There are moments in the day that aren’t scheduled, announced, or planned, yet they end up shaping the atmosphere of the studio. One of those moments is D.E.A.R, Drop Everything and Read.
The invitation is clear and bold: pause whatever you’re doing and read. No option to “let me finish this first.” Just a quiet shift, choosing a book you are interested in and stepping into it.
Last Tuesday, the Spark Studio engaged in a dialogue about body care. The objective was simple yet meaningful: to help children recognize their own body sovereignty, and express, in a concrete way, what types of contact feel comfortable, uncomfortable, or context-dependent.
Through a dynamic activity using colored paper, valuable reflections emerged from the children. And their families, who joined us to observe during a Parents Coffee, got to see the process first hand.
A few weeks ago, Inés and Gianni (guides of Ascend and Discovery, respectively) traveled with the Pumas who attended the international Acton network gathering in El Salvador. Some Mapaches (parents of the Pumas) took turns accompanying the Discovery Tribe while they were away.
Our task was clear: simply be present, without intervening, unless there was an imminent safety risk.
In this blog we share three parent perspectives of what we observed.
This year in Ascend we are testing a new format for the weekly 360. One single question. The new format asks them to connect the score to what happened, and to name the impact on themselves and others. It also gives them shared language for what we actually care about: honoring promises, protecting teamwork, and keeping the Studio healthy.
We are starting the year and, with it, new adventures in the Spark Tribe. We have new members, and that makes us very happy. This blog will focus on this reconfiguration of the tribe, the mixed-age structure of the group, the adaptation process, and how these young Heroes gradually get to know and recognize one another along their journey.
As we begin a new year at Tinkuy, I return to something simple and powerful: the words we choose can strenghten us or wear us down. A cooked rice experiment in Discovery reminded us that the body listens, that complaining carries weight, and that loving words can protect, heal, and strengthen our bonds, especially when it’s time to repair.
This has been Tinkuy’s most peaceful, learner-driven year yet. No dramatic exits. No dragged-on conflicts. Difficulties, yes. Challenges, sure. But above all, joyful, focused growth and a strong culture of trust and respect. Our families have stepped in as true partners, and our guides have leaned courageously into the Acton philosophy: trusting children, letting them own their learning.
This new session arrived with a wave of change. Our older Pumas moved to a different Studio, and with that shift, Discovery took on a new shape. We are now a younger tribe, full of curiosity, playful energy and facing challenges that look different from those of past sessions. Every stage brings its own rhythm and this one invited us to slow down, observe and think.
As part of our natural desire to know, understand, or figure out something new—or to make sense of a particular phenomenon—curiosity comes up as a key word. It can be “cultivated” and can grow over time. This word—curiosity—has a real impact on how we learn and how we remember what we’ve learned, whether it’s in school, at home, or out in the community. Curiosity is something that’s often seen as innate in childhood—it leads to questions, wonder, and that spark of excitement when something suddenly makes sense. Yet, as adults, we’re also invited to keep observing and, above all, to let ourselves be amazed by the things that spark our curiosity.
The Art of War made me see strategy in a completely different way. Before reading it, I thought strategy was only for military leaders or people in politics. I didn’t realize how much it could apply to everyday life, like preparing for a pitch, solving a problem, or even deciding how to respond when something goes wrong.
These days, the air in the Studio feels different. Some Pumas will soon continue their journey in a new Studio, with new adventures, challenges, and opportunities to grow. For those who remain, something big is also happening. They will become the older ones in the tribe, the ones others look up to, the ones who set the tone for what Discovery feels like, as younger Pumas from the lower studio, Spark, will also join, ready to discover what it means to be part of this Studio.
One afternoon during flow time, the girls from Ascend (middle school) came into the studio, talking with concern. They had seen a younger girl in Discovery (elementary) trip another, who almost fell. It wasn’t the first time, they said. They had also seen her hair being pulled and heard teasing. And the girl took it as a joke, but laugh uncomfortably. “It didn’t sound real,” they noted. “She looked uneasy, like she didn’t know how to set limits.” From here on, a powerful collective learning process developed.
