Courage to Grow: How Acton Academy Turns Learning Upside Down

Sparking real learning

I recommend this book to anyone that reflects inwardly about children’s learning and wants their child to thrive in caring and understanding their purpose in life and their ability to shape it regardless of circumstances or because or circumstances. I found it profound and extremely insightful! Hope you’ll read and reflect!

Thank you Sandefers for writing it!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

So inspiring! This is the future!

If you find yourself questioning or downright opposing the current education normal, I plead that you read this book. It’s informative, enlightening, inspiring and will light a fire to take action! So well written, covering their highs and lows of going out on a ledge to turn learning upside down. Just truly loved it.

In don't know why but

The end of the book made me cry with joy and relief. I didn't know it when it happened but, when Charlie left Acton I was so saddened as well. When he came back, I was relieved. I love this educational model. If I knew about this when my girl was younger, this is the route we would have taken. But we homeschool and I'm blessed by that.

Excellent!

As an early childhood educator passionate about education reform, this book resonated with me on so many different levels! It was so well-written and even moved me to tears.

If you want to explore best practices for education for the 21st Century, check out this beautiful story!!

I want to start my own Acton Academy!

Amazing book and the dedication these parents have for developing a working model of education is inspiring. A great read for sure!

what a great book!

I love this book! what a great story of real people, real parents who love their children and wanted them to thrive! so encouraging!

Agency-based education is how things should be

I loved this brief look into the Acton academy. if only educators would realize that children are adults and need to be treated with the freedom that adults enjoy otherwise they will grow up feeling that it's okay to compel others to do the things they think are best for them. This is a critical public problem as well because anyone who grows up in the public education system has the mindset that that's how everyone should be educated. It's a hurdle that needs to be overcome mentally for adults to see their children is capable of doing something greater with their freedom given to them.

I’m so in love with the Acton System

I appreciate Laura and her husband Jeff for starting Acton Academy. My daughter is going to an affiliate now in North Austin, and I can say that it works.

I’ve watched my sweet girl go from crying everyday at a “normal” school due to mean girls and being told to sit down and shut up for 7 hours, to a thoughtful, proactive learner who can explain and defend her projects to a room of 30+ adults.

It’s been amazing. This was a great inside look to the whole process of how Acton was born. I’m so grateful it was.

A Work of Art

Laura Sandefer speaking in her own words about the revolutionary, game changer that is Acton Academy is as much artwork as it is deeply informative. The Acton model is seemingly years ahead of any other educational model in preparing children for tomorrow’s future, and it is only getting better. The network is growing at a meteoric rate, and yet this beautifully told story details a family’s journey to fill a need for their own children had an incredibly humble beginning. For an experienced educator like me who wants more for my children, this compelling, empowering and concise audiobook serves as a roadmap and fuel to get started on your own Hero’s Journey. I cannot recommend it high enough and I cannot thank Laura enough for opening her heart to the world in this instant masterpiece.