Studio Exhibitions are one of the cornerstones of the Acton Academy model.
Exhibitions are a chance for the learners to showcase the projects, skills, or systems they’ve been working on. Rather than summing up a “session” or a month-long topic with a test or essay, learners at Acton Academy are given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in real time to the families and friends of Acton. The vibe is one of: “Let’s celebrate the hard work you’ve done and the progress you’ve made” not “Prove to us that you’ve learned something”. There is a clear distinction between the two, and one of the many differences between an Acton Academy and a traditional model of education.
For the learners, exhibitions provide:
- A sense of accountability: Knowing they will present their work to others motivates students to take ownership of their learning and strive for high-quality results
- Opportunities to build confidence: By explaining and showcasing their projects, learners gain valuable public speaking and presentation skills
- A real-world context: Exhibitions allow students to understand the relevance of what they’re learning by connecting it to tangible outcomes.
For the parents, exhibitions offer:
- Transparency into the learning process: Parents can see firsthand what their children are working on, providing a clearer picture of progress than traditional grades
- Engagement with their child’s learning journey: Exhibitions create a space for parents to celebrate achievements, understand challenges, and recognize growth
- A shift in perspective: They help parents move from seeing education as test scores to appreciating the broader skills their children are developing, such as creativity, critical thinking, and perseverance
Last week we had our first ever Spark Studio exhibition
This is the first year that the learners are experiencing a true Acton Academy model. Therefore, the majority of the first few weeks of school was spent in team-building, system-learning mode. From learning to stick to a schedule, to town-hall meetings, to studio maintenance, and more– these learners have been totally immersed with open hearts and open minds. This was the major showcase of the exhibition.
Set up just beyond a donated balloon arch, each learner sat by a station, ready to explain their part. What is studio maintenance? What is a Socratic Discussion? What is the Peace Table? Why do we do studio maintenance? Some of the learners were shy, some read from a paper, some took a minute to warm up before they found their flow. For many of the young learners, this was the first time they’ve ever spoken in this way in front of a group, what an exciting challenge!
After the learners showcased their studio systems the families and learners gathered around the rug to have a Socratic Discussion. Miss Cathy began by showing a video of the brain and its functions then asked questions for all members of the group to answer: Which do you think is more important, your brain for thinking and functions or your heart for feeling and emotion? Followed by If you had 3 wishes from a genie but in exchange had to either get rid of your heart or your brain, which would you get rid of?
The exercise was quite fun! I think it was interesting for the children to see their parents answering the same questions they were being asked. It seemed really engaging for the parents too because I don’t think most people in their daily lives are being asked such thought-provoking questions. The answers from all of the parents and learners were insightful and thoughtful.
Our thoughts afterward
Miss Cathy and I debriefed after the exhibition and noted the things that went well and the things we’d improve on for the next time. We were so happy that the learners got to experience both the showcase as well as the Socratic Discussion. They worked so hard and were really proud of their setup. A few things we will change for the next exhibition(s):
- Stick to the schedule: the discussion was engaging but went on a little longer than expected, so the exhibition did not end as promptly as we would have liked.
- Shorter talking points or collaborative talking points for the learners: in hindsight, it may have been better to let the learners either share talking points or bounce back and forth to incorporate different points of view rather than having each learner in charge of a certain station.
- Time for questions: in the next exhibition, we’ll incorporate a chunk of time for attendees to ask questions to the learners about the projects/talking points of the exhibition.
It’s exciting to think about all of the future exhibitions to come, and that they’ll most likely just keep getting better and better. What a fun first exhibition for all of us!
-Janel