Global Department
"Globalization requires a new emphasis on global citizenship education. This means helping students understand and appreciate human rights and shared global challenges, thus becoming engaged citizens. To do this well, a purposeful and high-quality global citizenship curriculum is essential." (Empowering students to improve the world, Fernando M. Reimers)
The Global curriculum is designed by incorporating the Global Competence Matrix adapted from the Asia Society and World Savvy's Matrix of Global Competence. Additionally, our global curriculum is tied to the 17 goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development (UNSD)and the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI). In the Global Program, students will learn about globalization. Students will learn about global challenges and issues and be able to identify and elaborate on those issues. Students will understand, embrace, and learn to value different perspectives and obtain the capacity to collaborate effectively with people from different parts of the world. At the end of the program, students will have developed the ability to take action toward shared global challenges and be part of change! The final product of this program is a Capstone project in which students identify one global issue, research it in both local and international contexts, suggest a solution, and implement it locally.
Yearlong Courses
Global Concentration: Introduction to Global Competencies
- Prerequisite: None
[One Half-Credit] - Open to: Freshmen
In this one-semester, once per cycle seminar course, Freshmen students have the opportunity to explore the four domains of global competence including investigating the world, valuing different perspectives, communicating ideas, and acting on global issues. They will engage with these concepts via hands-on projects, interactive activities, guest speaker sessions, on-site visits and field trips. As students are introduced to familiar and new concepts in a global context, they are also guided to build connections between themselves and this increasingly interconnected world.
Global Concentration: Cohort
- Prerequisite: Application required. This class can be taken in addition to a full course load with Academic Dean approval.
[One Half-Credit] - Open to: Sophomores & Juniors
In this two-year concentration, students begin working with a cohort of classmates. The cohort design is at the heart of the Global Concentration and is what makes it unique. Students will be part of this dynamic, student-driven cohort for both years of the program. This will allow students to collaborate, developing their skills and delving into a variety of topics. The cohort is designed to be purposeful, reflective, interdisciplinary and collaborative. Multiple off- campus experiences are included in the program. Students must apply to the concentration in April of their sophomore year.
Global Concentration: Capstone
- Prerequisite: Seniors who have completed Global Concentration: Cohort. This class can be taken in addition to a full course load with Academic Dean approval.
[One-half Credit] - Open to: Seniors
In the final year of the Global Concentration, students will continue to work in their cohort and develop a deeper and expanded understanding of a variety of global topics.They devote much of their time to their individualized capstone project, working closely with a mentor to help them develop their project. Engaging with a community outside of Lake Forest Academy is a key requirement of each student’s capstone work. The Capstone Celebration, during which all students will showcase their work to the wider community, will take place in April of their senior year.