There’s a story from our Acton journey that I come back to every August, right as backpacks come out and routines snap back into place. Laura was in a heated case discussion with a master Socratic teacher. Mid-sentence, he paused her and asked: “In this moment, would you rather be right… or be curious?”
It was disarming. Clarifying. And it changed the room.
As the school year begins, that one question might be the best compass for families. New classrooms, new peers, new expectations—everything in August whispers, “Get it right.” But the Acton way begins with a different North Star: choose curiosity first. Because when we protect our kids’ “rightness,” we shrink their world; when we protect their curiosity, we expand it.
Why “Right” Feels So Tempting in September
The start of school rewards quick answers: correct forms turned in, correct supplies labeled, correct homework submitted. As parents, our instincts kick in—we smooth the path, fix the confusion, and deliver tidy answers. It feels helpful. It feels loving. But “being right” can become a kind of bubble wrap around a child’s growth. It ends the conversation just when learning wants to begin.
Curiosity does the opposite. It opens the door, invites the unknown in, and asks for another step.
At Acton, our Guides don’t lecture. They ask questions and let learners wrestle. That’s not a gimmick; it’s a worldview. We believe children become self-managing, self-governing, and deeply capable when they own the next step. And ownership is born in questions.
The Parent Version of the Socratic Method
You don’t need a seminar room to practice this. You need a kitchen table, a car ride, or a bedtime check-in. Try these small shifts as school starts:
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From answers to options.
Instead of “Here’s what to do,” try “What are two ways you could handle this?” -
From fixing to framing.
Swap “I’ll email your teacher” with “What would a respectful email from you sound like?” -
From results to process.
Move past “What grade did you get?” to “Where did you struggle, and what helped?”
Each of these nudges says to your child: I trust you to think. I trust you to try. I trust you to learn.
Curiosity Builds Courage
Learners at Acton face dragons all year long—resistance (“I don’t want to start”), distraction (“I’ll do it later”), and victimhood (“It’s not fair”). “Being right” tries to slay those dragons for them. Curiosity teaches them to pick up the sword.
When your child says, “This is too hard,” the “right” response offers solutions. The curious response asks, “What is the very first small step?” When your teen says, “Group projects are dumb,” the “right” response agrees or lectures. The curious response asks, “If you were the leader, how would you run it differently tomorrow?”
That practice—naming a next step—turns anxiety into action. It’s how confidence actually grows.
A Story to Start the Year
Back to Laura. After that question—right or curious?—she realized she’d been defending a position instead of exploring the problem. The tone shifted. The room leaned in. Better ideas emerged—ideas no one could have reached alone.
Our homes can feel the same way this fall. When a homework question stumps you, resist the quick YouTube answer. Ask, “What do we already know? What could we test?” When your learner hits friend drama, resist the adult script. Ask, “If you wanted to make this 10% better tomorrow, what would you try?”
Being curious doesn’t make you passive; it makes you a guide instead of a fixer. It keeps the work where it belongs—with the learner—while surrounding them with belief and structure.
Five Start-of-School Prompts to Post on the Fridge
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“What would you do—A or B—and why?” (Decisions demand reasons.)
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“What does ‘good’ look like here?” (Define excellence before chasing it.)
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“If this fails, what will we have learned?” (Fear loses power when named.)
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“What help do you want from me—ideas, listening, or accountability?” (Match support to the ask.)
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“What’s your next tiny step?” (Progress beats perfect, every time.)
The Gift of the New Year
The start of school is a gift wrapped as a calendar: new friends, new quests, new habits. Let’s not waste it by rushing to be right. Let’s build families where questions are normal, experiments are praised, and mistakes are raw material for mastery.
This year, when tension rises and time is short, borrow the line that reset Laura’s conversation and has shaped countless moments at Acton:
“In this moment, would you rather be right—or be curious?”
Choose curiosity. Then watch your learner choose courage.
👉 Ready to see how Acton Academy nurtures curiosity, courage, and independence?
Request your free Info Kit today and discover what school could look like when children own their learning journey.
