walk into any gathering and strike up a conversation that will make the other person feel important.

Eagles will practice their new found techniques on Running Partners, incoming 2014-15 Eagles to Acton and students from other schools, until the art of conversation becomes second nature.

The final product here will be a short “Hero Story” about a new friend, that captures what makes that person a “genius on a hero’s journey.”

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3. Which questions will motivate a TRIBE OR NATION?

Oprah, Johnny Carson or William F. Buckley – who is the greatest interviewer of all time?  Our Eagles will compare and contrast world class interviewers, as they learn the art of asking penetrating questions on stage, on the radio or on television.

Near the end of the session, we’ll invite adult heroes to class (especially those who might sponsor an apprenticeship) and allow our Eagles to conduct interviews in front of a live audience.  The final product will be an edited transcript of the interview.

Executing an apprenticeship that may lead to a calling in life; learning to make excellent conversation, anytime, anywhere, with anyone; asking penetrating questions from a stage – all 21st Century Skills for our young heroes who plan to change the world.

What constitutes “help” in Math?

Collaboration, Core Skills, Culture, Math, Town Hall

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We haven’t spent one minute “teaching” math. Not one minute.  So far, Eagles have learned math from Khan Academy; ST Math; Dreambox; Manga High; ALEX and other game based, adaptive programs.

Eagles have been progressing through Pre-Algebra at a rapid rate. One Eagle has finished most of Pre-Algebra; Algebra; Trigonometry and Geometry in six months.  At this rate, she will master twelve years of traditional school math in less than one year.

Eagles are free to help each other, as long as they stay in “Socratic Mode,” asking questions but not giving answers.

Lately, a bit of controversy has arisen, and a flurry of emails.  The Council ruled (unilaterally) that even Socratic help cannot be offered during the final Khan Mastery Quiz, so that each person proves they have mastered the material before moving on.  Others believe Socratic help is within the student contract.

Here are excerpts from the back and forth on email:

From a Council Member:

A lot of people have been complaining about the new Khan rules, but I will tell you why they are necessary.

If you have heard of the rubber band theory, good for you. If you haven’t, it’s this:

 When you learn something, a mental rubber band forms around that skill in the brain, even if you get it with help. But from there on, if someone helps you on the problem, (even socratic help, Ben!)  that rubber band does not form another one. But if you do it on your own, another rubber band forms. And you get better and better.

The reason Council made this rule, is so those rubber bands form, and you can go into calculus knowing what you’re doing. Now a lot of people might say that it’s their problem, and it’s fine, and they will have problems, and this school gives emphasis on one another helping each other, not the Guides. But something our school focuses even more strongly on, is best work. If you go into calculus not knowing what you are doing. 

That is also why I refrain from helping people on their last problem, because if they have already gotten 4 problems correct by guesstimating, than they won’t understand the last one, no matter how Socratically you explain, that rubber band will not form.  

Another Eagle supported the Council:

I wouldn’t go with the easy way out in this case… remember how none of us really learned everything we did last year on Khan? It was because we would get someone to help us on a skill and move on. Check it off, and forget. That obviously was not the correct way to approach Khan.

A third Eagle disagreed:

Socratic help is perfectly fine, what isn’t fine is when people give the answers; which is a whole different problem.

A forth Eagle reported:

Math is getting harder, so my parents can’t help me as much.

And finally:

When I was in second grade (at a different school) I learned complicated algebra, by using a bead chain system.  The bead chains were just a way to help me understand the problems better.  BUT, when I got to third grade and I had come to Acton, the bead chains were not there, so I forgot how to do that complicated algebra. The bead chains were just a way to help me understand it better, just like Socratic help, but since they were not there I forgot how to do that type of math and I had to learn it all over again.  That is why you need to learn it by yourself.

This is a powerful view into how learning really works in a community.  An open and honest debate about standards.  A discussion of what types of assistance help and which hurt.  Deep insights concerning the effort required to grow.

There will be further bumps in the road. Before long, Eagles may need to band together in small groups to watch Khan videos in sequence, as the math becomes more difficult.  Several are making plans to do so already, and Eagles no doubt will have to reach beyond Khan for even better resources.

But in the end, they will understand math far more deeply than students from a traditional classroom, because they own the process.  No doubt, they will have learned a great deal more about grit and learning as well.

Broken Windows at Acton

Consequences, Culture, Distraction, Guides, Trouble

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In the late 1980s, New York City was a mess.  Trash filled many streets; aggressive “squeegee men” stopped cars, ostensibly washing windows, but really shaking down motorists for a protection payment; murder rates rose to all time highs.

A new Police Chief took over, and instituted a policy of “no broken windows,” a theory proposed by economist James Q Wilson that predicted that focusing on minor transgressions would lead to a reduction in more serious crimes.

The police cracked down on the squeegee men, subway toll jumpers and graffiti artists; before long violent crime began to recede too, a trend that eventually made New York City one of the safest large cities in America.

Last week we faced a “broken windows” moment at Acton Academy Middle School, when it came to light that several Eagles had been turning in “less than best work,” playing computer games during school and a host of other violations in the honor code.  A rude response when being asked for an Eagle Buck had become the norm for some.

This lead to a morning launch discussing:

  • The Tragedy of the Commons – Common spaces not defended by private property rights or law will soon be abused.
  • The Rule of Law – Everyone should be treated the same under the law, no matter how popular, rich or powerful.
  • Broken Windows – Attending to small transgressions discourages larger problems later on; and
  • Logrolling – How a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” approach to lowering standards can have a devastating long term impact.

Yet even after this launch, standards continued to slip even more noticeably.

Eagles asked for a 360 Review, an anonymous survey designed to provide frank feedback to every member of the studio – from the Eagles to the Eagles.  From the results – posted in a way that protected the identity of each person but allowed you to know your own scores – it became clear that there was a real problem with some.

What could we do about this as Guides?  Our only right under our covenant with Eagles is to point out a slippage in standards, and ask them to remedy the problem.  We tried that, but some of the leaders in the class had become so fed up with the transgressing group that they chose to  focus on their own work instead of trying to lift up the community.

A few of the Eagles who tried to hold the line were treated more and more rudely by some.

Yes, in some ways this was normal adolescent behavior in America.   A “whatever” attitude and being “too cool for school” and mailing in work are a natural defense again the sting of failure.  Plus, everyone makes mistakes.

But Acton Academy is supposed to be different.  A place where high standards and best work are celebrated; where a warm community cares enough to tell you the truth; where failing and making mistakes is celebrated – if you admit them and honestly try to improve.

The transgressions so far had been fairly minor, though several Eagles had begun to practice deceit and dishonesty on an all too regular basis.  It was a reminder that here’s no such thing as perfect person, only people who make mistakes and admit them and those who keep making the same mistakes until they turn into more serious problems.

Because we thought this was a serious matter of principle and a turning point for the community, the Guides went on strike.  We left the studio and promised to return once Eagles had put their house in order (while watching from a few hundred feet away, using our new video system to make sure everyone remained safe.)

The Eagle leaders leaped into action: designing a new Honor Code, Eagle Buck fines and clear due process and ultimate consequences clear for those who continued to violate community standards.

reconciliation

There would be a “reconciliation moment ,” inspired by Post Apartheid South Africa.  Anyone who admitted a serious honor code violation, in detail, and offered an apology would immediately be forgiven and have the slate wiped clean.

The due process for someone who kept choosing to act outside the contract was made crystal clear.  A serious honor code violation, if not immediately disclosed or later cleared by an appeal, would result in an Eagle being sent home for a minimum of one day.  Repeated smaller transgressions that resulted in someone being in a negative Eagle Buck position for longer than three weeks would count the same as one honor code violation.

After the third serious honor code violation and third time being sent home, an Eagle would not be invited back (for every eighteen months of a clean record, one past honor code violation would be erased, giving each Eagle the chance to earn back a clean slate.)

None of us like to hear that our children have done something wrong.  But just like adults, they will make mistakes all the time, some of them ethical mistakes.  It’s by learning from the natural consequences of these mistakes, and asking for forgiveness, that a strong character is forged.

Honesty;  transparency and caring enough not to let a friend get away with a lie, even if it is a small one.  Then genuinely forgiving others when they stray, as we hope they’ll forgive us. These are the building blocks that make for a strong community.

We will continue to hold the Eagles to their promises and the high standards they set.  And we will celebrate when our children’s friends hold them accountable for small transgressions, before sex, alcohol, drugs and driving make the consequences far more severe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launching LaunchPad

Badges, LaunchPad, Uncategorized

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Two weeks ago week we announced at a parent meeting our plans for LaunchPad, the name Eagles have given to our new high school, which will open in the fall of 2015 (though the most advanced middle school Eagles already are working on the model, and will be experimenting with the curriculum next fall.)

LaunchPad will allow Eagles the freedom to choose their own adventures, while preserving the option to attend a selective college.

During the Launchpad years, Eagles will dig into advanced reading, literary analysis, writing and communication skills, tackling advanced Math concepts, serious Socratic discussions in Civilization and even creating Quests for the lower studios, as a way of doing deep explorations into Science and the Arts.

Longer term, serious, for pay apprenticeships will play a big role in LaunchPad as well, giving Eagles a chance to test their skills and thirst for a calling in the real world, long before most young adults make a blind choice of a college major.

And, on top of these accomplishments, LaunchPad Eagles will assume many of the responsibilities for running the lower studios, earning Learning Badges that would qualify them as exceptional leaders in the world’s leading companies and not-for-profits.

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How will we accomplish all of this?  Two secrets:

  1. Our Eagles can work at 10X the normal rate, when absorbed in something they love.  Allowing individual choice leads to an exponential increase in the quality of work and the number of skills mastered.
  2. Arranging Quests as a series of badges that demonstrate competence and mastery, allows us to sequence challenges in a way that delivers real world skills, while still preserving the ability to map these badges into a more traditional (and artificial) traditional high school curriculum.

How do you create a portal into the real world that equips and inspires young people?

Start with a blank sheet of paper; embrace 21st century learning; combine with ageless wisdom; and above all else, ask the young heroes to help you build it.

Exhibitions and Eagles: “May I please do more work?”

Communications, Culture, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Exhibition, Guides, Independent Learner, Quests, Rube Goldberg, Speeches

This week our Eagles will host an exhibition, including each performing a “Four Minute Speech in the Shoes of a Scientific Hero” in front of a roomful of adults.

Recently several Eagles requested to change the speech criteria to “no less than four minutes and up to eight minutes.”  Quite a few had done so much research that they wanted more time to tell their hero’s story.

So what did we do? After all, Guides don’t answer questions.

We decided to turn the organization of the entire exhibition to the Eagles.  The only two constraints:

(1) The total time could not exceed one hour, out of  respect for our guests, and

(2) Speeches will be judged on “value per minute,” to encourage conciseness.

Speak up. Get more responsibility. Just like the real world.

 

A Pitch Session

Communications, Consequences, Core Skills, Critiques, Culture, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Feedback, Quests, Rube Goldberg, Speeches

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How do we decide whether the quality of an Eagle’s work is ready for an Exhibition?

Answer: the Eagle has to pitch to his or her studiomates, requesting a “green light” to proceed.  This session’s Four Minute Speech; the 30 Second Video and Rube Goldberg device each required a separate pitch.

What follows a pitch?  First, a warm/cool critique, offering affirmation and suggestions for improvement.  Then, a vote.

What if the green light approval is denied?  You go back to the drawing board, make improvements, and try again.  That’s what heroes do when they fail: they get back up, dust themselves off, and get back to work.

 

 

The Cornucopia

Consequences, Critiques, Culture, Quests, Rube Goldberg

How do we provide raw material for the Eagles’ Rube Goldberg machines?

First, we put out a call to all Eagle families, asking parents to clear their closets of unused toys and gadgets, and send them to campus..

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Next we hold a Hunger Games Cornucopia – a competitive contest to see who can plan, search and secure the most important raw materials.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Eagles rank each Scientific Creator research pitch.
  2. The five highest ranked Eagles get the first two minutes at the Cornucopia, and can select whatever materials they need. The only rule:  You must use anything you take.  Any item bought from the Cornucopia afterwards will cost an Eagle Buck.
  3. Repeat Step 2 until every Eagle has had a chance to graze at the Cornucopia.

Friendly competition. Dealing with scarce resources. Empty closets.  Complex Rube Goldberg machines.

Everyone wins.

 

How many questions should a Guide answer in a perfect day?

Celebration, Culture, Guides, Sal Khan

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We recently held a reception at Acton Academy for SXSW.edu.  The over one hundred Disruptors and Educators who attended were treated to a Quest: a scavenger hunt to discover the answers to a series of provocative questions about Acton.

At one point in the presentation, the Eagles took over answering questions from the crowd. In a word, they were “brilliant.” Or as one parent put it: “It was magical.”

There were some humorous moments too.

One visitor couldn’t believe the Eagle’s answers were spontaneous.  He kept asking: “How did you stage that so perfectly?” (Answer: We trusted them.)

Later, a traditional educator, seeking to answer a question on the scavenger hunt list, turned to an Elementary Studio Guide: “So how many questions does a Guide answer in a perfect day”

In perfect Socratic Guide mode, he replied: “How many do you think a Guide answers in a perfect day?”

“At least 200,” she said.

Her companion disagreed: “At least 400. Maybe 500.”

The Acton Guide provided a clue: “We’ve been having a contest that records how many questions we answer in a week.  You can see the results in the Elementary studio.”

On a whiteboard in the Elementary studio was the answer: “Ms. Terri  2.  Ms. Samantha 1. Mr Brian 11.” (Eagles had been trying to trick Mr. Brian all week by catching him off guard with personal questions.)

The two traditional teachers were heard saying: “I just don’t understand how this place works.”

Neither do we.  We just know that it does.

Seeing the world as it is

Culture, Feedback, Video

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The rate of technological change in the world is breathtaking.  Ten years ago, at the Acton MBA classroom, we installed a series of high definition cameras in the Socratic Classroom so MBA students could debrief their performances on video.  Total cost: over $500,000.

Last week we installed eight discrete high definition cameras in the Acton Academy studios, allowing us to record “to the cloud” every interaction and discussion between Eagles.  Total cost: $3,000 – including a much more user friendly playback system.

Our goal is not surveillance.  In fact, parents and strangers are not allowed access to the password protected system and we’ve pledged never to use the system in a disciplinary way. (Eagles are allowed to review the video, with permission from the Council, to settle any disputes over a breach of the promises Eagles have made to each other.)

Instead, Eagles and Guides now have the ability to record, review and critique every performance, either individually or as a group.  The energy around these critique sessions has been high, and we’ve already seen a quantum improvement in discussion techniques and embracing the  “rules of engagement.” (Even though standards already were high.)

This also gives the nine other Acton Academies we’ll have open by fall the ability to learn from each other, since having password protected access to cameras in each studio is a precondition of opening a new Acton Academy. Just imagine how this will multiply the rate of experimentation and learning.

New technology. Direct feedback. Rapid learning.  It’s going to be powerful to watch what our Eagles do next.

Finding Apprentice Guides Who Will Change the World

Guides

It is not easy to become an Apprentice Guide at Acton Academy, because it’s our most valuable position.

All Apprentice Guides go through the following eight step Hiring Funnel:

Step One.  Submit a resume, cover letter and answer three questions

Step Two.  An Email interview requiring extensive research about Acton Academy and answering six questions

Step Three.   A twenty minute phone interview with a Lead Guide

Step Four.  Read the Message to Garcia note about taking initiative and answer, “When have you been like Colonel Rowan?”

Step Five.  An on campus interview with the Head of School.

Step Six.  An Eagle panel interview and presentation of a Pathbrite portfolio and a personal Hero’s Story.

Step Seven.  A final interview with three guides.

Step Eight.  The Decision.

Why so much effort?  Because we only hire superstars who we believe will launch their own Acton Academy, after a three to four year apprenticeship.

In other words, our Apprentice Guides are not here to train Eagles, they are here to be prepared by Eagles to go out and change the world.

Which is the most telling step in the hiring process?  Step Eight, where the applicant must face a panel of Eagles.  Young people have an uncanny sense when an adult is “posing” and doesn’t really believe that each and every Eagle is a genius, who deserves a calling that will change the world.

In the last round of hiring, we started with 79 applicants.  Only three made it to Step Five.  Only one made it to Step Eight and received an offer.

Even the best companies are successful in hiring only thirty percent of the time.  So all of our Apprentice Guides go through a 180 trial period.   We hire slowly and carefully and remove someone quickly if it’s not a good fit.

Just one more lesson for our Eagles, as they prepare to assemble, lead and serve on teams of superstars themselves.

Protecting Intentionality During Quiet Core Skills Time

Consequences, Core Skills, Covenants, Culture, Distraction, Eagle Buck-Pts, Guides, Trouble

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Silent Core Skills time at Acton Academy means exactly that – a time of deep individual work that isn’t distracted by noise or activity in the studio.  How do we protect such times of “flow,” when the right challenge can lead to deep learning at a rapid clip?

Of course, all intentionality in the studio begins with the Eagle to Eagle covenants and an Eagle Buck system that lets Eagles set and uphold the standards. Without a serious buy-in by all, there is no spontaneous order.

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But even with this, protecting individual work time during Silent Core Skills isn’t easy.  During Silent Core Skills time, you can hear a pen drop in the studio – literally.  So even the smallest creak becomes a distraction.  So we have “white noise machines” that help to block out distractions.

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Sometimes minor distractions can build, until all intentionality breaks down.  Here, the Yacker Tracker – a listening device that can be set to trigger an alarm when a pre-set decibel level is breached – is a big help.  The decibel level is at a whisper for Silent Core Skills and slightly higher for Collaboration time; if the alarm goes off, the person who triggered it owes an Eagle Buck.

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Finally, when all intentionality is lost, we can depend on our Elementary Eagle neighbors below to deliver a Red Card, meaning we’ve disturbed the rights of the Elementary Eagles to learn without being distracted.  A Red Card costs the Middle School community 24 Eagle Bucks.

Layers of habit, protocol and individual and community rights, developed by Eagles, with a little help from technology.  It’s one set of secrets as to why Eagles can learn at a 10X rate when engaged and in flow.

What can I learn from Rube Goldberg?

Art, Culture, Hero Story, Hero's Journey, Independent Learner, Quests, Rube Goldberg, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

Imagine this…. someone who knows nothing about Acton Academy wanders into the studio and notices all the students tinkering joyfully, building crazy-looking Rube  Goldberg-like contraptions.  The visitor is puzzled and possibly even indignant.   “Looks like playtime to me,” she thinks.  Aloud, she asks, “ Where is the value in this?  Shouldn’t you be learning something?  This is school, after all.”

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Guides try to come up with challenges that hit the sweet spot where rigor intersects joy.  The Rube Goldberg design-build project has many layers; “Games within games within games,” one Eagle noted.  Not all elements are immediately visible to a random visitor, but most are easily teased out by asking a few good questions.

So, where is the value?  According to the Eagles, the value lies in:

  •  hands-on experimentation
  • letting their imaginations freely flow
  • nudging their creativity from “bud to blossom” (thank you, Anaya)
  • answering an open-ended question
  • working without instruction
  • problem solving
  • incorporating evidence of their biographical research into their designs
  • having FUN

When Eagles begin designing their own Quests from scratch, chances are very good they will do an even better job of hitting the right balance. They already do the best job of answering visitors’ questions!

Another Snow Day – Not!

Culture

Most schools are starting late today, because of concerns over snow and ice.  Acton Academy will be starting on time, for those families who believe the streets are safe enough to travel.

The email below, received yesterday from a middle school Eagle (and edited for anonymity), explains why we stay open:

Subject: School tomorrow?

Please, PLEASE let us have school tomorrow. I can give you many reasons why we should, despite the bitter weather:

We have a critique due tomorrow, and we need all the critiques we can get to improve the quality of our writing.

We have some important visitors coming tomorrow. We don’t want to make them re-schedule.

Everyone will be thrown off track by having one less day in the week, and it is as important as ever for us to keep up with our long-term goals.

I hope that I have convinced you that the benefits of having school tomorrow outweigh the risks of icy roads. Even if many parents do not want to drive their kids to school in the predicted conditions, some may wish to, so I believe that that option should be preserved for those who want it.

Thanks, xxxxx

A student arguing for Acton Academy to open on time, when most schools will be closed or delayed.  That’s what happens when you out young heroes are in charge of their own learning.

What’s Different This Session?

Consequences, Culture, Energy and flow, Quests, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

The high scores the new Creator Quest received on this week’s Fun/Important graph indicate that Eagles are finding the work both engaging and relevant to their Hero’s Journeys- for most of them, in stark contrast to last session’s Rocket Quest.  Why?

Guides had theories, yet despite our “no experts” ethic, we suspected the best way to answer this particular question would be to take it to the ones in the know: the Eagles themselves.  We asked:  Why were you so focused this week?  How is this project different for you?  Eagles’ responses fell under four main headings.

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 1.    Choice

High energy around getting to choose a hero who relates to their own gifts and passions.  A dedicated violinist chose Stradivari, a budding filmmaker chose Walt Disney, a talented cinematographer chose the Lumiere brothers, and one Eagle with razor-sharp focus on becoming a future race car driver chose Karl Benz.

They appreciate the independent nature of this project, which provides the freedom to do research, write and draw mind maps during core skills, and conversely, to continue core skills work in the afternoons during “project time”.

And they love getting to design their Rube Goldberg device from scratch, with their own choice of materials.

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2.    Diversity

The combination of specific, individualized work that must still fit into the broader goals of a team resonates with the Eagles’ powerful commitment to both their own Hero’s Journeys and to their learning community.  The diversity of hands-on drawing/design/building, along with deep research and multi-draft writing, keeps them energized.

In the words of one Eagle: “This project has everything: drawing, writing, research, history and even public speaking.”

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3.    Games

“This project has games within games,” one Eagle noted, mentioning the  Cornucopia, the pitches, and the final exhibition/competition.

While much of the work is independent, small groups come together for critiques, and larger groups form for pitches.

There’s nowhere to hide, and while no one wants to lose, if they don’t ace one game they know there will be another they can try to beat.  “Some of us will be motivated more by the Rube Goldberg presentation, some of us by the speech.”  And Eagles with the highest standards are in the powerful position of inspiring and lifting up the rest.

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4.    High Stakes

The Eagles crave meaningful experiences and real-life lessons.  When stakes feel high to them, they soar.  The word “pressure!” came up quite a bit in our discussion, but in the context of a challenge to be met rather then a negative to be avoided.  The space hums with excitement. Speeches, pitches, a public display of a giant Eagle-crafted Rube Goldberg chain reaction… AND a very special reward for the team with the highest average scores as rated by the Acton community.

Nikita’s slogan for this session best sums up the enthusiasm and focus in the studio:

 It’s ON!

 

 

 

 

Gamifying motivation.

Collaboration, Consequences, Critiques, Culture, Energy and flow, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Feedback, Guides, Quests, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

What do Guides  at Acton Academy actually do, if we never teach or respond to questions?

The answer – we’re Game Makers.  We describe an exciting end goal, design the incentives, suggest a few boundaries or rules, provide a list of tools and process —  and then get out of the way.  Our goal is to inspire  Eagles to pack as much learning into the day as possible.

Take for example, this session’s Creator Speech Quest.  First, each Eagle chooses a Scientific Explorer of Ideas (a paradigm buster); Innovator or Inventor.   Five weeks from now, at the public exhibition, each will deliver an original four minute “hero’s journey” speech from the shoes of their Creator and unveil a Rube Goldberg device that celebrates the scientific contributions of their hero.

Here’s the catch –  a maximum of eight Creators per category will be allowed to speak.  So who determines which Eagle qualifies for which spot?  The Eagles themselves.

1. First, all Eagles in a category deliver a two minute pitch displaying their research and mind map, asking  to be “green lighted” (approved.)  Everyone in the group rates each pitch and provides warm and cool critiques.

2. The top rated 2/3 of the group (a maximum of five) are elected to be the Excellence Committee for that group.  The Excellence Committee decides whether those receiving a lower rating should be admitted immediately (up to a maximum of eight) or asked to do more research and polishing and then pitch again.

3.  What keeps the Excellence Committee from quickly approving more members and filling the group?  The final ratings, from customers at the exhibition, will be based on the average rating per person.  So you do not want any slackers on the team to bring down your average score.

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Today was pitch day.  Nine Eagles pitched for Inventors; nine for Innovators; three for Creators.  Five were admitted to the first  and second groups; two to the third group.  Standards were high. Many Eagles were asked to do additional work and pitch again.

The result:

1. A high level of energy and enthusiasm, because each Eagle chose a hero who appealed to his or her calling.

2. Standards were set by Eagles and kept high.  If you hadn’t turned in first rate work, there was no shame, but you got the chance to try again.  Plus you received a great deal of encouragement and coaching.

3. Along the way, there was much work and learning around the processes for research, mind mapping, pitching and how to compete for scarce resources – all with an eye toward rigor.

4.  Eagles learned a lot about the lives of twenty four different scientific heroes, and what motivated them.

Examples of the criteria Eagles developed to judge “productive research:”

  • Quality and credibility of sources;
  • Number and variety of sources;
  • At least one serious biography selected.
  • Facts; opinions and stories.
  • Clearly organized and present with enthusiasm.
  • Tells a Hero’s Story.

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Some of the questions asked during grilling:

  1. How much time will you be able to work on this? What will you sacrifice to make room for this effort?
  2. What progress have you made so far on your Rube Goldberg device?
  3. How will your Rube Goldberg device reflect your hero’s contributions?
  4. Are you going to spend more time or less time and effort on this project than you did on the rocket project?  Do you promise?
  5. Will you spend more time and effort on your hero’s speech or your Rube Goldberg device?
  6. How much research have you done and how much more will you promise to do?

Self organizing learning; making research fun; adding a competitive edge to encourage rigor and excellence – not a bad day’s work for a Guide, especially since we didn’t do much at all.

 

 

 

We should never take this for granted….

Culture, Guides, Hero's Journey, Independent Learner, Town Hall

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Yesterday, with no outside prodding, Eagles assembled to elect a new Council.

Six candidates were nominated.  Six passionate speeches.  A close election with three winners.  A peaceful transition of power.

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Today, as the Council’s first difficult assignment, a heated debate about the qualifications needed to serve as a Clean Up Champion.  In other words, Eagles arguing for the right to work on behalf of the group.

Self governance.  No adult intervention.   We should never take this for granted, because it is a privilege to watch unfold.

Acton Eagles and Google

Apprenticeships, Culture, Hero Story, Hero's Journey

How do we prepare Acton Academy graduates to change the world?

That’s a question we’ve been pondering over Winter Break, in preparation for a Parent’s Meeting on Friday to discuss our plans for high school.

Is a prestigious college degree the answer?  Our Eagles will be armed to excel at the best colleges, and their portfolios may lift them above the teeming mass of commodity applicants, who clingto sterile GPA’s, test scores and class ranks.

But in world where too many college graduates are asking: “Would you like fries with that?,” a $300,000 diploma looks increasingly like a prestigious Ponzi scheme.

Google’s chief hiring officer, Laszlo Bock, quoted in Thomas Friedman’s Sunday New York Times column, seems to agree: “G.P.A.’s are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless. … We found that they don’t predict anything.”

For Bock, too many colleges “don’t deliver on what they promise. You generate a ton of debt, you don’t learn the most useful things for your life. It’s [just] an extended adolescence.” So the “proportion of people without any college education at Google has increased over time.”

A prestigious college degree?  Maybe it’s still a good bet, if you can afford it.   But our Eagles need a 21st century back up plan, perhaps working at a company like Google.

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So what does Google care about?  Three key attributes, beyond technical skill:

  1. General cognitive ability. The ability to make decisions in real time, with disparate and often conflicting information.  This trait has no correlation to traditional test score IQ. Think of Socratic Discussions and Quests.
  2.  Emergent leadership skills: Emergent leaders are a far cry from being President of the Chess Club.  Emergent leaders assess opportunities, assign roles and lead when necessary, but who are just as willing to listen, ask questions and relinquish power to others.  Think of Eagles running their own learning communities.
  3. Humility and ownership. The humility to learn from failure; the humility to ask questions instead of trying to be “the smartest person in the room;” the courage to own your mistakes, to get up and dust yourself off, and try again and again.   A perfect description of the Hero’s Journey.

The least important trait for Google is “expertise.”   Too many experts cling to a false sense of certainty, rather than a willingness to take on the difficult, unstructured problems that lead to breakthroughs and sustained growth.

So are our Eagles impressed that they are qualified to work at Google?  Not hardly.  As one Eagle put it: “Work at Google?  I’m planning on launching the company that destroys Google.”

Sergey and Larry, look out.  Not so long ago, Bill Gates might have wanted to interview you for a job.

Session Five: Creative Motivation and a Rube Goldberg Celebration

Culture, Guides, Hero's Journey, Journey maps, Launches, Quests, Rube Goldberg, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

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What inspired Einstein to imagine himself  straddling a beam of light?  Why did  Edison toil  night after night in his Menlo Park lab?  What led Ford to pay the highest wages in the land?

For the next five weeks our Eagles will dig deeply into what motivated the creative geniuses who changed the world through ideas, inventions and innovations.

Then on Thursday, March 27th, each Eagle will stand before an audience and deliver a four minute “Hero’s Journey” speech as a famous Creator, exploring this year’s Overarching Question: “What motivates a hero?”

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Once the speeches are finished, guests will be able to roam the studio and investigate twenty four different Rube Goldberg devices, each handmade by an Eagle to honor the contributions of their Creator, and each with a thirty second video introduction.  (If you are interested in clearing your home of unused electricity and chemistry kits, just send them to the studio and we promise not to return them!)

Finally, after a suitable build up, the first Rube Goldberg contraption will be launched, leading to twenty four sequential celebrations of creation, as one Rube Goldberg device after another is triggered.

During the session we’ll continue to forge ahead on Khan and Learning Badges while engulfed in this frenzy of scientific and economic creation.  And in Civilization, Eagles will watch college level DVD lectures on the Science of Innovation, followed each week by student designed and led Socratic Discussions.

Stay tuned for a lot of creative grit and sweat these next five weeks!

 

Welcome to the Disruptive Matrix

Culture, Exhibition, Journey maps, Quests, Rocket Olympics, Science, Trouble

Conventional wisdom suggests project based learning is the best way to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.)  Acton Academy takes this one step further, adding narrative and gamification to projects to create Quests.

Despite these high sounding goals, our recent Rocket Quest was a flop.  The experiments, videos and equations seemed too structured – a series of old style science experiments disguised in Quest clothing.  Our Eagles weren’t fooled and weren’t interested.

In our quest to make science more interesting, we’d made the journey too complicated.  we’d forgotten that science is a curiosity powered, relentless pursuit of natural truths, no gimmicks required.

So we punted, “took the red pill” and posed two open ended challenges (the “red pill” is a Matrix allusion, for those of us old and lame enough to be Guides.)

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  1. Point the nozzle of a tennis ball machine straight up and fire.  Then predict where the ball will land if the machine is positioned at 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 70 degrees from horizontal.  No equations, videos or intermediate exercises offered. No trial and error allowed.
  2. Shoot a pressurized water rocket – a two liter plastic bottle –  straight up.  Then predict where the rocket will land if launched  from 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 70 degrees. No trial and error allowed.

An added incentive is that the closer our Eagles predictions were to reality, the more Rocket Points they could can earn, which then could be used to buy larger Estes rockets for next week’s Rocket Olympics.

Most Eagles had to purchase rockets in advance, increasing pressure because they had to spend points before earning them; any deficit would have to be made up using Eagle Buckets, at an unfavorable exchange rate.

In attacking these problems, Eagles could:

  1. Use the equations of physics;
  2. Locate a projectile simulator on the internet or
  3. Pattern match parabolas.

The most dedicated teams could cross check answers from all three approaches.

Each Eagle group took a different path.  Three groups made predictions for the tennis ball machine that were remarkably close to reality; the last two closed the gap after a misfire or two.

After success with the tennis ball machine, the  water rocket  experiment should have been a breeze.  Simply apply the same equations and simulations a second time.  Lesson learned: math is a “force multiplier” because it allows you to learn something once, and apply it again and again.

Here’s where the real world intervened.   The water rocket predictions  were  50% longer than the real world tests at 45 degrees.  What had gone wrong? Guides were stumped.

The teams went back to their tracker programs, video tools that allow our young scientists to track the x-y position of a projectile at precise time intervals.  They soon discovered  that the rockets went up much faster than they came down, a discovery that made  the simple projectile formulas useless.

Lots of conjecture followed: Was it that the two liter bottles lost mass as they rose?  Did the rockets fall more slowly because they tumbled?  Eagles drew from their experiences in mini experiments, began re-watching videos and checking the assumptions in formulas.

The room was humming with hypotheses being born.  Formulas and simulators were tested with the new data.  One team re-fired the rocket without water, to see if losing water mass really was the problem.

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On an icy day when most schools had been dismissed for a snow day, our young scientists were out in the cold, firing rocket after rocket, trying desperately to squeeze in as many tests as possible.

This time the results fit with predictions!  Eureka!

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Our debrief centered on how good it felt for an experiment to succeed, and how dangerous this longing for validation was for real scientists.  As one Eagle put it: “To be true to a scientific calling, you have to care more about truth than yourself.”

So real science is about never forgetting to “take the red pill.”

Quite a lesson indeed.

 

Rats, it’s a snow day!

Culture, Parent's Meeting

Traditional schools have a difficult time with threatening weather.  As complex bureaucracies with large workforces and administrators who take responsibility for the  lives of others, traditional schools must make decisions about tomorrow’s snow and ice as as early as possible.

It’s a no-win situation. If school is cancelled and the weather turns warmer, students are thrilled to but some parents are angry.  Many teachers are delighted to be away from the daily grind.   All grumble when a make-up session is scheduled during the next holiday.

If school isn’t cancelled, and even one teacher, employee or family is involved in a wreck, school officials are criticized for not being more cautious.    The skills of the least experienced driver or the trek of the most distant family set a cautious bar for everyone.

To make matters worse, there’s great pressure to keep traditional schools open because every lesson in a factory-like curriculum must be delivered in sequence to prepared for the next standardized test.

These conflicting pressures are why you see traditional schools closed at the slightest hint of frost one week, and then kept open in dangerous conditions the next, as educrats are whipsawed by public opinion.

We’re blessed at Acton Academy that we don’t have these problems.  When bad weather threatens, we trust our families to make the decision that’s right for them.  Likewise, parents know we’re more likely to be open when other schools are shuttered, because Guides and students love to be at Acton Academy.

Families who need certainty can just assume the worst and plan to stay home.  With self paced, web enabled lessons and students who are far ahead in their learning,  Eagles easily can learn a lot at home (or even take a month off to travel to an exciting place.)

Families who have the flexibility can wait and judge the weather themselves, confident than one of our Guides will be at school, unless conditions are too treacherous for all.

It makes a big difference when parents know that Eagles and Guides want to be at school, because it’s more fun than staying home.  And that we can each trust each other to make the right decisions, instead of relying on a school bureaucrat to make our decisions for us.

 

 

 

 

Wickedly Open Ended Challenges

Culture, Exhibition, Quests, Rocket Olympics, Science, Trouble

What do our young heroes need the most in science:

  • A specialized vocabulary to discuss a technical subject clearly and intelligently;
  • The processes, formulas or equations to solve a clearly defined problem; or
  • The curiosity and tenacity to tackle a wickedly open ended question?

In a way, these three types of learning track our promises to parents:

  • Learn to know;
  • Learn to do;
  • Learn to be.

Is it better to learn about velocity, acceleration and gravity from watching skill based videos; experimenting for hours with deeply immersive simulations or learning through hands-on trial and error?

We’ve struggled to get Eagles to engage with pre-formed problems, which haven’t piqued their imaginations, even when disguised as demonstrations.

So we gave up, and in desperation posed a wickedly open ended challenge:

  1. Use a tennis ball machine to shoot a ball straight up in the air.
  2. Using only this experiment, predict how far a tennis ball will fly if the machine shoots a ball at 30, 45 and 70 degrees from the horizontal.

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Suddenly, the teams were engaged.  Some Eagles dove straight into algebra and geometry; others searched for a simulation that would help; some just kept plugging numbers into formulas hoping the answer would magically appear.

Before long, it was clear that there were three problems plaguing the teams:

  1. A failure to define the problem and goal;
  2. Not knowing how to find and use a process, framework, formula or tool to help; and
  3. Interpersonal conflicts between team members.

The most damaging of these was the failure to define the problem and goal.  For many Eagles it was fire, ready, aim.  The second biggest problem was interpersonal conflicts between team members.  A distant third was the difficulty of solving the problem, once properly defined.

Isn’t that the case in real life?  Aren’t most colossal mistakes usually a failure to recognize the real problem?  Aren’t the biggest blunders often a result of talking past each other?  How often have arguments between team members doomed a project?

So at least for now, open ended problems seem to deliver the most powerful learning.  Even if it is a frustrating and messy process for the Guides.

 

Zombie Tag Distraction

Consequences, Core Skills, Culture, Distraction, Energy and flow, Guides, Trouble

Building a self sustaining learning community is difficult.

Everyone begins with good intentions, but like entropy,intentionality  almost always moves towards disorder.  All will be diligently working, and then one bored studio-mate begins to amble about, distracting others.  Like a game of Zombie-Tag, each person who is infected infects others, and attention and work ethic quickly crumble.

How do we reverse this entropy of learning potential without becoming controlling teachers?  By clarifying rights and privileges, for Guides are allowed to insist that the covenants set by Eagles should be respected.

Eagles have the right to work individually and quietly on Core Skills, to meditate or even rest.    Soon, however, most hit a flat spot with individual work.  The going gets tough; an individual becomes tired or bored.  He or she soon seeks the company of others.

Chance social interaction is like a quick sugar high, a cheap boost of energy.  And while Eagles have the right to work hard individually or even to be bored, they do not have the right to distract others.

Middle Schoolers live for community.  In fact, the love of community is far more motivating than the love of learning.    That means that the privilege of collaborating can be used to encourage serious work.

Yet collaboration, poorly defined, becomes little more than hanging out with friends and frittering away time.  Frittering away time is not a habit for heroes who want to change the world.   So collaboration must be tightly defined as individuals, working toward a specific measurable goal, for a set period of time.  Added to this antidote to bolster intentionality are weekly SMART goals and Long Term goals that cannot be adjusted on a whim.

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we have created a new system to encourage and support these habits.

A Green Card means you have earned morning and afternoon breaks by being current with SMART goals (set and checked) and have reached your weekly Core Skills goals (reading, writing and math.)   A  Yellow Card means you have been respecting the rights of others to work without being distracted, and thus can collaborate with others if your are doing so in a SMART way.

Will this new approach work?  Likely, only for a while.  Yet it seems every step towards transparency and accountability more deeply imbeds the habits of grit and perseverance that will serve our young heroes well, and prepare them to create even more powerful systems themselves.

 

A Confession: We Made Rocket Fuel Boring

Quests, Rocket Olympics, Trouble

Here’s a confession: Acton Guides made science boring this week.  Even more difficult to believe, we made investigating rocket fuel boring.  That should be next to impossible.

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Don’t let the picture above fool you.  Yes, there was more energy around the rocket fuel challenge today, but not as much as their should have been.

How did we blunder so?

  • We thought about which science topics were important.
  • Then we designed experiments.
  • Then we added videos and math.
  • Because we were afraid the challenge might not be exciting enough, we tried to correct with extrinsic rewards.

Wrong; wrong; wrong.

Science requires two key ingredients: curiosity and rigorously applying the scientific method.  If you have a burning question that deeply motivates you, the tediousness of the scientific process isn’t a burden.

This brings up a more fundamental law of Acton Quest creation:

Curiosity + Relevance + Fun + Group Interaction  >>> (must be far greater than) the difficulty of the process to learn and apply.

Boiling this into steps:

  1. Find out what raises a burning question in the minds of the Eagles;
  2. Make sure it matters to future heroes who will change the world.
  3. Raise the energy level by encouraging collaboration.

The more difficult or complex the process to be learned, the more energy you need from Curiosity + Relevance + Fun + Group Interaction.  (Note – be sure to remove as much confusion and as many technical frustrations  – like computer programs that won’t load – as possible.)

If a process is technical or complex, break it into parts, or be sure you have a particularly compelling exhibition at the end.

We’ll start correcting course next week, starting with asking Eagles: “What are curious about in the world?”

That’s where we should have started.  Why do Guides have to learn the same lessons, again and again?

What’s the impact of “Bell Lab level” intentionality?

Culture, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Guides, Quests, Rocket Olympics, Science

Discoveries, inventions and innovations from Bell Labs shaped the modern world.

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Today a test of scientific intentionality: Eagles were asked to imagine that the cameras in the studio were turned on, and that scientists from Bell Labs were watching.  Could we achieve a “Bell level” of intentionality all afternoon?  If so, how much more work could be accomplished than on an average day?

Those who didn’t want to take the challenge were asked to work outside, in silent Core Skills.

By the end of the day, a survey was taken.  Eagles believed they accomplished 50% more work than on a normal day.

What’s the cumulative value of a 50% increase in output, if each day of learning builds on the last?  In a week you would have learned 17.5 times as much.

Surely overstated, but consider for a moment people who are committed to a cause.  Don’t they get far more done than the average person?

Grit, perseverance and intentionality trump IQ, every time.  Just one of the many reasons the Hero’s Journey is so important – especially for world changing scientists.

“Best Work” in Science

Culture, Energy and flow, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Quests, Rocket Olympics, Science, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

What does it mean to do your “best work” in science?

Is it diligently repeating ancient experiments?  Carefully watching a few simple demonstrations?  Neat and tidy documentation? Or simply open ended inquiries?

Which is more likely to spark a love of discovery?   Which will develop the grit and perseverance required of world changing scientists? Which will better prepare Heroes for the 21st century?

Here’s a page from one of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks:

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Here’s a collection of our Eagles scientific output, as they struggle to document their findings in hands-on experiments involving gravity and projectiles.  Is this a mess or an example of genius at work?

Today we discussed the criteria for best scientific work, by comparing the output from the Eagles with da Vinci’s work.  The Eagles’ criteria for “best work” in science:

  • Curiosity: The question must be interesting.
  • Clarity: Ten out of ten people must be able to understand the results.
  • Beauty: The notes should be organized and presented in a visually pleasing way.

So what do you believe defines “best work” in science?  An interesting question.

Calling Google, Amazon and Apple

Core Skills, Culture, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Math, Quests, Science, Scientific Creators Inventors and Innovators

Eagles seeking an apprenticeship with  Google , Amazon or Apple likely will be given a difficult, open ended problem, like: “How many cows are in Canada?”

It’s not the answer that matters, but the quality of the thinking.

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On Friday Eagles were challenged with a difficult physics problem.  If given the experimental set up above, and d2 (the distance of the cup), can you solve for h1, the height from which to drop the ball?

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No trial and error experiments were allowed.  No equations or cookbook theories were offered. Eagles had only four tries at three different d2 distances, and each try was expensive (25 pts) relative to the payoff (100 pts.)

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All week we worked on physics experiments that involved Newton’s Laws of Motion, the Four Fundamental Forces and the Scientific Method.  Careful observation and a lot of thought might have led one college student out of a hundred to the right approach for Friday’s competition, and an equation to solve this problem, using theory alone.

Can you solve it? (Hint – consider horizontal velocity and gravity separately.)

No Eagle came up with the perfect solution.  But many theories were proposed and tested.  Lots of frustration. Human error turned out to be important. So did working effectively as a team.  Two teams came close enough that their theories helped predict h1 during the competition.

In other words, our Eagles learned a lot about how science really works, not how it works in textbook experiments.  When you become a hero charged with launching real rockets, in the real world, this distinction will make all the difference.

Who knows, it might even land an apprenticeship with a private space entrepreneur like Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson or Elon Musk.

Welcome back Ellie!

Culture

One of the advantages of a 21st Century education is that once the learning community is formed and solidified, you can stay in touch with studio-mates and work from anywhere in the world.

Two of our Eagles have been on an around the world adventure for the last six months, working on Khan and journaling from the road and occasionally dropping in for a discussion via Skype.

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Today, Ellie returned, to cheers and hugs all around.

Welcome back Ellie – we missed you!

 

 

Feliz Eagle Bucks

Celebration, Culture, Eagle Buck-Pts

Having a classmate ask for an Eagle Buck is a great way to remind a studio-mate to  follow through on his or her commitments in the Contract of Promises.  In fact, just as in the real economy, it’s difficult to imagine how civil society can function without a currency of some sort.

From time to time, however, excess of Eagle Bucks can build up in the system.  If there are too many bucks in circulation, they lose their value, and intentionality suffers.

Today Eagles were given the choice to redeem Eagle Bucks for: (1) sports equipment for the class; (2) a cookie party or(3) donating to the less fortunate.

Thanks to the generosity of the Eagles and the ingenuity of Oxfam America, two chickens, two goats, a sheep and assorted water cans are now on their way to less fortunate families in Africa.

What a great way to spend excess Eagle Buck liquidity.

The Keys to the City States

Collaboration, Consequences, Culture, Town Hall

Today, inspired by the Eagles, we embark on a new governance experiment.

The Council has appointed six mayors, each with jurisdiction over a geographic area of the class.

Mayors must enforce the general rules of the studio, including: “No horseplay or running;” “ No noise or behavior that distracts from intentionality in other areas” and “No snarkiness towards people in other areas.”

Any additional rules and consequences must be posted and mayors have the right to ask serial offenders to move to a territory.  A neighboring Mayor or Council Member may ask a Mayor for an Eagle Buck if the behavior of his or her citizens negatively impacts others.

Mayors serve at the pleasure of the Council, and may be asked to resign at any time, for any reason.  Of course, Council Members are subject to recall too.

In Civilization we are finishing our sequence on 19th century America, including the Civil War and Reconstruction.  Today we placed the Eagles in the shoes of President Andrew Johnson, and asked what they would have done to bring reluctant Southern States back into the fold, while protecting the rights of minorities.

Now Eagles get to put their ideas into action.  Will more lenient Mayors attract a larger number of citizens or will a lack of intentionality lead to a collapse of an entire district?

Let the experiment begin.

Lord of the Flies Returns

Consequences, Culture, Distraction, Energy and flow, Guides, Trouble

Today was complete chaos in the studio; Lord of the Flies; a lack of intentionality.

It was cold and wet Eagles couldn’t burn off energy outside. We were coming off the difficult American Revolution experience; Colonists had lost and there was lots of “bad energy” in the classroom. Even worse, a group had earned the right to another “roll of the Revolutionary Die” by doing extra work, and had lost a second time.  Emotions were  high, the Eagles on edge.

On Eagle failed to turn in an assignment on time and a Council member intervened on her behalf, pleading for leniency because of a computer glitch.  Several Eagles protested that an exception would be lowering the standards; the vote was close to protect the standards.

The Intentionality Champion tried to reign in the Eagles but was ignored, partly because he equivocated and rambled.  The studio become noisier and more chaotic.  One Guide stepped over the line by refusing to show a visitor around the studio, because the chaos was embarrassing.

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Then something miraculous happened.  The Eagles began to self-reorganize.  A new curtain was used to separate the room (one Eagle compared it to the Berlin wall.)  Eagles, having found during the Revolutionary War that desks separated from each other seemed to lead to more intentionality.  Individuals began moving desks into private clusters.

Eagles got back to work; the noise level dropped to a whisper.  One group later requested to be allowed to leave for the High School to establish an even more intentional space.

The lessons? Almost too many to count:

  1. Hard cases make for bad law.  An unfair case, especially one that makes you want to bend the rules as a leader, can lead to a conflict between Justice (treat everyone the same) and Virtue (do what is right). A real world example of the Moral Frameworks we discussed last week.
  2. Leaders must be clear, tough and uncompromising; but this is hard to do when you have to make rulings about your friends.
  3. State’s Rights versus Federal Rights.  Exactly what we have saw in the Civil War.  Having small groups experiment leads to new discoveries, but risks fraying the principles that hold our Eagles together.
  4. Above all, self rule by the Eagles may be the most important learning experience of all, if a Guide can ask the questions that lead to deeper lessons.

What should a Guide do?  This is where being a Guide becomes an art.

  1. Praise in private.  Praise the leaders who took tough stands. Applaud their courage in holding the line. Encourage them to step up even more.
  2. Constructively criticize to unveil the principles at stake in private.  The Eagle who wanted to bend the rules for a friend needs to understand where this could head.  The Eagle Champion who equivocated and rambled needs to understand how this affects his power.
  3. Encourage Eagles to return to their frameworks and contracts when in doubt.  Appeal to identity.
  4. Set forth the historical examples above, and ask Eagles to describe the parallels in the studio.  But don’t push too hard.  Ask questions that demand difficult choices; don’t give answers.
  5. Point out the power – and the danger – of separate communities.  Encourage Eagles to protect the individual rights of the group without diluting the principles that make them a powerful learning community.

Tomorrow should be a day of deep discovery.  Because being willing to endure chaos led to even more self rule, which will lead to more powerful revelations that a Hero can use. The Eagles earned their lessons.

“Sire, the colonists are revolting.”

American Revolution, Collaboration, Consequences, Covenants, Culture, Hero Story, Hero's Journey, Quests

Today, the revolutionary plot thickened.

One by one, edicts restricting educational freedom arrived from King George III.

Edict One:  On hearing the Royal Buzzer, subjects must assemble within one minute.

Edict Two:   Before breaks in the schedule, line up in order of height and sing “God save the King.”

Edict Three:  One Khan Academy skill must be mastered per day – from home — or a tax of one Eagle Buck must be paid.

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Each Eagle did deep research on three eighteenth century American colonists: two Patriots and one Loyalist. Then choosing to stand in the shoes of one of these revolutionary leaders, wrote a petition to the King, asking for the edicts to stop.   Some letters were respectful; others threatening; all were critiqued by the group and the most historically accurate and powerful letters chosen to post.

Soon the class learned that they could pass an Educational Declaration of Independence by a two thirds vote.  But declaring such a revolution would lead to the rolling of a six sided die:  a roll of a 1 or 2 and the revolution would succeed and all educational freedoms would be restored; a more likely 3, 4, 5 or 6 and the revolution would fail.  If the revolution failed, a second die would determine whether a onerous set of penalties would be imposed by the King for as short as three weeks or as long as seven month.

The Eagles were in a bind; just like the American colonists of 1776.  Yet the edicts kept coming.

Edict Four required Eagles to remain silently seated at a their desks.

Edict Five asked Eagles to raise a hand to ask permission from a Guide for even the most trivial request.

Edict Six meant a one Eagle Buck tax on lunch.

The usually light atmosphere became oppressive.  The furious colonists began to fight amongst themselves, suggesting traitors in their midst (some did try to sell out to the King, asking for special treatment.)

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Some Eagles put on war paint to prepare their own Tea Party.

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Revolutionary committees formed and emotional speeches rang out.

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Eventually six delegates were elected to the Continental Congress;  some intent on war; others recommending careful negotiation.  All hid their identities when a representative of the King appeared, fearing retribution from the monarch.

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The day ended with no resolution and more edicts expected tomorrow – perhaps even a revolution and a fateful roll of the die – especially given this final silent Mocking-jay protest against tyranny (you have to have seen The Hunger Games to get this one!)

 

The Wisdom of Councils Past

Culture, Town Hall

Our Eagles are becoming quite good at governing themselves, and even passing on institutional knowledge, the glue of history that makes sure we don’t have to constantly reinvent wisdom.

Below is our past Council’s advice to the incoming Council.  Our public servants in Austin and Washington D.C. certainly could learn a few things from our Eagles:

 

Biggest lessons learned:

You can’t always make everyone happy and you can’t just make the popular decision. You have to make the decision that is best for the class.

I learned that being a good leader takes a lot of time and work.

The council this year is ten times harder than last year.

What I’d do differently:

 I would stand out as a leader more and make sure that I was heard.

I will try to address problems as soon as they come up.

Praise more people.

Advice for new council:

 Don’t always make the “popular” decision even if it’s what people want.

Don’t waste your time. If one person is complaining about something stupid, don’t spend 30 minutes of talking to work it out. Just say, “We have made our decision about this and that’s final.”

Don’t get hot-headed.

You can’t make everyone happy so do what’s best for the class.

Have a specific agenda for Town Hall Meetings, and whatever you do, do not “open a topic for discussion.” You will eventually have to end it after it has crunched half your time and you’ve gained nothing, and then everyone will be mad, because they’d be perfectly fine with discussing all day, even if we never came to a conclusion.

Always have meetings for every subject.

Sometimes setting an example is better than speaking directly to someone. Monkey see, monkey do.

Keep appeals short. Listen to both sides of the story (from the people who were actually involved, NOT random onlookers,) make a ruling, and let them know that that’s final. If they keep bugging you, ask them for an Eagle Buck.

Never talk during town meetings unless specifying something.

What’s a parent to do? Part III

Culture, Parent's Meeting

How can a parent learn more about his or her Eagle?

Acton’s Head of School Laura Sandefer reminds us it’s really all about asking the right questions:

Car Talk – Questions that Work

The drive home and the chat around the dinner table are precious moments in life. What can seem like routine daily life can be transformed into “aha” moments of learning about each other. It’s all in how we ask the questions. Below are just a few questions that help move us parents off the, “How was your day?” rock and into a more stream-of-consciousness flow of learning about each other:

  • On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being “worst day ever” and 10 being “most awesome day!”) how would you rate today at school?  What would have made it better? What would you have changed if you could?
  • When did you have the most energy today? During a group time or during individual work time?
  •  What was your high today? What was your low?
  •  Are you more comfortable asking another Eagle for help or a Guide for help when you need it?
  •  Did you serve as a Guide to someone else today?
  • What core skills work did you do today? Do you feel you did your best work?
  • Play the “Two truths and a Lie” game: Each person shares three things that they did today. Two statements are true and one is a lie. The others have to guess which is a lie.

Each question can be followed up with: “Tell me more!” or “Why do you think that?” Have fun and feel free to share questions that are your favorites for getting your Eagles to talk about their day.

What’s a parent to do? Part II

Core Skills, Culture, Parent's Meeting, Smart Goals

Your Eagle won’t tell you much about school.

But you want to make sure he’s keeping up.  You’ve learned to log into Khan Academy, No Red Ink, Newsela and other internet based programs, but what else can you do?

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Here’s an idea: Review your Eagle’s SMART goals every week.

SMART goals – Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Results oriented and Time-bound goals are a deeply imbedded part of our learning community.  Eagles set these goals each Monday, along with their Running Partner, and tally up the points earned at the end of the week.

Use the tracker to ask deeper, more specific questions – about books read; Khan skills mastered and progress on Quests.  The number of points scored or goals achieved in any one week aren’t important – but setting and reaching goals is an important lifelong habit for heroes who want to change the world.

Plus, you can add even more by sifting through several weeks worth of SMART goals, and helping your Eagle spot longer term areas of interest and skills.

In many ways, SMART goals over a long period of time deliver two of the most gifts we can give as parents: solid process skills and perspective.

Profound Happenings

Culture, Entrepreneurship, Quests

Progress is messy. Noisy. Full of angst.

Often you wonder if lessons about pricing; rapid prototyping; and haggling are getting through. Then you have a day of profound happenings.

Today’s Friday Adventure requires finding the most efficient and effective production process for making sandwiches for the homeless; applying lessons learned  from MBA level challenges in Pampered Pooches and Galactic Zappers.

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Those who have earned the adventure are split into two teams and armed with $30 for supplies: one team assigned to Costco; the other to Whole Foods.

The goal: Build as many “excellent sandwiches” as possible, at the lowest possible cost per sandwich.

Immediately a question: “Can we haggle to reduce the cost?”  Eagles find a way to use last week’s hard earned skill again.  A great start.

A list of ingredients.  Estimates of amounts needed for each ingredient and the expected cost per sandwich. We are ready.

Overheard on the way to Whole Foods:”At Acton we work hard all week on an impossible set of tasks, to earn the right to do something even harder where we learn even more.  But that’s OK, because  it’s so fun you can’t wait to get started.”

A profound lesson about motivation.

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Eagles split into teams in the stores.  Every minute counts because labor costs are $1 per hour, per person.  One team hasn’t planned as well and has to start over. Precious time is wasted.

We return to the studio.  The first task is for one Eagle to make sandwiches by hand.   Five sandwiches take a little over seven minutes, requiring 2.5 cents per sandwich in labor.

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Next Eagles are assigned a role in an assembly line, still paid by the hour.  Five sandwiches take one minute and forty seconds.  A much faster cycle time, but with six on a team, a cost of 3.3 cents per sandwich in labor.

Management theory is wrong.  An assembly line is not more efficient than artisan labor.

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Then one more test.  We pay Eagles by the sandwich instead of by the hour.  Workers are given the right to self organize.  Productivity doubles and the labor cost per sandwich plummets.

Lessons begin to tumble out:

“It’s better to work alone than in an assembly line, if a boss makes the assignments.”

“But if you pay people for completing a task and let each person do what they do best, working as a team is more efficient and more fun.” A profound truth; one of the bedrock lessons of entrepreneurship and a civil society.

One Eagle observes: “If you see a bottleneck, you can assign two people to relieve it.”

Another disagrees: “It’s cheaper to just add WIP in front of a station.”  (Adding Work-in-Process inventory is an insight most Harvard Business school graduates would have missed.)

A third Eagle adds: “If you put WIP in the middle of the table where everyone can use it, the process moves even faster.”

This is an  intuitive leap into cell manufacturing and the Toyota Method – never mentioned in the readings but discovered through trial and error by a twelve year old. It might have saved Detroit but eluded American auto executives for decades.

Much math is done on the board, in search of Unit Economics.  The Costco team is declared the winner, with lower cost ingredients and far higher output.  Then a voice from the crowd: “We have to inspect quality.”

Another agrees: “We can’t ask the homeless to eat anything we wouldn’t eat ourselves, just because they don’t have a choice.”

Half of the Costco sandwiches fail inspection; most Whole Foods sandwiches pass.  The Unit Economic results are reversed – the Whole Foods team has won.

One last insight: “Increasing volume doesn’t count if you can’t keep quality high too.”

Profound insights.  Lessons for a lifetime, deeply imbedded by authentic discovery. Plus forty homeless in Austin who won’t go to bed hungry tonight.

What’s a parent to do? Part I

Collaboration, Consequences, Covenants, Culture, Parent's Meeting

It’s often hard to be an Eagle Parent.  Your child won’t tell you much about school. You hate to press.  And yet, you want to know whether or not your Eagle is making progress.

What to do?  Here’s one idea: Use the Contract of Promises (shown below) to ask your Eagle if her Running Partner and classmates would agree that she is living up to her promises.

Press for specific, positive examples and explore ways to improve.  Ask your Eagle to “force rank” which three promises she is doing her “best work” which three she needs to “try something different.”

     Acton Middle School

Contract of Promises

 As an Acton Eagle, I promise to:

  •  Relentlessly pursue my “next adventure,” so I can find my own special purpose for being on this earth.
  • Always do my best work.
  • I promise to hold my classmates accountable and help them on the path to success.
  • Learn from my failures and never give up.
  • Respect others, their choices, differences, and beliefs.
  • Never accept snarkiness, poor sportsmanship, or bullying of any kind.
  • Never give up on myself or my fellow travelers.
  • I further promise to learn something new every day as I gather the tools I will need for later in life.
  • To be positive.  To be curious.  To keep an open mind. To have fun and find joy in daily activities.
  • To be honest and speak the truth, even when it is difficult.
  • To have the courage to be different.
  • To be respectful and treat others how I want to be treated.
  • And to follow through on my promises. EVERY TIME.

I hereby solemnly pledge to uphold these promises.

Signed, this 13th day of September, 2013.

At Acton, the choice of work and pace often are left up to the individual Eagle.  But keeping one’s promises is a non-negotiable part of the learning community.

War or Peace?

Collaboration, Consequences, Covenants, Culture, Hero's Journey, Independent Learner

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Do not let the smiles fool you.

Consider Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt at Yalta.

Picture Khrushchev and Kennedy nose to nose over Cuba.

Imagine Serbs and Croats at a backyard gathering in 1990.

Pure power politics, as the duly elected members of the Middle School Council and Elementary School Council meet to discuss an agreement over joint usage of the play fields.

But consider this.  No adult was consulted.  The Council members contacted each other to set up the parley.  Then they peacefully negotiated a settlement to take back to their respective tribes for ratification.

Today the play fields; tomorrow the Middle East.

Critiquing a Bestselling Book

Core Skills, Critiques, Culture, Writing

Today was our first major peer critique of the bestselling book project.

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Eagles have brainstormed ideas; chosen a topic and finished (most of) a rough draft. Next comes the hard part, revision, where main points must be clarified, ordered, deleted and supplemented.

Revision is the most difficult part of writing, more like major surgery as opposed to the finer shaping and tucking that occurs while editing.

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If you a Guide, now is when your palms get sweaty.  Have we asked too much?  After all, it’s crazy to expect middle schoolers to write, produce and sell a book in an eight week period. Right?

Today the Eagles formed into three to four student critique groups.  Each was asked to force rank each rough draft based on the following criteria:

  1. Main point: The main point or question of the book is crystal clear and stated in the introduction.
  2. Chapters: Each main point or question clearly and seriously contributes to the overall  main point.
  3. The order of the chapters makes sense.
  4. There are enough facts, quotes and stories to back up the main points in each chapter.
  5. The perspective (first, second or third person); tense (past, present, future, other) and mood are consistent.
  6. The introduction: immediately engages me; makes the audience and main point or question clear by making a promise and describes the journey we will go on together (the main points.)  The conclusion restates the main point or question; describes the journey we have gone on (main points) and makes a persuasive case that the promise has been fulfilled.

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Some books were surprisingly bad. No central point. Little organization. Evidence of wholesale “cutting and pasting.” (This brought forth a spirited discussion about plagiarism.)

These will improve.

Other books were surprisingly good. Original. Witty.  In need of work, but with some revisions and refining, viable projects.

How will all of this end?  That’s a very good question.

Eagle Buddies and the Power of Feedback

Collaboration, Critiques, Culture, Guides

Each middle schooler who has earned an Independent Learner badge has can serve as an Eagle Buddy, guiding a team of elementary school Eagles in setting and delivering on their weekly SMART goals.

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Being an Eagle Buddy is an honor, it must be earned.

Each Eagle Buddy leader has negotiated a relational covenant with his or her group, setting forth clear expectations and consequences.  This covenant was signed with great ceremony.

If an elementary school Eagle is not keeping his or her part of the bargain, the Eagle may be asked to leave the group.

Every week, the elementary Eagles rate the effectiveness of their Eagle Buddy leader, using Survey Monkey to provide feedback.  One low score means probation for the leader; the second low score means the leader must resign.

A worthy task. Serious promises.  Clear feedback loops. Reasonable consequences, quickly enforced.

We’re well on the way to equipping and inspiring Eagles to run the school.

 

 

A 360 Review: Is my self-image aligned with how others see me?

Consequences, Covenants, Critiques, Culture, Distraction, Feedback, Guides, Trouble

Last week we experimented with 360 reviews, a community building tool used at some of America’s top companies, like Apple and Google.

First, each Eagle was given the survey below and asked to rate every classmate’s Tough- mindedness (a measure of how they hold themselves and others accountable) and Warmheartedness (a measure of how encouraging they are to others) on a 1 (low) to 5 (high) score.

The purpose of this survey is to provide anonymous feedback to your fellow Eagles to help them become more “tough minded without being hardhearted” Level 5 Leaders.

 Below you will be asked to rate each of your classmates on their “tough mindedness” and “warmheartedness,” each on a 1-5 scale.

Level Five Leaders are toughminded and warmhearted. They are encouraging,  draw boundaries, set consequences  and keep promises to themselves and others, while remaining cheerful and friendly.

Policeman hold firm boundaries but tend to focus on criticizing mistakes and individuals rather than praising behavior and progress.

Pushovers praise often but are afraid to hold people accountable; because of a lack of courage they do not help their friends grow.

Snarks make the poorest choices of all.  They criticize and tear people down AND fail to hold themselves and others accountable.”

We collected the surveys, then summarized and plotted  results on a 2×2 matrix (low to high Tough-mindedness versus low to high Warmheartedness)  and made the output  anonymous by substituting a number for each Eagle’s name.

Each Eagle then was asked to (silently) assess and write down where they thought their classmates had ranked them, before each learned his or her actual position on the graph (results were privately distributed to avoid any embarrassment.)

In most cases, Eagles accurately assessed where they would be ranked.  Those in the lowest quadrant were the most accurate, while those in the higher quadrants tended to be more modest about their studio-mates’ opinions.

The effects on motivation?  We don’t know yet.  But at least each Eagle now has areas where they can improve, and a clearer sense of how their classmates view their contributions.

What is a Friday Adventure?

Celebration, Collaboration, Consequences, Core Skills, Culture, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Exhibition, Feedback, Guides, Quests

Friday Adventures are special events tied to the weekly Quests.  For example, last week’s Friday adventure was to go to the Bookpeople bookstore, and do rapid prototyping research to see how Eagles could improve the cover, title or organization of their Bestselling Books.

While Eagles may love the “adventure” – being able to go somewhere with their studio-mates, each outing also delivers a serious entrepreneurial lesson.

In order to qualify for a Friday adventure, you must self certify that you have completed the  fundamental challenges from the weekly Challenge Envelope, and delivered your “best work.”  If you miss earning a Friday adventure, the outings can be completed later with a classmate or friend – you just miss out on the fun of going with the group.

What is this week’s adventure?  We can’t tell you, because this week’s Friday Adventure won’t be announced until later this morning, adding more intrigue and (hopefully) motivation.

One hint: It will involve the question: “Is that the best you can do?”

Stay tuned.

Freedom and Accountability Part II

Collaboration, Consequences, Core Skills, Covenants, Critiques, Culture, Eagle Buck-Pts, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Feedback, Guides, Quests

James Madison wrote in Federalist 51: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

Our middle schoolers are no angels, at least not all the time.  But they are an impressive group of young men and women, learning to govern each other with a grace and dignity that few adults could match.

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Today we had a model Town Hall meeting: the choices well framed; each welcomed to speak; the rules of engagement enforced.

Starting next week, we’ll experiment with another self-accountability experiment, and see how it affects motivation.

First each Eagle will certify which weekly challenges from he or she has completed.  Then the Council randomly will draw one computerized deliverable (like Khan Academy) and another non-computerized deliverable (like a journal entry.) Each Eagle will be asked to publicly post his or her results for these deliverables and self rank whether the contribution was in the lower, middle or bottom part of the class.

There is no penalty for choosing not to complete a challenge, except the loss of points towards Eagle Bucks, and possibly missing the weekly adventure, if that specific deliverable was required to qualify.

The penalty for certifying you have completed a deliverable and done “your best work” if it’s obvious you haven’t, will be being sent home, no questions asked, since this is a serious violation of the community honor code.

Next week we elect a new Council, as other Eagles earn a chance to lead.  This Council will be missed.

Self-Reporting and Accountability

Collaboration, Consequences, Core Skills, Covenants, Critiques, Culture, Eagle Buck-Pts, Excellence-Best You Can Do, Guides, Smart Goals

We trust our Eagles to report whether or not they have completed a challenge and done their “best work.”  Human beings, however, are fallible, especially when given too much to do, in too little time, with special adventures being offered for delivering everything on time.

Last week we decided to focus on the importance of self reporting, and accidentally created a firestorm of confusion.

We paid special attention last week to self reporting in Socratic discussions, stressing the importance of reporting accurately and turning in “the best work you can do.”  On Friday, when it came time to qualify for this week’s special adventure, we read the checklist of deliverables item by item, asking Eagles to sit if they had missed an item.  Many Eagles sat down, acknowledging that they hadn’t completed one task or another, understandable, given the workload they’ve been under.  By the end, fifteen or so Eagles had certified that they had completed all the items.

Afterwards, a Guide checked the No Red Ink program and noticed that five of those who reported they had scored a 90 or above on this week’s quiz had not achieved this goal, according to the program’s dashboard.

A Council meeting was called, and the Council agreed that the misreporting was serious enough that the five Eagles would be asked to remain home on Monday, and decided to inform each privately to avoid embarrassment.

After the Eagles were informed, one Eagle showed one Guide a screen shot that showed he/she had scored a 100 and the dashboard had not accurately captured his/her score.  Another Eagle swore that he/she had finished with a 90, but the dashboard showed otherwise.  A third Eagle claimed to have accidentally done the wrong test and the dashboard confirmed that the Eagle had scored a 100, but on the wrong quiz.   The last two Eagles, as far as we know, did not lodge an immediate appeal.  Later, one would report that he/she had scored a 90.

At this point, with only a few minutes before Friday’s field trip adventure would begin, there was mass confusion.  It is important to note that there were several categories of errors: (1) An apparent technical glitch in the program; (2) A possible error in submitting a final score, either by the program or an Eagle not hitting “submit;” (3) An Eagle who had done the wrong test but accurately reported his/her score;  (4) An Eagle who reported a 90 but had no independent verification; and (5) One Eagle who said he/she just failed to listen/read carefully enough.

Which of these were “the dog ate my homework” errors; which were forgivable and which were more serious lapses?

Because of all the confusion and ambiguity, the Council voted over the weekend that all Eagles will be invited back to campus on Monday, and this incident will be put behind us.

Further investigation this weekend suggests that while some Eagles may have been genuinely confused, the computer program appears likely to have been accurately reporting scores all along, and that there is a high likelihood that several of the Eagles did not score a 90 or above.

As you can imagine, still lots of confusion and some hard feelings, which we will sort out this week, being careful to separate the personal issues from the governance issues and to prevent long term hard feelings or factions. Those with a personal issue with another Eagle will be encouraged to address the person openly and directly with a facilitated process, either in private or publicly.   Governance issues and strengthening due process in the studio will be addressed in a Town Hall meeting.

As parents, we’ve learned at Acton to listen empathetically; equip our Eagles with the right words, and then send them back into the fray to sort things out for themselves.  It’s hard to do, but the best way to learn to cope and stay healthy in the real world, in high pressure situations.

Human communities are messy, but the Eagles (and Guides) are learning lots of important lessons, especially about self governance in an Eagle led learning community.