Our Mission
Westwood develops character, fosters community,
and promotes academic excellence in a
welcoming, supportive environment.
Our vision, as teachers and parents,
is to encourage students in responsible citizenship
so each can make a positive, personal contribution
and actively participate in the national and global community.
The Westwood School Difference
Since 1986, The Westwood School has provided an outstanding Montessori environment, beginning at the preschool level, that is now blended with the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Westwood is an authorized IB World School offering the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) grades 7-10 and the IB Diploma Programme (DP) grades 11-12.
The Westwood School:
- Offers tri-lingual programs for toddler through preschool
- emphasizes personal ethics and responsibility within a caring, supportive community.
- emphasizes the individual relationship between each child and the teacher.
- offers International Baccalaureate Programmes, synonymous with student-centered curriculum, academic rigor, and international mindedness.
- designs specific assignments to build students’ confidence through experimentation, repetition, and recitation.
- provides a balance of one-on-one and small group presentations.
- expands students’ mastery of mind and body, through core athleticism, to excel in both wilderness experience and sports
- provides an environment where students develop a strong sense of independence, self-confidence, and self-discipline.
- develops entrereneurial skills through experience operating an actual business, the IBeanery
- students commit to leaving the world better than they found it, becoming better themselves in the process.
- maintains a tradition of student-to-student mentoring, affording each student the opportunity to solidify personal skills while guiding peers.
- annual Shakespeare production, and various national competitions, enable students to sharpen leadership skills and understand group dynamics and project management.
- graduates go out into the world not just to do great things but to do the right things
Comparison of Traditional & Montessori Methods
Traditional Method: |
Montessori Method: |
| Curriculum structured with little regard for child’s interests | Child’s work is self-paced from own interest, abilities |
| Teacher-driven curriculum | Child formulates concepts from exploration of materials |
| Emphasis on rote knowledge, social development | Emphasis on cognitive structure, social development |
| Few materials for sensory,concrete manipulation | Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration, development as concept base |
| Single-age grouping | Mixed-age grouping |
| Child usually given specific time for work | Child works as long as desired on chosen project |
| Instruction pace set by group norm or teacher | Child sets own learning pace to internalize information |
| Errors corrected by teacher | Child spots own errors through feedback from material or help from teacher |
| Learning reinforced externally by rewards, discouragements | Learning reinforced internally through child’s repetition of activity, feelings of success |
| Little emphasis or instruction on maintenance of classroom environment | Organized program for learning care of self and classroom environment |
| Child’s seat assigned; encouraged to sit still during group sessions | Child can work where comfortable, move and talk at will (while not disturbing others); group work is voluntary and negotiable |
| Teacher is primary enforcer of discipline | Environment, method encourage self-discipline |
| Teacher’s role is dominant, active; child is passive participant | Teacher’s role unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning |
| Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult’s teaching style | Individual and group instruction adapted to each child’s learning style |
| Most teaching done by teacher; collaboration not encouraged | Children encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other |
| Voluntary parental involvement, often only as fundraisers; non-participants in understanding the learning process | Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process |
