Growth Studio

Ages 7 - 9

Foster the Joy of Growth

The Growth Studio is a place of wonder and development, where learners build foundational skills in a nurturing environment. Through hands-on projects, Socratic discussions, and discovery-based Quests, they cultivate independence and a love of learning to guide their educational journey.

“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”
— Maria Montessori

How is Acton Academy different?

TRADITIONAL APPROACH
ACTON ACADEMY APPROACH
Learn to Know
Quizzes, Tests, Memorization
Beyond Textbooks
Learn to Learn, Learn to Do, Learn to Be
Grouped by age
Mixed-age Studio
Growth Mindset environment
Rows of Desks
Freedom to move around
Movement fosters thought, creativity
Excessive homework
No homework
Forced homework = loss of joy for learning
Teacher-Led Lectures
Socratic Questions
Fosters critical thinking
One-size-fits-all curriculum
Personalized Education
Self-Paced Learning
Teacher is authority
Learner-Driven Environment
Student contracts, Peer-to-Peer Learning
Grades, Report Cards
Mastery-Based Learning
Individual SMART Goals, Focus on Mastery
“Creativity becomes more visible when adults try to be more attentive to the cognitive processes of children than to the results they achieve in various fields of doing and understanding.”
— Loris Malaguzzi (Founder of the Reggio Emilia approach)

HOW TO GET STARTED

MONTESSORI + REGGIO EMILIA + SOCRATES

LEARN TO LEARN

Socratic Discussions and self-paced core skills challenges equip children to be independent lifelong critical learners.

LEARN TO DO

Hands-on Projects for Science, Entrepreneurship and the Arts prepare children for Apprenticeships and real world challenges.

LEARN TO BE

Learners discuss and celebrate character traits—such as hard work, growth mindset, integrity, persistence, kindness, and gratitude.

“The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education”
— Rudolf Steiner (Founder of the Waldorf approach)

Real Life Skills for a 21st Century Education

PERSONAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

  • The latest in educational technology for self paced mastery of reading, writing and math skills.

  • Deep Socratic discussions hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write and speak.

  • Hands-on project based Projects to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.

  • Focus on the 4 Cs: Communication skills, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity

“I’ve visited and studied hundreds of innovative models of schooling over the past decade, and Acton continues to be one of the most promising models…. Acton is a truly inspiring and exceptional school.”
— Bernard Bull

Cultivating Executive Functioning Skills

  • Students create and sign a Contract of Promises describing community norms.

  • Teams encourage younger / older students to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable.

  • Teams use Agile Project Management to break down tasks to complete larger projects

  • Executive Functioning Skills include time management, teamwork, collaboration, communication, delegation, design, organization, and planning to bring together a project to completion.

“The way kids learn to make good decisions is by making decisions, not following directions.”
— Alfie Kohn

MASTERY vs. GRADES

badges.jpg

Learners work at their own pace to achieve mastery in the core skills of reading, grammar, and math rather than to earn grades or pass tests. This personalized approach to learning allows them to zoom past topics they quickly grasp and to be more deliberate in other topics.

  1. Core skill and character development badges.

  2. Electronic and hard copy portfolios capture rough drafts, photos, video and other creative work.

  3. Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present work to experts, customers or the public for a real world test.

“Personalized learning is not what is done to the learner or about tailoring the learning. It is about helping each learner to identify and develop the skills they need to support and enhance their own learning so that agency and self-advocacy can be realized.”
— Kathleen McClaskey

INSTAGRAM GALLERY

Montessori understood that children can spell words long before mastering the fine motor skills for writing. In our studio, the Moveable Alphabet is a favorite tool! ✨ With its tangible letters, children build phonetic words, sentences, and even s
Are you a parent who... ❓ Craves an empowering, flexible, and nurturing education? ❓ Values freedom in learning? ❓ Wants your child to grow as a lifelong learner, not just a test-taker? ❓ Is ready to embrace challenges for meaningful growth? If so,
𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝟓-𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? 🤔 Absolutely! 🙌 In our Montessori-inspired Spark Studio, even our youngest learners are mastering multiplication through hands-on manipulatives. By using bead chains, counte
We prioritize real-world, project-based learning over traditional textbooks. 🌟 Hands-on experiences and solving real-world challenges not only deepen understanding but also spark curiosity and passion. The GOAL - To empower learners to become lif
We empower learners to embrace curiosity, ask questions, and discover answers on their own. As Sugata Mitra reminds us, the journey of discovery is the key to lifelong learning. 🔍 #learning #education #independentlearning #empoweredlearning #colu
🎨 Creative Color Mixing with Spark Learners! 🎨 Who else could come up with color names like pinkish cake, brown lake, lavender princess, and black army? Only our imaginative Spark Learners! 💡 Last week, they had a blast exploring color mixing. T
At Acton Academy, we intentionally use words like heroes, eagles, and learners instead of traditional terms like “students” or “kiddos.” Here's why: 🌟 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Heroes: Every child is the hero of their own jo
The use of concrete materials to learn abstract concepts and operations is fundamental to the development of the mathematical mind in our Montessori studio. Here’s why they’re so powerful: ☑️ The materials can be felt and manipulated so
❓Are you currently homeschooling or thinking about it? ❓Are you looking for a community that shares your educational philosophies? ❓Do you find it challenging to establish a clear structure and access the right resources? ❓Are you unsure how to tr
𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲. Our learners understand that education isn’t just about what they know; it’s about being open to growth, curiosity, and learning from ever

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“The primary goal of real education is not to deliver facts but to guide students to the truths that will allow them to take responsibility for their lives.”
— John Taylor Gatto

Do you want your child to feel like life is an endless stream of opportunities?

Perhaps Acton columbus is for you and your family.