Year 1. Session 1. Week 4.
This week kicked off with a video of a guided rafting trip and a discussion surrounding the role of a guide. The Eagles were challenged with finding similarities between the role of the river guide and those at Ascent, and uncovered common threads such as providing tools, regrouping before upcoming challenges and creating a safe environment for their journey.
A new tool introduced to the group, 3B4G, tasks each hero with seeking out three resources to assist with their question before relying on a guide to provide direction. The practice of guides offering questions instead of answers is one thing that all Acton Academies around the world have in common and is done because we believe children are far more capable than we can imagine. Our goal as guides is to empower them on their journeys.
Monday was also highlighted by the Eagles revisiting an old team building exercise- Flip the Tarp! Through strong communication and a growth mindset, the group was able to successfully complete the challenge that stumped them a few weeks prior. They learned a lot about the power of grit and perseverance in the process!
Tuesday marked the first Core Skill “Power Hour” and the Eagles stepped up and met the challenge head on! Everyone was challenged to focus for one hour on Language Arts in the IXL program before finishing off the final hour of Core Skills with their choice of learning. Many Eagles found themselves in a state of flow and continued their focused IXL learning far into the second hour. Overall the group answered over 2,500 questions in 16.5 hours of active learning in one program alone!
Mid-week the focus shifted to the power of word choice, specifically how it relates to effective conflict resolution. Examples of ineffective strategies were introduced and discussed followed by the type of language used in effective conflict resolutions. The newest space in the studio was then unveiled- a Peace Table meant solely for conflicts to be resolved between fellow travelers.
In Writer’s Workshop, the Eagles continued working on the drafting process and were introduced to the six traits of writing. Their focus trait this session is Voice and they began to hone in on this trait in the letters to their heroes through both self-reflection and peer critiques. The Call to Action was strong for many of the Eagles, with some even working on their letters during Scholar’s Choice and Free Time! The tribe continued building relationships by encouraging one another during PD and carrying the camaraderie over throughout the rest of the day. The level of communication and respect heroes have shown to one another in just four short weeks has been quite inspiring!
Game Day (Tuesdays) this week was an introduction to Kickball! Eagles are practicing pitching, kicking, fielding, and running. Most importantly (according to them!) they are encouraging and cheering! On Skills Day (Thursday) we went back to circuits. With a balance of upper body (planks/push ups), cardio (cone dashes and jumping jacks) and core/lower body (sit ups/wall sits), Eagles were pushing themselves and each other the entire way. They are gearing up for the upcoming PD Olympics!
Week 4 culminated with new celebrations and traditions introduced to the group- a birthday celebration and a Hero’s Journey Presentation! The Eagles had the opportunity to share kind words and express gratitude to a fellow traveler as she ceremoniously traveled nine orbits around the “sun” in the center of the circle to represent her ninth birthday. They sang and then she gifted wonderful new items to the studio- thus begins a new tradition!
The closing group of the week was very special as the Eagles had their very first Hero visit, the Owner and Head of School of Acton Academy Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Jia Hong! Jia shared his Hero’s Journey with the Eagles highlighting the relationships he built while traveling the world for two years with nothing more than a medium-sized backpack. Lifelong friendships were forged often without a common language to communicate through! He likened his experience in traveling into unknown parts of the world with the journey each founding Eagle as Ascent has undertaken- while the road may be difficult and intimidating at times, fellow travelers and those you meet along the way play a vitally helpful role in each individual’s own journey!
