Do you prefer to read, to watch, or do your own research?

Courage to Grow, by Laura Sandefer, co-founder of Acton Academy Austin (or CLICK HERE and we will send you a copy)

• Unschooling Rules: 55 Ways to Unlearn What We Know About Schools and Rediscover Education, by Clark Aldrich
• The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined, by Sal Khan
• Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That's Transforming Education, by Sir Ken Robinson
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck
• NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
• Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google that Will Transform How You Live and Lead, by Laszlo Bock, Former Head of People & Operations at Google
• The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How, by Daniel Coyle

• The Atlantic: What Happens When Students Control Their Own Education?
• New research shows effectiveness of student-centered learning approaches in closing the opportunity gap by Stanford University
• Teachers’ evaluation of student-centered learning environments by Dr. Zuhal Cubukcu, Eskişehir Osmangazi University
• Insights on Personalized Learning Implementation and Effects by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 
• Research on Student Centered Instruction by Brown University
• NPR: When the focus is on the student, not the class

• University of Chicago: Learning by doing helps students perform better in science
• Association of American Colleges & Universities: The Power of Experiential Learning
• School-Based Experiential Outdoor Education: A Neglected Necessity by Joan James and Theresa Williams

“FIRST, NO RESEARCH HAS EVER FOUND A BENEFIT TO ASSIGNING HOMEWORK (OF ANY KIND OR IN ANY AMOUNT) IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.” - ALFIE KOHN, AUTHOR OF UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING

• Combining the 3 R’s and the 4 C’s by Tech4Learning

• Preparing 21st century students for a Global Society: A Guide to Four C’s by the National Education Association

“SITTING IN ROWS AND LISTENING TO CONTENT DELIVERED THROUGH A LECTURE IS SLOWLY BEING REPLACED WITH ACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE STUDENTS ARE PROMPTED TO ASK QUESTIONS, SEEK OUT RELEVANT INFORMATION, AND APPLY INFORMATION, NOT JUST REMEMBER IT.”

• The effectiveness of online & blended learning by SRI International
• Blended Learning by University of Central Florida
• Blended & Online Learning Research by Vanderbilt University
• The effectiveness of Blended Learning Environments by Dr. Meltem Eryilmaz, Atilim University
• A Comparative Study of Blended Learning versus Traditional Teaching in Middle School Science by Saloom Aslam

77% OF ACADEMIC LEADERS RATE THE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ONLINE EDUCATION AS THE SAME OR SUPERIOR TO THOSE IN FACE-TO-FACE CLASSROOMS (ALLEN & SEAMAN, 2013)

• The case against grades by Alfie Kohn
• Ted Talk: Do schools kill creativity by Sir Ken Robinson
• The neuroscience of joyful education by Dr. Judy Willis
• Teaching more by grading less by Jeffrey Schinske and Kimberly Tanner
• NYTimes: A New Kind of Classroom: No Grades, No Failing, No Hurry
• The Atlantic: Love of Learning More Predictive of Success than Grades

• NYTimes: Why kids shouldn’t sit still in class
• HuffingtonPost: The real reason kids shouldn’t sit in class
• CNN: Move over, ‘sit still!’ Why kids need to move in school

• The Atlantic: Inside a multi-age classroom
• The multi-age classroom: What research tells the practitioner by Sandra Stone
• Multiage Programming Effects on Cognitive Developmental Level and Reading Achievement in Elementary School Children by Fosco et. al
• On the merits of multi-age classrooms by David Pratt, PH.D
• The advantages and disadvantages of multi-age classrooms: Center for Evaluation and Education Policy
• Multi-age Classrooms: An Age-Old Grouping Method Is Still Evolving: Harvard Education

​“MULTIAGE DOES NOT TRY TO FIT THE CHILD TO THE PRE-DETERMINED CURRICULUM, BUT RATHER CHOOSES A BROAD-BASED CURRICULUM TO FIT THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD.” - SANDRA STONE

• The latest in educational technology for self paced mastery of reading, writing and math skills.
• Deep Socratic discussions hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write and speak.
• Hands-on project based Quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.
• Focus on the 4 Cs: Communication skills, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity

• Students create and sign a Contract of Promises describing how each individual will act and the consequences for violating community norms.
• Mentor teams encourage younger and older students to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable.
• "Learn to Be" badges that celebrate character and completing leadership challenges.

• Children work at their own pace to achieve mastery in the core skills of reading, grammar, and math rather than to earn grades or pass tests. In mastery learning, children take the time they need to master a topic before moving on to the next, more advanced level. This personalized approach to learning allows them to zoom past topics they quickly grasp and to be more deliberate in other topics. 
• Learners core skill and character development badges.
• Electronic and hard copy portfolios capture rough drafts, photos, video and other creative work.
• Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present work to experts, customers or the public for a real world test.