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Elementary students showing their flags they made at The Willows

Wisdom of The Willows Blog

Faculty, administrators & members of our unique community share their knowledge and reflect on topics that inspire and motivate them and influence education and learning in our world. Please explore and join the conversation.

Exploring Biodiversity and Giving Back: The Willows Service-Learning Trip to Costa Rica

Over spring break, a group of 30 Willows Middle School students had the unforgettable opportunity to travel to Costa Rica for a unique service-learning experience that combined environmental stewardship, cultural immersion, and hands-on science. Over the course of the trip, students learned from biologists, conservationists, and local community members to help support projects aimed at preserving the country’s rich biodiversity and natural beauty.

Listening to Nature: The Bird Calls Phone at The Willows

Tweet! Tweet! Dialing Up!

If you visit our campus, you may see an unusual sight: students and staff using a pay phone. No change is required to use this payphone! It’s a Bird Calls Phone! Installed on the outside of our Willows 3 Building, the phone is used by students throughout the day. Simply pick up the handset and push a dial-pad number and you hear various bird calls. This ornithological landscape also offers brief information about each bird such as habitat and description.

Group pic of those that attended the Pollyanna conference representing The Willows

For years, The Willows has proudly sent students, faculty, alumni, parents, administrators, and trustees to the inspiring Pollyanna conference at Harvard-Westlake. These gathering have become an integral part of our community’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

For those that have never attended, you might be wondering – what exactly is Pollyanna, and why does it matter?

10 Key Experiences Willows Students Enjoy Before Graduation

How do you provide an education that prepares students not just for school, but for life? By providing meaningful experiences. From the moment students step into our classrooms in Developmental Kindergarten to the day they graduate in 8th Grade, they embark on an engaging educational journey that shapes their character, nurtures their creativity, and builds their skills for life beyond school.

Each grade at The Willows offers unique opportunities that define a student’s journey and contribute to who they become as learners and citizens. These signature experiences are deeply rooted in our mission to cultivate curiosity, collaboration, and confidence in every child.

Here are 10 experiences—one for each grade—that Willows student will experience before graduation.

7 Things You Might Not Know About The Willows Lower School

The Willows is committed to a balanced yet demanding progressive curriculum rooted in experiential learning and social values. Our Lower School program fosters a rich, supportive environment that allows children to grow cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically. Here are seven unique aspects of The Willows’ Lower School program. 

The Importance of Cultural Programming

Multicultural programming is an essential component of a well-rounded education at The Willows. By exposing students of all ages to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives, we cultivate a community of open-minded, empathetic, and globally aware individuals. Each school year, we hold a variety of school-wide and grade-specific programs dedicated to sharing the cultural significance and history of a myriad of cultures.

Media Literacy lesson with 3rd graders

My name is Brian Tousey; I am the Media Literacy Coordinator at The Willows. Since 1997, I’ve also worked as a classroom teacher, primarily in the Middle School.  From the moment I began teaching, I immediately incorporated media into my lessons. It felt like a natural extension of the educational training I received at the University of Illinois.

New Teacher, No Problem! 6 Tips to Help your Student Adjust Easily

The beginning of a new school year means resuming many familiar habits and routines. However, adjusting to a new grade and teacher can be both exciting and challenging, even if your student has a group of familiar friends in their class. Here’s some advice for students to help them navigate this transition smoothly.

More than an Argument: Debate

Forming strong and concise arguments is a fundamental skill that grows increasingly vital as students progress through their academic journey. At The Willows, we understand the significance of this skill and mindfully integrate its development into our curriculum as early as 3rd grade. By the time students reach Middle School, they have the opportunity to delve deeper into argumentation by joining our debate team.

Lunar New Year Dragon Mural Created by All the Students

As lower school art teachers at The Willows, Kristy Acero & Christian Isbell are no strangers to big ideas. It’s common for them to incorporate curricular lessons into ideas for thoughtful and detailed student art projects, transforming them into artistic prompts for a wide variety of classes. With these prompts. students often explore visual meaning through their own individual perspectives. However, more recently, Kristy & Christian shared an idea to celebrate Lunar New Year, not as individuals, but as a collective Willows community.

All in on Hands-On Learning: Intersession

For a single week each school year, The Willows pauses the day-to-day curriculum and delves into Intersession, an in-depth, cross-disciplinary study of a single theme conducted in multi-age groups. This year’s projects will examine the 2023-2024 school-wide theme, Strength. Intersession activities always promote collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills for every age group.

Empowering Students: Middle School

The transition from lower school to middle school marks a pivotal moment in a student's educational journey. New responsibilities and learning opportunities lead to a significant leap towards autonomy. At The Willows, we embrace this transition as a transformative period for our students, recognizing each child's unique gift—a curious mind, ready to explore and eager to learn. 

All Together Now: Family Ed Night at The Willows

Every year for Family Education Night at The Willows, we invite all students and their families onto our campus to experience firsthand experiential learning through hands-on activity. The theme this year is Mathematics. Throughout all grades, families will be able to go to their child’s classroom and work together on engaging math activities

The Willows 6th Grade Forensics & Civics Unit, private school Los Angeles

At the onset of each new school year, Willows 6th Graders embark on a multi-month unit focused on forensic sciences and their intersection with the U. S. judicial system. Simulations of forensic activities help demonstrate these essential processes. Starting with a mock crime scene in the science lab,

Cultivating School Garden, The Willows Independent School, Los Angeles private school

In a past blog discussing our school-wide theme Strength, we stated that we “encourage our community to resolve to make the difficult decisions when there are quicker and easier alternatives available.” This notion is demonstrated in the collective work done through our composting program, led by Willows Middle School teacher Liz Stocksdale.

First Day of School at The Willows, Independent School in Culver City, CA

When faced with the decision of where to send your child to school, there are a wide variety of factors to consider. Such an important choice deserves careful consideration to ensure that your child receives the best opportunities for success. From optimal teacher-to-student ratios to dedicated and innovative teachers...

First Grade Sign at Private School in Culver City, CA

Welcome Back Willows! We hope that you had an enjoyable summer full of rest and relaxation and are ready for the start of school next week! Before you know it, we’ll be fully immersed in academics, athletics, and the arts, so take a moment now to establish a plan for the upcoming year.

Sunflower in Garden at a private school in Los Angeles

The school-wide theme for the 2023/24 year is Strength. Throughout the school year, we will consider Strength in curriculum and community, investigating how each of us can adopt healthy mental, emotional, and physical ideas of strength.

Lower school teacher doing an art lesson at The Willows, los angeles private school

Few skills, if any, are more fundamental to early childhood education than reading. The American Academy of Pediatrics affirms this sharing that “reading regularly...

End of Year Reflections

As the school year winds down, it’s important we all take time to reflect on the year. So many of us get consumed in the daily grind that we often forget to intentionally...

middle school students in Friday electives at The Willows, los angeles private school

It’s Friday after lunch and there’s a lot of buzz and shuffling happening in the middle school hallways. Students are swapping out their lunch boxes for the supplies...

Students at The Willows Fashion Show, culver city private school

At The Willows, we believe each child brings our community an extraordinary gift: a curious mind, ready to explore, and eager to learn. We believe that in order to allow our children to grow into lifelong...

When to Push Your Child

Parents all want what’s best for their child but what do you do when your child is faced with something that is challenging to them? How do you react when your child...

Tips to Overcome a Picky Eater

If you have a picky eater, you know how difficult and stressful every meal can be. While it’s easier to let your child eat whatever and avoid the struggle, it’s not a long-term healthy solution. The good thing...

3rd Grade Exhibition

Parents want the best for their children and that means providing them with the tools and skills needed to live a productive, successful, and meaningful life. One trait that parents want for their kids is leadership. Why is it that so many parents...

One Student’s Letter to The President

A few weeks ago-as a nation, we embarked on a historic moment. Our nation swore in Joe Biden as President and the first woman and person of South Asian and African American...

DK teacher teaching MAKER to students

S.T.E.M., the term coined to abbreviate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, has become a staple in early education, with curricula evolving to recognize...

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Cover of The Wisdom of The Willows blow, private school Culver City

 

 

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