Raise A Self-Starter

"My vision of the future is of people… passing from one stage of independence to a higher, by means of their own activity and effort of will.” — Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence 

Adolescence is a critical window for developing executive functioning skills — the habits that allow young people to successfully manage themselves and their work. These include skills such as planning, organization, task initiation, persistence, self-monitoring, and emotional regulation. Together, these skills determine whether a student can set goals, follow through, and adapt when challenges arise. 

Traditional school environments often fall short in developing these abilities. Short, tightly scheduled class periods and frequent adult direction can unintentionally reinforce the development of a passive mindset.  

Montessori understood that adolescents are capable of far more. 

At Guidepost Academy, students develop executive functioning through a carefully prepared environment that offers freedom within clear limits — and real responsibility. Students work within an established framework of assignments and due dates (with varying timescales of up to three months), while being given meaningful choice in how they manage their work. 

Time: Students engage in long, uninterrupted study periods (called work cycles), where they choose when to work and when to take breaks. These extended blocks support deep focus and allow students to practice managing their own time, energy, and attention.

Task: During work cycles, students decide the order in which they complete tasks and how to break down longer-term assignments. Within the curriculum itself, they also have limited but meaningful choices in what topics they explore and how they demonstrate their learning. 

Guides provide both group and individualized support to help students use this freedom well. Coaching focuses on goal-setting, self-monitoring, managing distractions, overcoming procrastination, and finding the right balance between work quality and timeliness.  

The results are striking. One Guidepost Academy parent shared: 

“[Our daughter] is performing above average academically and has successfully taken on multiple clubs, sports, and even a part-time job, thanks to the time management and organizational skills she gained at Guidepost. We are deeply appreciative of the ongoing support, encouragement, and genuine care from Laura, Hugh, and the entire Guidepost Academy team. Their impact on our daughter’s development has been invaluable.” 

Helping your child build the identity of a self-starter at this pivotal stage may be one of the most impactful things you can do as a parent — one that pays dividends throughout their academic career and well into adulthood.