Question 1

WHY ACTON ACADEMY CARLSBAD?

Accepted Answer

At Acton Academy Carlsbad, our goal is to come along side you, your child and your family offering you guidance and support on your educational journey.

Many families chose to homeschool for a variety of reasons but finding the right  environment of peers and relationships can be difficult.  Acton Academy Carlsbad was created to offer the homeschooling family positive support and fellowship with other like minded individuals.

At Acton Carlsbad, we have guides instead of teachers who guide students on their journey rather than teach and instruct them how to think and what to do. Socratic discussion, quests and hands on projects enable individuals to think deeply while learning to find answers and make decisions on their own.

A typical day includes Socratic Discussion ( time to think and grow), time set aside for individual Core Skills (brought in from home so a day isn't missed of your child's normal routine), hands on real world Quests and Projects, Collaborative Work or Special Activities, Lunch/Recess, Studio Maintenance and Daily Reflections.

Over the year, there will be multiple Exhibitions where your child will have the opportunity to showcase their work from the previous session.

Question 2

WILL ACTON BE A GOOD FIT FOR MY CHILD?

Accepted Answer

Acton Academy Carlsbad is a good fit for :

The homeschooled student.
The self motivated learner.
The learner who is excited about learning.
The learner who enjoys real-world, hands on projects and discussion.
Someone who likes to think outside the box.

Question 3

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "EVERY CHILD CAN CHANGE THE WORLD"?

Accepted Answer

We believe each child who enters our doors will find a passion — something they love and have a gift to do. They will use this gift to serve others and fulfill a need they are passionate about in the world. This may be by becoming a shoe-shiner who tells stories and makes people's day just by doing his job with love and vigor; it may be by becoming a coach who sees the light in a child’s eyes and guides her to pursue a dream; it may be by becoming a father or mother who leads a family on a Hero's Journey; it may be becoming an entrepreneur or business leader guided by compassion and integrity; or it may be by becoming an artist or writer who brings beauty to people's lives.

Question 4

WILL CHILDREN BE GROUPED INTO GRADES?

Accepted Answer

We believe that children learn best when working with children younger and older than themselves rather than split up into groups based solely on age. In addition to individualized curriculum, all ages of students work together in groups.

Question 5

IS ACTON ACADEMY A MONTESSORI SCHOOL?

Accepted Answer

We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori's philosophy, but we are not a Montessori school. We also use the latest interactive technologies, hands on projects and the Socratic Method for discussions.

Question 6

WHERE DOES THE ACTON NAME ORIGINATE?

Accepted Answer

Lord John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton (1834-1902) was a Victorian scholar of Freedom who saw liberty not as a license, but as the freedom to do what was right. He was suspicious of power for the sake of power, which led to his most famous quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At Acton Academy, we celebrate his defense of economic, political and religious freedom.

Question 7

WHAT IS THE SOCRATIC METHOD?

Accepted Answer

The Socratic method is a form of shared dialogue where questions are continually asked and answered in order to explore ideas and beliefs that engages critical thinking skills. Socratic discussion is a highly effective form of drawing out ones beliefs and assumptions while keeping individuals active rather than passive in their communication and thought process.

Question 8

HOW IS ACTON ACADEMY CARLSBAD AFFILIATED WITH ACTON ACADEMY?

Accepted Answer

Acton Academy Carlsbad is part of a network of over 200 Acton Academies around the world. We follow the exact same learning design and model that the founders designed for the original Acton Academy campus in Austin, Texas while pivoting our program to meet the needs of homeschoolers in our local community here in North County San Diego.

Question 9

HOW LONG IS ACTON ACADEMY CARLSBAD  IN SESSION EACH YEAR?

Accepted Answer

Acton Academy Carlsbad runs on a traditional school calendar between the months of Sept-June with Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring breaks. However, our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning.

Question 10

DOES ACTON SERVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN?

Accepted Answer

We are not trained to serve children with serious learning disabilities but have been able to serve young heroes with dyslexia if they receive special training and believe that many minor learning disabilities are commonly misdiagnosed.

Question 11

WHAT BOOKS/RESOURCES DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR PARENTS WANTING TO LEARN MORE?

Accepted Answer

Unschooling Rules, Clark Aldrich
Courage To Grow, Laura A. Sandefer
The One World School House, Salman Khan
A Thomas Jefferson Education, Oliver DeMille
The Gift of Imperfection, Brene Brown
Nurture Shock, Po Bronson
Daring Greatly, Brene Brown
The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family, Patrick Lencioni
Free Range Kids, Lenore Skenazy
Jeff Sandefer Tedx Talk

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Frequently asked questions