Why Badges, Not Grades?
Picture this…a large hero board stretches across an entire wall. There are names, faces, and an array of colorful buttons—treasured badges. Beneath each name hangs a different constellation of badges—some many, some few—no grouping the same. Each badge holds a memory: a challenge wrestled with, a moment of doubt, a breakthrough, or a quiet decision to try again. This wall of heroes isn’t a wall of comparison. It is a wall of becoming.
At Acton, we don’t give grades—we offer badges. This choice often raises an important question for parents, especially those new to Acton: Why? Grades are familiar. They are the language most of us grew up with, they feel clear, reassuring, measurable. But grades and badges measure very different things. Grades are approval levels given by adults. They allow a learner to move on—often whether mastery has been reached or not—simply because time has moved forward, even when skills aren’t yet solid.
Badges work differently. A badge is earned only when mastery is achieved. It means a learner can demonstrate a skill, explain their thinking, and share that learning with others. At Acton, learners don’t move on because the calendar says it’s time—they move on because the skill is truly theirs.
Badges exist because mastery changes the experience of learning. They communicate a powerful message to children: Excellence matters. You are capable of it, and it’s worth your effort. Rather than accepting “good enough” learners are invited to revise, strengthen, and refine their work until it truly reflects their best thinking. The goal isn’t speed or comparison—it’s depth, clarity, and growth.
That’s why earning a badge at Acton is never automatic. A learner’s work is reviewed by peers—often multiple times. Work may be sent back for revision again and again, not as a setback, but as an expected part of the process. Revision isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a sign of a shared promise our learners make to hold standards of excellence. When a learner finally earns a badge, the studio pauses—and then celebrates. The learner shares what they learned along the way and the badge is handed over. One by one, each learner steps forward, shakes hands, offers congratulations, and then proudly the badge is added to the wall. What’s being celebrated isn’t just work completed, it’s character built.
Badges matter. Learners know how many they have and they know who to go to for leadership. If someone has earned all the math badges, that’s who others seek out when they need help. Mastery creates trust.
Recently, I overheard a learner, deep in the middle of a challenging Quest, say with determination: “I have to push through. I’ve never not earned a Quest badge. I can’t break my streak.” That motivation didn’t come from an adult. It came from within.
As a child, I chased grades. Straight A’s told me I was smart—because someone else said so. Over time, that training can quietly become a habit of seeking approval rather than trusting your own judgment. Unlearning that has been part of my own Hero’s Journey. Watching learners at Acton develop confidence rooted in mastery—not praise—reminds me why this work matters so deeply. They are learning early what many adults spend years rediscovering: that real satisfaction comes from knowing you did the work, not from being told you did well.
Outside of Acton, most of us already understand badges, even if we don’t call them that. Perhaps you have a shelf of well-loved books you’ve read and reread or have completed LEGO creations proudly displayed. Maybe your treasures are crafts refined over time or a body of work you’re proud to stand behind. For me, it’s a stack of tattered sheet music. The meaning isn’t in who gave permission to move on. It’s in what the tangible reminder holds—the memory of effort, struggle, and growth. Badges simply make that journey visible.
As you move through the week ahead, I invite you to wonder alongside your child:
What does mastery look like right now?
Where is revision being invited instead of rushed?
What journeys—seen or unseen—deserve celebration?
At Acton, we believe children don’t need fewer challenges, they need meaningful challenges, held by community, and guided by purpose. When excellence is finally reached, we stop, we notice, and we celebrate. Whether on a wall or in everyday life, heroes treasure the journey.