Universities and Fortune 500 companies use Systems Thinking, yet this discipline, which helps students understand and navigate a complex world, isn’t widely taught or used in schools. Willow students are engaged with Systems Thinking in elementary and middle school through interdisciplinary studies and projects. This way of thinking prepares them to be good problem solvers and effective citizens who know how to create positive change in the world.Here’s how Willow students practice Systems Thinking in our classrooms: 

• When Grade 5 students study the Agricultural Revolution, they are tasked with formulating a sustainable innovation that would lessen the revolution’s impact on the environment.
• Grade 6 students create Systems Thinking maps during their in-depth study of the American Dust Bowl. The project deepens their understanding of the interdependent relationships among ecosystems during this period of history.
• Grade 8 students apply Systems Thinking to their analysis and understanding of slavery in Colonial America using the “Iceberg Model.”

Innovative companies like Google practice Genius Hour, and so do Willow’s third, fourth, and fifth graders. Genius Hour gives students dedicated time to explore a passion or interest and develop a project that demonstrates their understanding and mastery of the topic. Willow students have used their Genius Hour to investigate the story behind #KindnessRocks and develop their own fundraiser for a local food ban and investigate how a roller coaster works. They have also researched the lives of entrepreneurs, partnered with a local bakery to learn how to make their favorite baked goods, and explored the construct of the Rube Goldberg machine. Click to learn more about the lifelong benefits of Genius Hour. 

We believe that meaningful exposure to multiple world languages is vital to forming global citizens who can communicate across cultures. French and Spanish are taught in Grades K- 2. In Grade 3, students choose to continue with French or Spanish until Grade 8. The progression of study includes fluency (speaking and understanding), proficiency (reading and writing), and cultural appreciation. Latin, the root of so many world languages, is required in Grades 6-8 in addition to French or Spanish..Grade 7 and 8 students have earned numerous awards in the National Latin Exam, a competition involving more than 150,000 Latin students throughout the U.S. and 20 foreign countries.

One of the most recognized attributes of Willow students is their ease and ability with public speaking. Children are encouraged to find their voice at an early age in classroom meetings, discussions, and Morning Gathering, where every student in every grade has multiple opportunities to ask questions, present insights from class studies and projects, and contribute ideas to a school-wide conversation.The benefits of the constant practice of communication is most evident at Graduation when each Grade 8 student delivers thought-provoking, powerful, and sometimes hilarious speeches reflecting upon their time at Willow.