Learning at Webb
Unbounded Philosophy
At Webb we focus on students and a simple principle – learning by doing. In the late 1920s, a young science teacher joined Webb and set about developing his passion for the study of life. Ray Alf became internationally renowned for engaging students in real science through paleontology. His passion for paleontology led to the development of the only accredited museum of paleontology on a school campus anywhere in the world. Today, his devotion to learning by doing is seen in the work of every academic department, afternoon activity, our field study and academic partnerships, and many other special school-wide programs at Webb. That’s the Alf Method.
The Alf Method
Discovery Learning
Active Scholarship
Webb’s 24/7 learning community engages students through directed discovery learning. Whether in the science lab or the humanities classroom, our faculty serve as learning coaches who guide students in an active learning environment that allows them not only to acquire a core body of knowledge but also teaches them how to inquire and investigate using the latest methods of scholars and researchers.
Our problem-based mathematics program moves students through advanced calculus, not through rote practice of skills in isolated units but by building problem solving skills as students together and with their teacher tackle real-life problems that often combine various branches of mathematics.
Our humanities program and faculty develop students’ abilities to construct arguments and mount evidence in classroom debates, and many students choose to build on this training by participating in interscholastic competitions as part of our debate team.
In Afternoon Activities, our robotics program fuses math and science as students work in a team to design and build an autonomous robot to compete in First Robotics Competitions, learning and employing key principles of engineering, teamwork and design.
Throughout the program, students are at the center of Webb’s academic program, actively engaged in designing their own education in classes that blend content, theory and activities to create rich, multi-disciplinary learning experiences.
Alf Method Tenets
Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology
Perhaps nothing displays Webb’s distinctiveness more than the fact that every student at Webb is involved in our museum program — the only one of its kind in the world — The Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology.
All Webb students study paleontology during ninth-grade science. All students journey into the field on a fossil expedition — unearthing specimens for serious scientific study. Students here who develop a passion for this work can continue their study in paleontology through our honors and Advanced Studies museum research program. Students conduct original research (and often publish it in peer-reviewed journals) under the direction of our faculty paleontologists.
Academic Partnerships
At Webb, we feel it is critical to provide opportunities for students to extend their education beyond our campus and classrooms through experiential programs and academic partnerships. We are pleased to offer students the chance to learn with faculty from Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, UC Riverside, Western University of Health Science and others. Learn more
Afternoon Activities
Each season, Webb students may choose from a host of Afternoon Activities to deepen their knowledge, build skills or express themselves. Official afternoon activities at Webb utilize the best of our on-campus resources, while also making use of our proximity to Los Angeles and the wilderness areas of Southern California.
Programs run the gamut from robotics to debate training, museum research to community service, yearbook to yoga, art studio to theater, literary magazine to a science fair research lab.
Symposium Days
Symposium Days provide an opportunity to explore and celebrate intellectual curiosity beyond the classroom. By providing a forum for students and teachers to engage with new ideas that go beyond the traditional curriculum, we foster unbounded thinking across disciplines. Two such programs at Webb include the Men in the Arena for WSC students and Dies Mulieres for VWS students.
Men in the Arena offers students and teachers a variety of active and reflective workshops that promote positive images of masculinity while dispelling negative cultural stereotypes.
Dies Mulieres, “Day of the Women,” celebrates and explores the many facets of womanhood and the important issues facing women today. Most workshops are designed and presented by students, teachers, alumni and friends of Webb.
