High School: A Project-Based Multi-Disciplinary Academy
The world changed. Education did not.
Teacher. Desk. Study. Test. Forget. Repeat.
Graduate.
Why is school still like this?
Conventional public and private schools were designed in the 1800s to prepare youth for industrial factory jobs. The world has changed. Fundamentally, schools have not.
Considering all these fundamental changes and challenges in the world around us, let’s talk about some of the major problems faced by students and their families in high school today.
1. Low interest in learning.
More and more often, students do not want to attend school and lose interest in learning. Learning difficulties, behavioral or emotional issues of students, boredom or not feeling challenged by the schoolwork, improper school or academic support – these are just some of the reasons that lots of families face these days.
What does Westmont Montessori high school academy do differently? Providing room for creativity within the structure is one of the answers. Working together in small groups on a variety of projects that spark imagination and engage children’s intellect while teaching them how to become responsible adults.
2. Improper teacher-to-students ratio.
Another problem in education today is that schools have too many students per teacher and overcrowded classrooms. The improper teacher-to-student ratio results in poor performance amongst students. Students simply do not get the attention they need.
What does Westmont Montessori high school academy do differently? Working in a smaller classroom develops a sense of community during the year. Teenagers who believe in community care about those who are in it. These students are then on a path towards being good members of the community as adults.
3. Outdated Curriculum.
Another great problem of modern education is an outdated curriculum. Although many schools have transformed the educational system, many features of the curriculum remained unchanged.
What does Westmont Montessori high school academy do differently? The main focus is to provide a different real-world experience, allowing students to engage in numerous multi-disciplinary projects through which they will uncover curricular content and address core competencies. This way the school creates a safe environment for the children to learn how to succeed and how to fail. Like in real life, it is important to learn how to recover from your own mistakes. By creating a safe environment for your child, school can prepare them to overcome possible difficulties in their future, both in terms of their personal and professional life.
4. What’s next?
Finally, one of the biggest problems of modern high schools is the fact that graduates are often not ready for what follows. Be it post-secondary education or a career right out of high school. More and more universities, colleges and employers around the globe are not satisfied with the performance of recent graduates. That means the system is not preparing these students well for the challenges that will follow.
What does Westmont Montessori high school academy do differently? Practical education is one of the answers! Here at Westmont, the team of professional educators and innovators have been designing and fine tuning its ground-breaking high school program. This program has been created to better prepare students for a rapidly changing professional environment for both the present and the future. It is intended to disrupt the more common educational model that creates a disconnect between the real world and the classroom.
The Westmont Approach
Westmont Montessori high school academy intends to provide real world experiences with exceptional academics and personal growth opportunities. This approach follows the fundamental Montessori principle of developing the whole individual. The program is demanding on students, challenging them in all realms, but at the same time is immensely rewarding.
It provides an experience to address all aforementioned problems. Westmont Montessori high school academy sets students up to adapt to a world that is rapidly changing, with new professions and vocations, some of which are unimaginable to us at the present time.
Westmont provides a safe and dynamic space for students. This environment fosters the individual’s motivation to learn and to grow, with an emphasis on self-development. The school’s cutting-edge program creates an experience that makes learning relevant, reflective of the world we live in, and the future we see ahead.