Discovery, Debates, and DreamBox: Heroes Test Their Promises (Sep 22–26)
Highlights
This week brought both joyful community moments and bittersweet goodbyes.
We hosted our very first Parent Coffee—a chance for families to meet one another, share conversation, and see learners in their studio environment. While parents are welcome to visit anytime with 24 hours’ notice, this was our first scheduled gathering designed to bring families together.
We said a “see you later” to one of our learners, sending them off with warm wishes from the community.
Learners voted on and have decided to have D.E.A.R. as a dedicated time every day, including on outdoor education days. A few learners chose to read outside this week.
The latest in educational technology for self-paced mastery in reading, writing, and math
One learner discovered that the Chromebooks have a built-in stylus. Their excitement spread quickly as they shared the discovery, sparking experimentation across the studio.
Learners were also onboarded to DreamBox, adding another tool to support personalized progress in math.
Hands-on, project-based Quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world
Learners screened Lip Dub entries from other Actons, preparing to cast their votes for a winner. They applied the rubric, carefully evaluating choreography, camera work, costumes, props, and lip-syncing. There were reflections throughout the week on what this group would like to keep the same and what they'd like to change for their entry for next year's challenge.
The “Contract Game” continued, with heroes testing promises like “treating the studio like a sacred space.” Learners drew from real examples of studio life, deciding together whether promises should move into the permanent contract, into the laboratory for more testing, or into the recycling bin.
Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems
When one learner strongly opposed passing a promise, the group wrestled with the challenge of voting systems—majority rule versus consensus—and the trade-offs of each. In the end, the promise passed with a two-thirds vote, and the group gained deeper insight into how communities govern themselves.
We introduced Running Teams: small accountability groups for SMART goals. Heroes began by tackling the hula hoop and human knot challenges, setting the stage for building trust and responsibility.
Deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history, and self-governance to hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write, and speak
Trust Walk Challenge: exploring when to rely on others to keep us on course, and when we are responsible for guiding others.
Seeds of Potential: reflecting on inner talents, what it takes to nurture them, and how peers can support one another in growth.
Terry Fox: heroes explored what motivates a hero to be part of a tribe, and debated whether it’s harder to begin working toward a dream or to keep it alive after its starter is gone.
Excellence: debating whether excellence is born of talent or practice, and what role effort plays in achieving it.
The Monster of Distraction: naming the voices that pull us off our Hero’s Journey and brainstorming growth mindset phrases to counter them.
Town Hall (Friday): heroes discussed plans to enter the Almonte Children’s Fair, requested sturdier fidgets, and proposed times to reset mentally—or even reset the studio itself.
Reflection Time: learners examined the purpose of reflection, raising the idea of preparing with sit spots and fidgets to help settle both mind and body before coming together.
Memorable quotes from learners this week
“Don’t eat your seeds of potential.”
“I love doing stuff when people don’t ask me.”
“Do you want to come and sit next to me so that I can help you?”
“You’re not supposed to do that during Core Skills, can you maybe find something else to do that doesn’t distract other people.”
“Learning is a process, you have to do it in parts.”
