UPPER SCHOOL-GRADES 9-12

Integrating the Humanities

Jess bends over her free writing. This morning Mr. Weissman is playing medieval music, and the madrigal reminds her of walking through the Cloisters. She begins to write about its gardens and tapestries, stained glass windows and illuminated manuscripts.

Grade 9 students study an integrated humanities curriculum that ties together art, music, history and literature from classical times to the present. Using New York city as a classroom, faculty seize opportunities to visit relevant sites, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters, the Cathedral of st. John the Divine and more.

The humanities classes serve as an introduction to seminar-style coursework. Students complete frequent "free writing" assignments in response to a variety of literary, philosophical and artistic prompts. They enhance their research skills, and they become confident participants in lively class discussions.