About Laura Sandefer
Laura Sandefer is an author and the co-founder of Acton Academy, a school whose learner-driven model is spreading across the globe with over 130 locations in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Malaysia and more, and in 2019 is celebrating 10 years of letting children take learning into their owns hands.
Acton Academy bases their model of learning on the Hero’s Journey: a story pattern common in ancient myths and modern day adventures in which a hero goes on an adventure, wins a victory and comes home transformed. Children at Acton Academy know why they are being challenged to learn — they are on their own Hero’s Journey to find their passion in life.
Acton Academy and Sandefer have been featured in the Austin American Statesman, Inc., Forbes, National Review, Huffington Post and more. Sandefer has a bachelor of arts and masters of education degrees from Vanderbilt University. She currently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children and three dogs.
Learning Science: Quests versus Textbooks and Tests
Parents tend to crave the kind of learning that feels familiar to them – especially… Read More
Three Odd Things to Fall in Love with this Summer
Some things are hard to love. Jesus said it’s not remarkable to love the love-able…. Read More
Why “Travel” Is Part of the Acton Academy Journey
Think of the last time you were in charge of planning every detail of a… Read More
It’s Summer Session and the Livin’ is Easy
Session Seven may be my very favorite Acton oddity. To be in school in June… Read More
Three Treasures For Families Who Want to Live a Hero’s Journey Together
Today we launched a new year at Acton Academy. As the families departed, I gave… Read More
Fourth and Final Lesson
Lesson #4: Be kind to yourself because parenting is really hard and 99% of us… Read More
Recent Press
How to raise your child to be an entrepreneur with Jeff and Laura Sandefer
Jeff and Laura Sandefer are husband and wife who founded Acton Academy, a school whose learner-driven model is spreading like wildfire across the globe. Their children were the inspiration in founding Acton Academy.
198: RETHINKING EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY WITH JEFF AND LAURA SANDEFER
Jeff and Laura talk about how challenges educating their own children led to a revolution in modern education, what teaching looks like in the 21st century, and Laura’s new book, Courage To Grow: How Acton Academy Turns Learning Upside Down.
Two Words to Turn Education Upside Down
About a year into the latest step in my corporate career in a specialized niche of aviation insurance, I was sitting in my cubicle in New York City on a dark night thinking, ‘I could wake up 10 years from now and still be sitting here in the dark doing this!’ My heart was not in it.
Have Kids? Make Sure You Send Them To This Revolutionary New School… with Jeff and Laura Sandefer
Acton revolution has been growing around the country with dozens of new schools opening every year.
If you have children, or plan to have them some day, don’t miss this life-changing interview with Jeff and Laura Sandefer.
Acton Academy
Acton Academy is a one-room schoolhouse for the 21st century with over 140 locations around the world. Joy and rigor merge through our personalized state-of-the-art technology and real world apprenticeships, collaborative real world projects and Socratic discussions. Our young people are driven to find their inner gifts and use them to make the world better.
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Network Affiliates
We are a network of passionate, principled entrepreneurs driven by a singular mission and the promise to guide young people to realize their full potential and live exceptional lives. Do you feel an urgency to give your children the very best learning opportunity? Maybe you are the next Acton Academy owner!
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Courage to Grow
Get the first chapter of the inspiring story of Acton Academy, a micro-school on the cutting edge of disruptive education.
Courage to Grow is the intimate origin story of Acton Academy, one of today’s most innovative schools with a model quickly spreading around the globe. If you have ever wondered if there are more powerful ways for young people to learn, step aboard for a behind the scenes tour of how Acton Academy unlocks the genius in every child, while embracing personal accountability and forging young characters. However, this is not a how-to book. Nor is it a book about educational theory. It is a fast-paced tale of courageous families, transformed by what young people can accomplish when armed with the right inspiration, questions and tools. Like all good tales, there is a surprise ending, a final bit of magic about parenting and life you won’t want to miss.
Contact
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