Wendy Quezada joined Westridge in fall 2024 as a 4th grade humanities and homeroom teacher, bringing over 20 years of kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 4th grade instruction, as well as a master’s in education with an emphasis on elementary literacy from Walden University and a bachelor’s in psychology from Cal State LA. As the mom of a girls’ school graduate, Wendy also has a unique perspective on the impact of a classroom environment where girls’ voices are heard by adults and peers alike.
 

What was your first impression of Westridge? What have you learned about the school in your first year as a Lower School teacher?

My first impression was the beautiful campus; it is spacious, calm, and welcoming. Then my second impression was quickly that all the people I met who work here are so warm and professional—and smart! Academically, I was so impressed with the program: how well-rounded it is. My students get to experience different teachers throughout the day… they don’t just have me all day—they get the benefit of being with Ms. Houser, who is the expert in math, and the same continues when they go to art and chorus and PE and STEM and the library.

What differences do you see between your Westridge classroom and your past classrooms or co-ed teaching environments? 

I’ve said before to my family, ‘this is what teaching is supposed to be.’ 

The class size alone allows me to hear each student’s voice every day. And they’re used to that—everyone is going to share their opinions and everyone is going to have a part in the discussion. It’s a huge thing, to have such a small number so I can get to know them very early in the year and provide the support they need and the challenge they need, but also to have them come out of their shell. 

In the beginning of the year we talked a lot and did exercises on our core values (integrity, responsibility, inclusion, and respect)... and they learned that this is really a safe place. In this classroom, we are all going to speak, we are all going to listen to each other’s opinions, we’re all going to be respectful, we’re going to discuss and your opinions might change. Having all girls and a small classroom has allowed us to get to know each other and respect our opinions and differences. That didn’t necessarily happen when I had boys and girls, and when I had 34 students.

How is the Westridge Lower School model unique?

I’ve always worked in a self-contained classroom, where I am in charge of almost all the subjects. [By rotating to teachers who are subject-matter experts for math, science and the like], in addition to expertise students get the benefit of different teaching styles, different personalities, and different expectations. It’s only going to help them as they get older; usually kids don’t get that experience until they’re in middle school or high school, but our kids are already getting it in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. There are a lot more opportunities at Westridge. At other schools you would call art, and Spanish and music classes “specialty,” but here I feel like every class is specialty.

Tell us about your teaching philosophy.

I believe all children can learn and succeed and want to learn and succeed. And they do that best when they’re in an environment where they feel cared about, nurtured, and safe. I strive to create that early on—a place where they know you can make mistakes, that mistakes mean you are learning. We all make mistakes, we’re all human, and we’re all here to learn from and support each other. When you provide the right kind of environment (and, of course, create awesome lessons!), they show up and want to do well when they feel safe enough to try. 
 

What drew you to teach at a girls’ school?

I’ve wanted to teach in a girls’ school for a long time. My daughter just graduated from an all-girls high school…her experience there is what solidified [my decision]. She entered high school as a typical teenage girl, but wow, she graduated with finding her voice and questioning a lot but in a great way. Asking “why do we do this?” and “why does it have to be done this way?” and “can there be a better way to do things?”—a lot of the same things we talk about [at Westridge]. She was like that when she was younger, and when she got to junior high she withdrew… it all came back in her four years [at a girls’ school]. After that I said ‘ooh, I want to be a part of something like that.’

Are there any misconceptions about girls’ schools you want to prove wrong?

When my own daughter was starting at a girls’ school, a colleague from a [co-ed] school said “So you’re not going to introduce her to the real world?” On the contrary, what I believe is that I’m not keeping her from the real world… the real world is going to be there—it’s coming! I’m giving her this time when she gets to learn in a new way and where she can blossom and discover. I’m providing this special environment that she’s never going to get again. 

What would you tell a prospective parent about Westridge?

This is a really special place, and your daughter is going to have the benefit of being taught by a lot of experts in their field. The school offers a one-of-a-kind, unique educational experience. I haven’t met one person who’s not excited about what they teach, and it shows: the lessons are rich and the girls are engaged. 

As a parent, I wish I would have sent my daughter here. There’s a real power in girls’ education.