Global Education
Berkeley Carroll’s mission statement ends with a commitment to prepare students for “a life of critical, ethical and global thinking.” The interconnectedness of the modern world, the explosive growth of technology and its impact on how we communicate, as well as the profound challenges the world now faces, call for an education that pushes beyond the boundaries of traditional subjects.
A 21st century education -- the kind that fosters critical, ethical and global thinking -- means building interdisciplinary connections throughout our programs, incorporating technology to take full advantage of its possibilities for cross-cultural connection, and deeper understanding and new forms of expression, and offering academic travel programs that amplify the interdisciplinary curriculum.
Global Education at Berkeley Carroll begins in the Lower School with several initiatives including our Spanish program, which reflects our belief that a global citizen should be proficient in at least one language other than English and our iPad initiative, which starts in third grade.
Our Middle School’s fully interdisciplinary Humanities program encourages students in grades 5-8 to draw upon history, literature, philosophy, geography and anthropology to better understand the world. Project Brooklyn and Beyond is a two-day program in June for which Middle School faculty lead small teams of students on such explorations as a study of New York City bridges, experiences with urban fishing and urban farms, and an introduction to the history and culture of the local Haitian community.
In the Upper School, our English and history electives offer opportunities to spend an entire semester exploring topics like Nigerian postcolonial literature, Caribbean history, Modern India, and the political writer in exile. Students may choose from Mandarin, Spanish, French and Latin, and the World Languages Department runs annual language immersion programs in Cap d’Ail, France and Granada, Spain. Our Global Academic Travel programs, open to students in grades 10-12, are rooted in the academic curriculum and focus on local solutions to global issues and leadership.