Entrepreneur-SHIP!
A successful captain exudes quiet confidence and brings out the best in both themselves and their fellow mariners. Being a captain is a tough job as you never know when you may encounter rocky waters or alluring pirates. Pirates can appear fun but ultimately they steer a captain off course by stealing the greatest treasure of all, your attention. Who will you be today a captain or a pirate? Where will you steer your ship, what is your path to find your treasure?
These are the questions we’ve been asking learners the last few weeks both in Core Skills and now in our Entrepreneurship Quest. Truthfully the nautical theme started with a captain hat last year designating lunch table captains and then studio maintenance area captains on a bulletin board. Learners LOVED the idea of being a responsible captain leader and so naturally we leaned in and kept the theme going! The process was organic and perhaps unconsciously our proximity to Lake Winnebago, the largest freshwater lake in Wisconsin, inspired us on the nautical journey.
This session, Guides leaned their sails into the water theme and curated official captain ships for learners to design and move along the Quest Map of Entrepreneur-SHIP. Plus, learners now have official captain names such as Captain Ravenshadow, Captain Rainbow, Captain Tiger Treasure, Captain Phia, and Captain Chompers! During Core Skills learners are asked to move their captain hat to the island of their choice—Focus, Mastery, Responsible, Independent, Helpful, or Break island. This intentionality plus their badge plan compass help support independent work and character development. But what if you encounter pirates while you are exploring Focus island, or worse, what if you transform into a pirate?
This week we overheard many learners attempt to balance the studio ship and one specific learner stated “you are being a pirate right now, I’m trying to do my work and you are trying so hard to distract me. I don’t like it when you are a pirate can you please transform and make a captain choice?” WOW! So, what happened next? That pirate felt the wind change and suddenly got back to work. These are the moments that help us know that the learner-led environment at Acton works. Learners holding other learners accountable is far more powerful than any Guide or parent. Peer accountability, motivation, and collaboration coupled with learners having the freedom to drive their own learning and make mistakes is what we believe steers the Acton ship towards treasure. Treasure of happiness, hard work, knowledge, and friendship!
What treasure do you hope to find in your life?
How will you navigate through storms and treacherous sea monsters?
Who ARRRR you going to be?