Crossing Traditional Boundaries

At all levels and in every era, the structure of “school” has been defined by disciplines and departments. We educate students by subject to prepare them for the world and their futures. We help them master each area’s content and skills as determined by those who are educated deeply in them.

But what if in addition to this, goes recent thinking, schools were to think and work outside the silo (to mix two overused metaphors)? At George School, a push for interdisciplinary education is improving the learning experience for students and teachers alike.

Take, for example, a spring 2020 children’s lit project. When end-of-year IB exams were canceled due to the pandemic, Kim McGlynn wanted to keep her IB HL English students engaged at a high level despite being dispersed around the globe. She conceived of a different culminating experience— one where seniors could work with students from Jo¯ Adachi’s painting and drawing classes. Together they took the proffered lemons and baked mean lemon meringue pies. “I thought it would be fun to do a more creative project,” explains Kim, “Something nostalgic and whimsical, that would connect them to one another.” Having students write and illustrate picture books together “was a way to care for them at a difficult time and a way for them to give back to their community, pass on their knowledge, and start thinking about their place in the world as adults.”

“As a literature course, we talk a lot about authorial choices: developing tone, using figurative language, matching language to audience,” Kim continues. Creating children’s books allowed them to make those choices, including how to present serious subjects in words and images. A few students who were also in IB Global Politics crossed yet another “subject line” by using their story as their peace project (see The Critter Chronicles sidebar). For Jo¯ ’s art students, the assignment “fit perfectly” because “it had creative thinking, problem solving, skill development, and the added bonus of collaboration” as part of a project (publishing books) “resembling real-life experience.”

The assignment fit perfectly because it had creative thinking, problem solving, skill development, and the added bonus of collaboration as part of a project (publishing books) resembling real-life experience.

That, it turns out, is one of the biggest reasons to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The real world does not confine itself to departments.

If you look at a topic—structural inequities, say—only in history class, it can feel abstract. Applying a statistical analysis from economics or math, however, adds dimension and brings it to life. Students who think of themselves as a “humanities person” or a “math person” come to realize that understanding subjects in different ways makes them a successful “person,” period. And the ability to see from different perspectives developed through cross-disciplinary work further promotes open-mindedness and civic discourse.

George School has been exploring innovative, cross-disciplinary curricula for at least a decade. In 2011, the FOCUS Committee, “a committee of teachers for teachers committed to the art and practice of teaching” was created “for the purpose of facilitating cross-departmental communication and fostering academic skills in our students.” Supported and excited by one another, its members have been at the forefront of initiating interdisciplinary projects and courses.

An early example, Thinking Across Disciplines was a program for sophomores. Spurred by research into learning and the brain, it asked students to explore the different ways people learn in different fields and to understand how they learn best. Robotics classes are another example, and not just because they are cross-listed by the math and science departments. Design, too, is a major component, with students programming their individualized robots for tasks ranging from playing soccer to writing poetry, navigating a maze to flying. Indeed, robotics at George School goes full STEAM.

This fall’s new media literacy and production course (see page 8) bridges art and history much as the hugely successful film/politics/English documentary project has in recent years. Several of the films that resulted from it were recognized in the annual Speak Truth to Power video competition, covered in a previous issue of the Georgian.

In early 2020, students in four IB classes (economics, environmental science and systems, world literature, and global politics) did an intensive case study on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Working in small groups that spanned classes, students approached the topic of development in a national park from different angles, while all addressing the project’s driving question: “What is our global responsibility to invest in the betterment of other societies?”

These and other IB courses are ripe for crossdisciplinary collaboration, despite the time pressures for covering content. Director of Professional Development and Evaluation Meredith Baldi ’01 describes the diploma program as offering “a holistic curriculum with cross-points intentionally built in.” Kim, the IB Coordinator, likens it to concentric circles with the student at its center and interdisciplinary learning “the soul of IB.” Perhaps no course is as barrier-busting as the how-we-understand-the-world class that is Theory of Knowledge, which is being revised by the IB to make it even more real-world ready.

George School’s long-term goal—reflected in the most recent strategic plan—is for more crossdisciplinary efforts. As part of the plan’s priority for “Informed Creativity: Excellent Teaching and Learning,” a revised curriculum will include “a significant interdisciplinary experience for all students,” made possible by a new academic program. Opportunities for greater cross-pollination are just getting started.

The Critter Chronicles

A cross-disciplinary learning project by Kate Levesque ’20 and Hana Sparks-Woodford ’20 and illustrated by Celeste Huang-Menders ’22

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused peril in the Middle East since the mid-20th century. Like the Wagahoos and Skiddybumps, the Israelis and Palestinians both believe they should have control over a very special place—Jerusalem. This difference of opinion has been the source of war for over fifty years. These two groups have continued to choose competition over cooperation, and no resolution has come of it. Knowing how to effectively resolve conflict is an important skill for every person to have, and the lessons must start in childhood. The skills that the Wagahoos and Skiddybumps learn in the story are ones that can be used to solve fights between friends or even moderate global conflict. After years of disagreement, they found a common goal and realized that sometimes to gain a little something, you must give a little something in return. Through the adventures of these little critters, the writers want to instill faith in the human capacity for cooperation and show that finding peace is possible.

Deep in the forest among the tall twisting trees, the Wagahoos sat in the grass. Nearby in the swamp lands, the Skiddybumps rested in the water.

Between the forest and the swamp, there was a lake. Here, the water was clear and the air was warm. But there was just one problem. The Wagahoos had discovered the lake years ago and believed that they deserved to keep it. “Finders keepers,” they always said. But the Skiddybumps argued that they needed the lake because the water was much cleaner than their muddy swamp.

To solve their disagreement the two groups of critters created a competition. The winner would get to use the lake. The loser would be banished forever. But the two groups always sabotaged each other, so no one ever won.

On the day of the 50th annual competition, the two groups met again at the lake for a swimming race. They were very angry at one another and yelled mean words as they prepared. When the race began the Wagahoos secretly put sap all over the Skiddybump swimmers so they were too heavy. “Not fair!” yelled a Skiddybump. The Skiddybumps used reeds from the swamp to block the swimming path of the Wagahoos.

After a long and disappointing day, the two groups returned home. “Is anyone ever going to win?” a Skiddybump asked himself on his way back to the swamp.

That night, a dark cloud loomed over the lake. The critters could hear the thunder and heavy rain as they tried to fall asleep. Unknown to the Wagahoos and the Skiddybumps they were each missing a member. One little Wagahoo and one little Skiddybump had been left behind at the lake after the failed competition. Now, they were stranded in the middle of the storm.

The terrible storm had ended when the critters gathered for breakfast the next morning. However, looking around their breakfast tables, they each realized that they were missing a little one.

Immediately the Skiddybumps ran to the lake, knowing that the Wagahoos must have done something to their friend. But, the Wagahoos were waiting for them when they got there. “Look,” screamed a Wagahoo, “the little ones are stuck in the middle of the lake.” “I blame you,” cried a Wagahoo. “No, I blame you!” cried a Skiddybump.

Suddenly, a Wagahoo raised her hand. “I have an idea,” she said. “The Skiddybumps have reeds and we have sap! Let’s make a raft and save those little ones!”

The two groups worked together to make a raft by using sap to glue the reeds together. The Wagahoos and Skiddybumps sailed to the middle of the lake. The little ones were rescued!

The Wagahoos and Skiddybumps celebrated together that night. For the first time, they came to an agreement. “We will take half of the lake and you can have the other,” said a Skiddybump. “That is a great idea,” said an excited Wagahoo.

From then on, the Wagahoos and the Skiddybumps lived in everlasting peace with one another.