Combining Rigor and Curiosity Advanced Courses Walker’s advanced courses stir genuine excitement about learning, create real-world connections and allow for the exploration of ideas. Our master faculty design a robust offering of advanced courses that stretch students to become reflective, analytical thinkers who are motivated to direct their own learning. By designing our own advanced curriculum, we can offer a wider variety of subject areas without the confines of a culminating standardized test. Students are prepared to take AP exams if they so choose. Advanced courses are offered across all disciplines. Here is a sample: · ADVANCED ENGLISH: LITERATURE AND MEDICINE Students examine the role and image of doctors, illness and healing in literature. The class reads works by and about doctors, and also examines poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction, television and film. · ADVANCED ECONOMICS Students explore the basic principles of macro and microeconomics using American and international current events. · ADVANCED CHEMISTRY The equivalent of a college-level introductory course, this class emphasizes the advanced topics of equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics. · ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY This social science elective encourages students to think critically, synthesize current research and develop a deep understanding of the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Signature Courses Walker’s offers unique courses that combine direct action and experimentation with the opportunity to design real-world solutions and gain hands-on experience. · TROPICAL ECOLOGY Students learn about the unique and fragile ecosystems of the tropics, paying close attention to the incredible biodiversity, current events and conservation efforts. · VISITING WRITER SEMINAR Students are immersed in the study of a contemporary writer, who then visits to provide writing workshops and master classes. At the end of each semester, students collaborate on a final project in which they publish a class anthology of original work, inspired by the work of the visiting writer. Recent visiting writers include Naomi Shihab Nye, Anne Fadiman and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. · INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES Students study social systems of inequality and investigate the structural, interpersonal and social dimensions of oppression. · EQUINE SCIENCE This intense biology class encompasses the anatomy and physiology of all the systems of the horse, nutrition, toxicology, parasitology, health management, neonatology, epidemiology and sports medicine. · HONORS BIOCHEMISTRY Students join other high school and college students from around the world to crowd-source the development of new antibiotics through a series of studentdriven experiments. This course is part of an innovative program at Yale University.