Laura Sandefer has some wisdom to share. As the co-founder of the Acton Academy school network, Sandefer believes that children need to be empowered to make mistakes, fail, grow, and improve on their own. The catalyst for the radical model of education now practiced at Acton came from concerns about her own children’s education. What started as an educational experiment for her family has grown into a network of schools across the globe. Along this journey, she’s picked up plenty of valuable parenting insights.
Sandefer is also the author of Courage to Grow. This book tells the story of Acton Academy’s origin and how it’s spread across the globe. The Acton model puts as much power as possible directly into the hands of students, giving them the opportunity to take ownership of their choices and capabilities from an early age. Whether it’s the collaborative rule-making process, the unique incentive structure to give students increasing levels of autonomy, or the astounding speed with which students acquire new skills, there’s nothing average about Acton Academy.
If you would like to learn more about Acton Academy or are interested in starting a school in your own community, click here, and if you would like to purchase a copy of Courage to Grow, click here.