Global Education

Welsh Hills School is committed to educating children about the varied cultures and peoples of our world. Each year the school selects one continent to study in depth. Our “Continent Study” is a school-wide project that encompasses all areas of the curriculum on a developmentally appropriate global level.

 

Social studies topics such as history and geography are central components, helping to expose the students to the fundamentals of the given region, ranging from geographic location and capitals to political stability and economic production. Language arts classes introduce students to representative literature of the culture; science classes offer younger students a look at the flora and fauna while older students study the climate and resources; performing arts incorporates units on music and performance that reflect the traditional culture of the region, such as capoeira dance from Brazil, African drum circles using djembes, or traditional North American square dancing; visual arts takes a similar approach, introducing students to the traditional art and crafts as well as representative artists, and weaving these projects throughout the curriculum. But even more than the factual details and the critical skills, the continent study encourages students to feel comfortable around things and people who are foreign to them, to embrace the unfamiliar, and to appreciate and respect people and societies that are fundamentally different from their own.

That, we believe, is the most important ingredient to nurturing global competence.