This interview explores the philosophy of habit formation at The Oaks Academy, a private K-8 school in Indianapolis. Rather than focusing on performance or skills, the school cultivates 12 key habits in students from a young age to support healthy relationships with God, others, and themselves. CEO Andrew Hart discusses replacing short-term rewards with an emphasis on character development and relationships. Listeners learn how the school's approach to habit formation through shared language and practices has led to strong student outcomes over 20 years. Discover an alternative educational philosophy that focuses on nurturing students' relational lives rather than just performance metrics.

Takeaways:

• Habit formation must be intentional, aligned across all experiences and supported by shared language to truly shape a school's culture.
• Replacing short-term rewards with an emphasis on virtues like responsibility and service nurtures students' intrinsic motivation to learn.
• Modeling desired behaviors consistently and allowing habits to form through imitation is key to positively influencing students' relational lives.
• It takes time for habits to take root, especially for students from challenging backgrounds - patience and presence is needed.
• Data shows the Oaks Academy's long-term approach leads to strong student outcomes, but the focus remains on cultivating healthy relationships.

Resources:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear - Book referenced on literature about habit formation
• Charlotte Mason - 19th century educator whose writings informed The Oaks Academy's philosophy
• Ambleside School (Fredericksburg, Texas) - School that some Oaks teachers visited that implements Charlotte Mason's ideas

‍Connect with Andrew Hart:

• LinkedIn
• The Oaks Academy

Learn more at stackinghabits.com or follow our habit adventures on Instagram.