Studio Design

Our Studios are designed to create flexible spaces for work, learning, and play. They are tight-knit communities of mixed-age children who support each other and collaborate daily.

Children work together to create rules for the space. Some areas might be off limits for play, while others are more flexible. Ultimately, the learners come together to agree to those ground rules and promises—all based on a key promise to not distract themselves or each other during times of work.

A primary goal in our Studios is to guide learners in their development of social and problem-solving skills.

Ages 4-6

Spark Studio

Now Enrolling for the 2024 School Year

The Spark Studio is best imagined as a garden where learners embrace Montessori work and Spark Play to learn real-life skills and develop the independence, focus, and kindness needed to enter an Acton Discovery Studio - each prepared to discover a calling that will change the world.

Spark learners:

  • Grow curiosity through hands-on projects and outdoor adventure "Spark Play".
  • Explore mindfulness, natural interests, and music, and have a LOT of fun.
  • Build the foundations of independent learning, reading, writing, communication, and math.

Ages 7-11

Discovery Studio

Now Enrolling for the 2024 School Year

Learners in the Discovery Studio begin to embark into the real world, with the thrilling opportunities and responsibility that come with it. We encourage young heroes to tap into their unique genius and continue building real-world skills.

  • The Discovery Studio offers increased freedom as well as a safe place to take intellectual risks, learn new skills, and put them to the test, failing early and learning that failing is a necessary component of learning.
  • Our Quests and Socratic discussions put a strong emphasis on strategic listening, creative and critical thinking, and asking meaningful questions.
  • Heroes learn how to set goals, work collaboratively, and love learning, while also helping and being helped by their friends in the Studio.
  • Heroes Learn to Learn, Learn to Do, and Learn to Be

Ages 11-14

Middle School Studio

Coming soon

Middle School Heroes continue to learn through quests, deepening Socratic discussions, and independent skill work in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. Self-exploration is emphasized as Heroes add apprenticeships that help further reveal their genius and add more tools and strategies to their learning repertoire.

  • Heroes nurture leadership skills, establish ground rules for their community (studio) and hold themselves and each other accountable for deportment and community cohesiveness.
  • Each Hero becomes a more independent learner through accepting responsibility, ownership, and increased direction for a personal learning journey.
  • Heroes are encouraged to take intellectual risks; failing is greeted and celebrated as one of our strongest learning tools, and welcomed early and often in an environment of support.
  • While collaborative quests and Socratic discussions are a mainstay, apprenticeships extend the learning even more beyond the studio walls.
  • Heroes continue to refine goals, work collaboratively, and nurture a love of learning.

Ages 14-18

Launchpad Studio

Coming soon!

Our hero has faced many challenges up to this point and has come out on the other side. Now comes one of their biggest challenges yet: high school.

As the hero prepares for the end of their school journey and the beginning of the next one- whatever that may be- Launchpad works to help them create as many tools as possible to assist in their future quests in life. This is where their responsibility as the oldest members of the Academy really takes shape.

"I would never have believed children could learn so much from each other – until I saw it with my own eyes. The lessons of self management and self governance have prepared our fifth-grade son to be a lifelong learner.”

Take a virtual tour of an Acton Academy studio