To help CA students think more deeply about the tools of their 21st century lives, the Ninth Grade Global Perspectives course incorporates special units that explore the world through different types of narratives, including everything from computer programming, to poetry and visual presentations. Students learn these in specially scheduled classes called “superblocks.” The curricular goal of this part of the
Global Perspectives course is for students to experience the world through both technological and human lenses and then learn about the various tools that can help them effectively and creatively articulate their ideas.
CA technology polymath Kim Jans teaches students computer programming with robots and arduino boards; Slam Poetry champion Ken Arkind teaches the art of the spoken word, and CA’s digital image master Jesse Myers shares with students the elements of electronic storytelling.
“While this type of learning may be difficult to measure using scientific metrics, its value and relevance in students’ lives was clearly evident in class,” says teacher Paul Kim. “Technology empowers us and brings with it many conveniences while our humanity anchors us to what is most meaningful in our lives.”