Learn to learn, learn to do, learn to be

Our Approach

What if school was a place where curiosity was nurtured and learning felt purposeful? At Acton Academy Oshkosh, learners are trusted to explore big ideas, take on meaningful challenges, and grow into capable, confident humans. Our mission is to help each learner find a calling and change the world — by learning to learn, learning to do, and learning to be.

Learning as a Hero’s Journey

At the heart of Acton Academy Oshkosh is a shared narrative: the Hero’s Journey. Each learner is seen as the hero of their own story — facing challenges, making choices, learning from mistakes, and growing through effort and reflection. This journey gives learning meaning, where struggle becomes part of growth, perseverance builds confidence, and purpose is discovered through action. The Hero’s Journey is not a metaphor we reference occasionally — it is the spine of our school culture and the lens through which learners come to understand who they are becoming.

A Learner-Driven, Mastery-Based Education

Learning at Acton is learner-driven. Instead of lectures, grades, or constant adult direction, learners set goals, manage their time, and take increasing responsibility for their work and their community. Core skills like reading, writing, and math are practiced daily using adaptive tools that meet learners where they are. Progress is based on mastery, not age or grade level — learners move forward when understanding is deep and skills are strong.

Learning Through Quests

Knowledge comes alive through Quests — multi-week, interdisciplinary projects that challenge learners to apply what they know in meaningful ways. In one Quest, learners might launch a small business, learning teamwork, responsibility, and decision-making. In another Quest, they may explore physics by designing and testing machines, discovering how forces and motion work in the real world. Other Quests invite learners into chess and strategy, survival skills, robotics and engineering, detective reasoning, or art and creative expression. Each Quest offers a new way to think, create, and problem-solve — helping learners discover their strengths and interests along the way.

Guides, Portfolios, and Exhibitions

Adults in the studio are called Guides. Their role is not to lecture or provide answers, but to ask thoughtful questions, lead Socratic discussions, and support reflection, iteration, and growth. Rather than grades or traditional tests, learners build portfolios of meaningful work that show progress over time. Learning is made visible through public exhibitions, where learners share their work with families and the community — celebrating effort, learning, and growth.

Influences That Shape Our Learning Design

While the Hero’s Journey gives learning its meaning, our approach is shaped by a blend of influences:

• Respect for the child, inspired by Maria Montessori, emphasizing independence, responsibility, and purposeful work

• Entrepreneurial thinking, encouraging initiative, ownership, and learning through real experience

• Socratic dialogue, using thoughtful questions to deepen understanding and critical thinking

Together, these influences create an environment where learners are trusted, challenged, and supported.

Why This Matters

The world doesn’t need better test-takers. It needs curious thinkers, courageous problem-solvers, and compassionate leaders. At Acton Academy Oshkosh, learners practice discovering who they are, what they care about, and how they can contribute meaningfully to the world.