Acton's unique features

Freedom Levels

November 20, 2018 /

So, what are Freedom Levels and what is so important about them? It took me some time to understand this point, and after I did, I wanted to share it with you.

Acton’s constant aspiration is to transfer as many responsibilities as possible to the Eagles. The simplest example is core skills: Every day, for two and a half hours,the Eagles learn reading, writing and math on their own and progress at their own pace according to the goals they set for themselves. Who decides how much time should be spent on math and how much on reading? And who decides when is the right time for the Eagle to take a break? The aspiration is that the Eagle will answer all these questions themselves. But what if it doesn’t happen? What if the Eagle is busy staring at the monitor for two hours? Or randomly walking through the corridor? After all, not every Eagle can take responsibility for her learning, and there is no doubt that for some Eagles, certainly at the beginning of their path at Acton, and especially if they came from a system that determines what to learn and when, such program can be a recipe for disaster.

This is where the levels of freedom come in. Franklin Roosevelt said that “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved”. This is the exact attitude at Acton: Eagles must prove that they can handle the level of freedom they are in along with the responsibility derived from that level of freedom.

Every Acton school defines its own levels of freedom, and the definitions vary slightly from school to school. Here are our levels of freedom:

The fourth and highest level of freedom – “Soaring”, the Eagles at this level:

  • The responsibility: At least 300 points a week on average throughout a whole session (a maximum of 30% of the points can come from reading)

Privileges:

  • Take a break at any time
  • Eat anywhere in the studio
  • RPS (Rock-Paper-Scissors) priority
  • Work anywhere
  • Work on approved personal passions
  • Eligible to run for council and running team leader
  • Freedom to use white noise/classical music to help focus
  • Freedom to guide other Eagles during core skills
  • Freedom to collaborate

The third level of freedom, “Flying”. The Eagles at this level:

  • The responsibility: Average of at least 150 points a week throughout a whole session (a maximum of 30% of the points can come from reading)

Privileges:

  • Take two breaks of five minutes during core skills
  • Eat at your own desk
  • Work on their desk or on the community table
  • Get approval to use white noise/classical music to help focus
  • Can vote for council and running team leaders
  • Freedom to collaborate with running team members

The second level of freedom, “Co-Flying”. The Eagles at this level:

  • The responsibility: Average of less than 150 points a week throughout a whole session or earn less than 75 points in one week during the session

Privileges:

  • Sit at the community table for core skills
  • Guide helps Eagle by setting schedule
  • One break during core skills as per guide schedule
  • Snack during break only at the kitchen table
  • Freedom to collaborate with running team leaders or guides

The first level of freedom, “Nesting”. The Eagles at this level:

  • The responsibility: Average of 75 points or less a week throughout a whole session

Privileges

  • Sit in the kitchen at dedicated desk
  • Guide helps Eagle by setting schedule
  • No quest privileges
  • Lunch is enjoyed with all Eagles in the main studio
  • Freedom to collaborate with guides
  • Earns a pizza party for the studio when leaving “Nesting”.

All the Eagles in the studio begin their first session being “flying”, and according to their adaptation in the first weeks, it is decided whether they keep flying ,move down or up in the levels of freedom. It’s important for me to emphasize that moving down in the levels of freedom is not a punishment! For example, a Eagle who moves to “Co-Flying”, receives assistance from the guides in order to give him/her tools that will improve his time management and have him go back to flying on his own. The aspiration is for all the Eagles to soar as soon as possible and take all of that freedom upon themselves along with the responsibility that comes with that freedom, in a way that allows them to manage themselves by themselves.