Curricular Global Learning
Our Harkness pedagogy is grounded in the belief that we are all better equipped to learn and to lead when our thoughts are tested by others, particularly by those whose thoughts or identities are different from our own.
Blues and jazz are touted as America’s original art form, yet their dark origins are often overlooked. In our weeklong program titled “Black and Blues: Jazz and the Politics of Forgetting,” we travel south through the Delta of the Mississippi River to learn about the history of these musical genres, focusing on their complicated musical past rooted in slavery and segregation. PEA has partnered with Envoys for this educational travel program. Thanksgiving break.
Using a blend of structured and unstructured activities, we delve into how immigration has shaped the city of New York and its collective culture. Students explore immigration through the lenses of past, present, and future, learning about the issues and opportunities facing immigrant communities in the city. Students build their situational awareness of this global city while also having an important opportunity to develop closer relationships with peers and adults. Thanksgiving break.
Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love,” has the highest prison incarceration rate of any large jurisdiction in the country. Students will learn how local organizations are fighting these conditions and where and how the state is failing. Students begin to understand the history and economics of private prisons, when and why mass incarceration became a business, and who profits. PEA has partnered with Envoys for this educational travel program. Thanksgiving break.
The Youth Action Project, a three-day workshop as part of the annual White Priviledge conference, investigates the impact of white privilege on society. Students will probe the multiple manifestations of white supremacy, white privilege and other forms of oppression and be encouraged to take effective, creative and urgent measures to dismantle them. The program includes leadership activities, affinity groups, individual and group reflection, youth-led dialogue, arts-based breakout sessions, and regional action planning. Early April.
Established after Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson’s inspirational assembly in 2015, Exeter’s trip to Montgomery, Alabama, provides an opportunity for our students to step into close proximity with instances of racial, judicial and economic injustice. The trip’s focus is on American history as it frames our current events and the social justice implications for our future. Attendees soak up Southern culture while exploring the history of Alabama, visiting sites associated with slave trade and the Civil Rights movement, examining the theory that slavery still exists today in the form of mass incarceration, thinking critically about the justice system, and collaborating on ways in which they can be involved in the sharing of knowledge and ideas. Thanksgiving break.
South Africa is a destination that affords our students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the history of apartheid, the truth and reconciliation process, and the natural beauty and animal habitats of the country, and to learn about and engage with South Africa’s education and community leadership systems. Students engage in cross cultural exchanges with schools and organizations that develop understanding of collective memory and identity. We visit historical and cultural sites in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and along the Wild Coast. This program is offered in partnership with Envoys, a regular travel partner for Exeter’s off-campus experiences. Spring break.