Humanities

Although interdisciplinary work has become very much the fashion, the reasons behind it are not always fully evident. By contrast, the Humanities courses (loosely based on UCLA cluster courses) in grades 6, 9, and 12, provide a series of motivated engagements between different disciplines. Strategically placed at entry points of middle and high school, as well as the transitional 12th grade, the Humanities courses aim to forge a vibrant sense of community within each grade level, as well as to provide a grounding in essential skills and analytical perspectives. Students develop an array of strategies as they compare the specific content and skills offered by individual disciplines and are supported to develop their own frames for meaningfully integrating the various forms of knowledge.

Humanities classes are required in grades 6, 9 and 12 and take the place of separate History and English classes in those years.