The Leap of the Knight
In Chess, the Knight moves differently than any other piece on the board. It leaps over obstacles, changes direction with courage, and always seems to find a path that no one else can see. The Knight reminds us that the most powerful moves in life are often the ones that break the pattern — that dare to think differently.
By choosing Acton, you have already made such a move. You’ve chosen a school where children lead their own learning — where courage, curiosity, and play are not side notes but the heart of growth. It takes true Knight-like bravery to step outside the traditional path and trust the long game of independence, self-direction, and purpose.
When I worked as a professional violist, I studied creativity through performance and research. What I found was simple yet profound: at the root of creative thought is play. The best ideas appear when joy leads — when we experiment, take risks, and allow ourselves to be curious. In my TEDx talk, Being a Creativity Detective, I explored this truth — that play is not a break from meaningful work but the bridge to it.
I once shared this idea with a six-year-old learner at Spark Land. He told me earnestly that his parents were the smartest people he knew and that he wasn’t as smart. I smiled and told him a secret: “I have special glasses that help me see the world like a child again — they’re my five-year-old genius lenses.” I held up a pair of play frames and asked him to try them on. He peered through and said, “It looks no different!”
“Exactly,” I told him. “Because you already have the magic. Children see the world differently than adults — full of color, possibility, and joy. That’s why children are geniuses. Some adults have to practice remembering that.” That day, he walked a little taller. He believed in his mind again.
At Acton, we protect that genius — not by controlling it but by trusting it. Whether learners are four or twelve, they are given the tools and space to create systems that work: deciding how to clean their studio with excellence, tracking hard work, setting goals, and holding each other accountable. Adults may set the framework but learners build the structure.
Just last week during a Town Hall, learners debated how to handle the growing mess in the kitchen after snack. My adult mind was busy brainstorming solutions — then a learner raised his hand and shared a simple, brilliant idea I hadn’t even considered. It worked. It reminded me once again: we adults don’t have to have all the answers.
At Acton, we Guides — and parents too — are the Knights of this adventure. We walk beside our children, sometimes galloping with excitement, sometimes stepping to the side with trust, and always leading with courage. We model what it means to think differently, to see through the eyes of wonder, and to create space for their genius to grow.
For your week ahead, here are three questions to reflect on:
1. When was the last time you put on your five-year-old genius lenses?
2. When your child faces a challenge, can you choose curiosity over control — wonder over worry?
3. How might you model the joy of play, creativity, and courage in your own journey?
Just like the Knight, the strongest move you can make is the one that comes from courage — the courage to see differently, to trust the process, and to play your own beautiful game of life.