Acton Academy Taipei

No teacher at the front. No worksheet. Just a box of Arduinos and a group of learners who decided to figure it out themselves.

They debugged, they asked each other, they tried and failed and tried again — and the wins they earned that way stick. This is what learner-driven looks like. 💡

What does it take to design an escape room from scratch? More than you might think. 🗝️

Our middle schoolers took on exactly that challenge — and knocked it out of the park. Working together as a team, they planned, designed, and built a fully immersive Greek mythology escape room, then hosted real guests through the experience they created.

Pulling something like this off requires skills that can't be learned from a textbook: communication, creative problem-solving, delegation, resilience when things don't go as planned, and the ability to see a big idea all the way through to the finish line.

Watching these learners rise to the occasion — collaborating, supporting each other, and delivering something genuinely entertaining — was a reminder of what students are capable of when given the space to create.

Well done, team. 👏

🚀 **When one path disappears, a better one appears.**

Our learners had the incredible opportunity to hear NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren speak at the astronomy museum — and it was a talk none of us will forget.

Dr. Lindgren had dreamed of becoming an astronaut since childhood. His plan: graduate from the US Air Force Academy, become a test pilot, and make it to space. He did everything right. But shortly after graduating, he was diagnosed with asthma during pilot training — and medically discharged from the Air Force. Just like that, his entire roadmap was gone.

He described it as descending into a valley of despair.

But here's where the Hero's Journey really begins. He didn't give up on the dream — he rewrote the map. He went to medical school, specialized in emergency medicine, and eventually became a NASA flight surgeon. That unexpected path led him to be selected as an astronaut in 2009 out of 3,500 applicants. He's since flown to the International Space Station *twice* and commanded a SpaceX mission.

"What I once saw as a curse was truly a blessing."

There's something especially meaningful about the fact that Dr. Lindgren was *born in Taipei* — the very city our learners call home. A boy born here, discharged and redirected, and launched into space. 🌏

Our students left inspired, reflective, and full of questions — exactly how we hope every learning experience ends. Because at Acton Academy Taipei, we believe that obstacles are not the end of the story. They're often the most important part of it.

Working as a team to draw the ocean zones for Marine Conservation Quest.

Behind every confident reader is a foundation built carefully, one sound at a time. 📚

Our youngest learners are working with Montessori phonics materials — a beautifully designed, hands-on approach to early literacy that meets each child exactly where they are. No two learners move at the same pace, and that is precisely the point.

At Acton Academy Taipei, we believe that the earliest years of learning deserve the most thoughtful approach. What happens in these foundational moments shapes how a child sees themselves as a learner — for life.

Measuring, mixing, and a whole lot of butter. 🍪

Learners took over the kitchen — and the results were messy and delicious.

Sometimes the best classroom has no walls. 🌱

This week our learners headed up to Yangmingshan to explore the natural world right on our doorstep. From insects to soil, plants to water, the mountain had so much to offer — and our students soaked up every bit of it.

In a city like Taipei, it's easy to forget how close we are to something truly wild and alive. Days like this remind us that nature is one of the greatest teachers of all.

We get asked this all the time: does this actually work? 💙

No traditional teachers. No grades. No rigid curriculum. It sounds radical — because it is. But across the Acton global network, the results are speaking for themselves.

Learners finding their callings. Getting into top universities. Earning full scholarships. Building real skills, real relationships, and real stories — long before they graduate.

One learner summed it up best when a parent asked if high SAT scores were just because Acton kids are naturally smart:

"Because of my years here, I know how to learn. I was confident that with enough time and effort, I could figure it out."

That. That is Acton. And that is what we are here to build in Taipei. Read the full post at the link below. 👇

Does Acton Work?! When we first began this radical experiment in education, we had no idea if it would work.A school with NO TEACHERS?! No grades? No tests? No classrooms?Sure, the model intrigued me: Socratic guidance, project-based learning, multi-aged studios, hands-on experiential learning, Montessori-inspired pr...

Every now and then, we put down the pencils and pick up the rolling pins. 🥟

Celebration is a big part of our culture — and what better way to mark a milestone than making food together? Our learners tried their hand at dumpling-making, from mixing the filling to mastering the fold.

It was messy, it was fun, and every single dumpling was made with pride. We believe that sharing food is one of the oldest and most joyful ways humans come together.

What does real learning look like? It looks like this. 🎲

At our Exhibition of Learning, adults gathered around a board game — not one they bought, but one our students designed, built, and explained from scratch. Every rule, every card, every game mechanic: theirs.

This is what happens when young people are trusted with real creative ownership. They don't just learn content — they transform it into something others can experience. And when adults lean in, ask questions, and genuinely engage with what kids have made, something powerful happens in that exchange.

The future is being designed by our students. Today, the world got a small preview.