Solve Creatively.
Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.
James Baldwin
Is the first answer that comes to mind the right one? Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe it works but another solution could work better. Maybe you have to solve a problem with someone who’s assumptions are different than your own and you have to take the long way to common ground. At Montgomery, solving creatively is a habit, not an answer. It’s the path to discovery and an assurance that we are always striving to do our best (even when we don’t know what our best looks like).
Whether it’s benefitting from creative problem-solving when teachers adapted the curriculum during COVID-19, or exploring new ways to think about old problems in their Design for a Difference capstone project, Montgomery students know that building a body of knowledge is a process. With teachers who value deliberate and thoughtful mistake-making, students learn resilience and come to understand that there are many paths to success.
The three pillars that frame the Montgomery School experience support who we are as well as who we will become—as a school, as collaborative learners, and as graduates. Our pillars are both descriptive and directive: this is what we do now, and these are the habits we are committed to practicing in the world.
Think Boldly
Thinking boldly at Montgomery means considering the thoughts less traveled.
Solve Creatively
Solving creatively at Montgomery means looking past the first answer (or lack of one) that comes to mind.
Lead Compassionately
Leading compassionately at Montgomery means making decisions in someone else’s shoes.
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