Final Push
There are 14 days left of school. Learners are excited but it’s not for the reason you may think. Yes, we all love a great vacation and although that sounds fun learners are more excited about the work they can accomplish by the last day. Can they meet their deadline, achieve their goal by the last day, surpass the goals they set? Time will tell! Officially learners are experiencing the FINAL PUSH and right now, especially during Core Skills, the buzz is palpable.
Really, we aren’t kidding, learners at Acton LOVE learning and we absolutely love being witness to the domino experience of mastery checks and badge earnings. Here’s an example of the latest Discovery Studio ripple effect. A learner pushed herself to complete the Math 2 badge which includes Khan Academy’s 2nd grade level. Her deadline was to complete this badge before the last day of school. She not only reached her goal but she reached it a few weeks early. Last week Friday the studio celebrated her and riding her winning streak her momentum didn’t stop there! She returned to school with a hunger to surpass her goal with vigor and she set a new goal, to earn the Math 3 badge before the last day of school. After 5 days, she is now at 72% complete with Khan 3rd grade. This accomplishment is amazing and unprecedented. Her progress and extreme dedication to her goal was an inspiration to Discovery learners and naturally many learners felt the hustle. Learners who were slacking for many months to get 40% now realized that achievement was possible, even in these last few weeks! A goal that may have seemed far away is now in reaching distance. This inspiring learner shared her new goal “I want to beat all the boys and earn the Math 3 badge before all of them!” With her momentum, we all believe her goal is possible. What’s best though is this competitive spirit is welcomed with cheers from her peers. In this final push and with this inspiration we are on the edge of our seats to find out what will get done by July 21.
Every learner at Acton actively sets goals. It isn’t always to get a badge as sometimes that goal is just too large. Sometimes it’s to get a particular percentage complete, to master a series of components, to move up the mastery level from Apprentice to Journeyer on a particular challenging material, or to read a Bob book without help. If a learner reaches their goal, great! What’s more important is the journey to try and the effort that is experienced. One learner shared yesterday “I really wanted to master the blue cards but I didn’t get it even though I was close. I learned a lot from practicing and now I know that practicing until it is easy is way more important.” Her lightbulb moment in Spark equally inspired learners to continue to invest in the process of learning not just the reward.
As you continue to support your child these next 14 days I’d like to share a few ways you might fan their flame. First, ask what their top goal is, what one badge they are working to earn by the end of the year. EVERY learner has identified this. If you’d like more info check their Journey Tracker, look at their S.M.A.R.T goal sheet on the badge board, or take a peek at a Spark learner’s paper badge plan. Once you know their goal check in regularly and cheer them on! Achievement isn’t the priority, instead work ethic is king. I highly suggest upping the ante by brainstorming a reward if they reach their goal. Goals, not threats, are great. Here’s a few that have helped my learner curate her determination: a highly coveted toy or stuffed animal, special adventure to Mineshaft or jump park, a video game subscription, or more! Pick 1 reward to work towards and watch the grit and perseverance of your child unfold. As the countdown continues we hope you enjoy the push, get curious, and maintain your positive enthusiasm. We can do hard things!