Montessori Curriculum at Oneness-Family School in Chevy Chase
THE ONENESS-FAMILY
SCHOOL Curriculum
Our learning program combines a traditional Montessori curriculum with an emphasis on mindfulness, social-emotional development, and leadership skills. The Oneness-Family School curriculum focuses on the development of a deep understanding of the world and the interrelationships between all living and non-living things.
- Students become part of a warm and supportive learning community
- We challenge students to “think big” and build a global perspective
- Students learn to make connections and think holistically
Learning To Think Holistically
Our academic program encompasses math, language, science, history, geography, and practical life skills. All of these subjects are taught in an integrated thematic way so that students learn how to make connections between subjects and think holistically.
This approach helps students see the relevance of their learning in real-world contexts and encourages curiosity across disciplines.
In the Academy component of our curriculum, students develop skills such as goal setting, cultural awareness, idea synthesis, organization skills, and critical thinking. We challenge students to “think big” and support this by encouraging them to keep a global perspective and an awareness of how every action has an impact.
As a result, our students not only gain the skills they need to be successful in the world, but build the self–awareness and sense of purpose necessary to change the world for the better.
Elise Van Leer (’13)
One of my main main takeaways from Oneness was developing a true curiosity about life and love for discovery.
One of my main main takeaways from Oneness was developing a true curiosity about life and love for discovery. From an early age, the Montessori approach taught me to be a hands-on learner and ask questions that matter.
I think it is what guided me toward science, which is an experimental field where new knowledge is always being created and old knowledge is being turned over. If I hadn’t been encouraged by the environment at Oneness, I wouldn’t have had such an intrinsic and sustaining desire to keep asking questions and always to remain a skeptic. I studied pharmacology at McGill University and feel fortunate to call on principles that were taught to me early on — compassion, creativity, and compromise — that are sometimes neglected in the hard sciences but are nonetheless so important. I will keep these principles foremost in mind as I study medicine at Emory University.
As for my favorite OFS memory, the one that stands out is traveling to London for a class trip in the 8th grade and jumping on the beds in the townhouse where we stayed while screaming along to “The Lion King.” It was a truly gleeful moment.
— Elise Van Leer, Student 2002-2013, Grades PS to 8
The Montessori Approach
Dr. Maria Montessori’s approach to teaching emphasizes self-directed learning through hands-on, sensory-rich activities in a carefully prepared environment that fosters independence and respect for a child’s natural development.
Explore Our Programs
Toddler Program
Our Montessori Little Stars preschool and daycare program provides a warm, welcoming, and inclusive atmosphere for children and families in the Chevy Chase area. Our youngest students participate in the wider community life of the school in ways that nurture a sense of belonging and are appropriate to age and activity levels.
Primary Programs
The Oneness-Family School primary program for students in preschool through kindergarten is grounded in the child-centered, Montessori approach. The multi-sensory learning environments of our classrooms encourage children’s discoveries about themselves and their world, building practical skills, joy in creativity, and a strong foundation in math, languages, and science.
Lower Elementary
In our lower and upper elementary programs there is a strong emphasis on cultivating community, finding one’s own voice, and contributing to a peaceful and sustainable world. Individualized learning, allowing students to immerse themselves in their area of interest, facilitates mastery of essential academic skills in language, math, social studies, and science, and world languages.
Upper Elementary
In our lower and upper elementary programs there is a strong emphasis on cultivating community, finding one’s own voice, and contributing to a peaceful and sustainable world. Individualized learning, allowing students to immerse themselves in their area of interest, facilitates mastery of essential academic skills in language, math, social studies, and science, and world languages.
Middle School
The only Montessori middle school in the region, our students thrive in this academically challenging, interdisciplinary program, developing the time-management, work habits, and social skills important in high school and beyond. Students are encouraged to think critically on how they can make a difference on local, national, and global levels.
High School
The Oneness-Family High School cultivates global citizens in a progressive, close-knit learning community. Our accredited Montessori program emphasizes experiential learning, small classes, community-focused internships, and a groundbreaking Leadership program that empowers students to address complex 21st-century problems that require creativity and collaboration.
Accreditations, Validations & Memberships
