SJI’s curriculum is a single cross-discipline tale told by many narrators. Each seminar and studio at SJI fits together within an overarching story that is rediscovered anew in each of the four years. Each year form one chapter in this story, reflecting on the whole from the point of view of its animating question:
Each year, students take seminars and studios focused on the different major areas of knowledge. Every class develops the skills and knowledge within that discipline as it tells part of the story for that year. For example, the literature portion of the Seminar in the Humanities reads level-appropriate original works that discuss or exemplify the theme of the year, while the Seminar in Mathematics explores the foundational mathematics that contribute to or are derived from that theme. This balance across disciplines means that concepts are reinforced throughout the year by considering them from different angles and giving them a context that makes sense to students. As the years progress, students return again and again to the fundamental questions with greater depth and sophistication. Since students are never “finished” with a topic, they are less likely to forget important facts and ideas, and because core ideas are introduced early, they are able to apply them throughout all four years. For example, students learn about energy in their first year along with their study of algebra. They are then able to apply what they learned rigorously in second year astronomy and thermochemistry. Similarly, students develop an outline of history in the first year that becomes an anchor as they study important historical figures and events in greater detail over the following years.
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