In an academic year, there are five cycles of work that includes an immersion week at the end of each cycle. Each cycle is six weeks. The fifth week of the cycle is a synthesis of what was learned: cycle theme tests, vocabulary tests, projects, and presentations. The cycle format is designed to help students learn organizational, decision-making, and time-management skills. Students keep a graph of the work completed each week. All academic work is due every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Daily work consists of math problems, literature reading and responses, apprentice sentences and personal reflections.

The math work involves a math lesson and practice problems. Upon completion of the lesson, students should check their work and correct any errors. Each student will be given the math answers. If a student needs help on any problems, they are to indicate the problem numbers at the top of the page and ask for assistance the next day. Students take a quiz every week and at the end of each cycle there is a comprehensive test. There is also an end of year test that encompasses all math topics covered up to that point. Math work should take approximately 30-60 minutes per day.

Daily language work requires approximately 45 minutes each day for reading a text and responding to it using the Writing about Reading Strategies presented in class. Each week, students choose the readings by working in their small group. They read each day, and respond, by writing a minimum of five sentences or 100 words. There are also choices for poems or drawings, but there must always be a written response. Each week (except week five) there will be an Apprentice Sentence, with daily steps to completion. Both a first draft and revised draft are required. Apprentice sentences are shared on Thursday. Writing process pieces are completed using all of the steps of the writing process, with a final piece published during week five of the cycle. Students are scored on a rubric to show mastery. All written work is compiled in their writer’s notebooks.

Parents are asked to support their adolescent by providing a family schedule that allows time and space each evening for schoolwork. For concentrated learning to occur, students should study without the distractions of television and phones. Student’s work assignments are given out at the beginning of each cycle. Thus students know their assignments in advance so they can learn to plan ahead and avoid conflicts or late night studying. The first time a student does not complete his/her daily work or bring necessary belongings to school, he/she completes the top section of the parent communication form and consults with a parent to create a plan to complete the assignment. The second time a student does not complete his/her daily work or bring necessary belongings to school, he/she fills out the bottom of the parent communication form with a plan to complete the assignment and takes it home to be signed by a parent. The third time a student does not complete his/her homework or bring necessary belongings to school, a conference is held and an action plan is initiated (see the parent communication form in the appendix).

During the year, students will attend six immersion weeks (out-trips).  Why schedule immersion weeks?

• Transition: In her writings about adolescents, M. Montessori talks about the need for a change in pace.She talks of a year being too long a period to focus on.Breaking the year into six week cycles allows students to reflect on their progress and decide what they would like to change for the following six weeks.Immersion weeks offer a clear transition from one six week cycle into the next.
• Community: Our other main goal is community building.By spending a full four days together, the students get to see and support each other in new and unfamiliar situations, thus building a stronger community.In community, the goal is not always to enjoy each other, but to respect and make room for each other.Immersion weeks help build that faculty.
• Application: At its best, the immersion week offers the students an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned throughout the cycle in practical situations and in new surroundings.
• Service: A long term goal for immersion weeks is to provide service back to the community.

Mastery learning is a form of personalized learning that gives students the necessary time to master skills before progressing to the next level of work.  The student takes on the responsibility of learning a skill versus merely accepting a low grade and never really learning the information.  The teacher’s job is to break down the learning steps, to offer suggestions for internalizing the knowledge, and to give the time necessary to learn the information. 

According to research, the advantage of mastery learning is that it offers clear expectations, fosters mastery of a unit of study, is not competitive, and encourages student responsibility.  Its disadvantage, as listed by researchers, is that too many students receive A’s. 

The student’s cycle reports indicate that courses have been completed with at least 80% mastery.  The procedure is to offer information, provide learning strategies and activities, provide a variety of assessments – performance assessment with rubrics scale, quizzes, written tests, and self-assessments – and re-teach and retest if necessary. Quizzes are to give feedback during the learning process and require an 80+% score.  Tests are given at the closure of a body of work such as after the completion of an area of study in social world, natural world, math, and language. 

Tests are always corrected, no matter what the score, for learning.  In the event that a retest has to be taken, all subsequent tests will be more in-depth; therefore, certain criteria must be met before a retest is administered such as: reviewing previous material, completing supplemental work, and receiving additional instruction from a teacher when necessary. 

Study Hall is from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday. Study Hall provides an appropriate environment for students to complete daily work and get help. It gives students the opportunity to get homework done before starting extra-curricular activities or relaxing for the evening. It is an area where students can have quiet time for completing homework.Study Hall is a quiet space to allow students to focus. It is not a time for socializing and it is not a daycare service. Students who are disruptive to those studying or disrespectful to the teacher may be asked to leave.

Middle School students run student selected business(es), and the profits defray some of the costs of out-trips. Food items offered by the students follow the nutrition guidelines. Having students run and operate a business helps students to develop valuable and lifelong skills.

These businesses will be run throughout the year and the goal will be for the students to learn through process and feedback, not through final product.  To maximize the student’s growth and independence, we ask that parents do not provide support beyond transportation to the store to purchase supplies if necessary.  Students will write a proposal and receive a loan from the Wolf business account, if necessary.  We will provide students with a strong foundation for how to run a business and then they will work independently to pull it off.

Maria Montessori said, “When students come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.”  We see it every day and are profoundly grateful for the 160+ acres of forest-meets-ocean splendour that Westmont students have to explore, connect and learn.

Check out our Stunning Nature page herefor a campus and drone tour!