“MSO and my teachers have helped me feel prepared for high school next year. I am sad to leave as I will miss everyone and I have such wonderful memories since I was little, but I am confident that what I learned here will help me in my future. The staff and teachers love the students and it shows! I am grateful for all the love I have been given and the ability and freedom to be myself.”
What happens when your child leaves Montessori School of Ojai?
Children will leave MSO with certain values. They will have a deep respect for the needs and capabilities of other people, as well as an appreciation for diversity in all forms. When a child leaves the Montessori environment, he/she will have acquired:
Academic preparation
Creativity and originality of thought
Global awareness
Autonomy
Intrinsic motivation
Love of learning
Confidence and competence
Lasting friendships
The answer to the question, “What is next for my child?” is inevitably a personal one for every family. Our goals are for the children to be well rounded, happy, responsible, fulfilled and prepared for the next step. We work with the family and the future school through the transition process, so that it may be as smooth and comfortable as possible.
Students who leave MSO succeed in both traditional public school settings as well as private schools. Montessori School of Ojai graduates have attended Yale, M.I.T., and Oxford, just to name a few.
“Every year I attended MSO I got to learn and experience new things, not only in the classroom but also outdoors. The staff to student relationships makes it feel like we’re all part of a family more so than a school.”
““At MSO, I felt loved and appreciated by my teachers and peers. I was never afraid to ask questions and always encouraged to explore my own creative ideas. We worked at our own pace in the classroom and were challenged up to the level of our natural abilities. One of my fondest memories was our school newspaper. We spent a portion of every day working on this- going on field trips to conduct interviews, writing short stories, taking pictures, etc…We collaborated on the project as a team on not only the content but also the production, organization, and distribution. We all loved it and I know I learned things in that experience I’d never get from taking a test or reading a textbook.””
“For first grade through eighth grade, I attended Montessori School of Ojai which has a very unique program. Montessori school curricula emphasize independence, curiosity, and freedom. I was able to go at my own pace to an extent, and was able to make choices on my curriculum. The most important skill I gained from Montessori was my ability to work independently. Due to all of the classes at Montessori being self-directed, I had to be motivated to do my work. That skill has stayed with me.”