Transition School students take courses in English Literature & Composition, History, Biology and Precalculus. These courses are in-depth and accelerated. Students also participate in Health & Wellness and Community.
The curriculum of Transition School has been developed with several related goals in mind. First and foremost, the Robinson Center prepares TS students to be successful undergraduate students at the University of Washington. This requires not only providing a curriculum rich in content, but one that addresses the scholarly skills students will need to make the most of their University experience. The TS curriculum is not intended to replace the standard high school curriculum, nor does it bear much resemblance to Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework. The focus is to prepare TS students to be strong scholars at the University. Coursework is shaped around these key ingredients to college scholarship:
- Completion of Precalculus with a thorough understanding of mathematical principles
- Experience in a lab science, including preparation of lab reports
- Understanding of the scientific method
- Experience in the methodology of social science/humanities
- Acquisition of strong research skills
- Development of strong writing skills
- Experience reading challenging texts and providing textual analysis
- Experience working in a collegial, collaborative scholarly environment
- Experience in dynamic, seminar-style discussions
English: TS English introduces students to college-level writing and literary analysis. Fall Quarter is primarily devoted to writing skills during which students draft, revise, and complete essays. Students learn how to provide productive peer critiques, how to respond to feedback, and how to work collegially with their fellow students both in class discussion and on projects. Students learn key aspects of writing, from developing a line of inquiry to incorporating evidence usefully. A major focus is developing an awareness of writing across disciplines. During Winter and Spring quarters, students are introduced to college-level literary texts and enhance their analytic and seminar-discussion skills which culminates in a substantial research paper in Spring Quarter.
History: TS History introduces students to college-level historical narration, interpretation, and argumentation. While specific topics vary annually, students will gain a solid background in US History and civics across their year of study. Fall Quarter will explore history as an academic discipline (historiography) and the frameworks, dominant narratives, and debates that persist within this field of study. Winter Quarter will highlight the chronology of US history through case studies from different flashpoints and will emphasize intertextual analysis strategies across primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Spring Quarter will support students in developing a substantial claim-driven research project, and will conclude with an exploration of the connections between “history” and “current events.” Across the course, students will develop and deepen their skills in critical thinking, reading, writing, discussion, information literacy, research, and accessing the “conversation” within historical debates.
Precalculus: TS Precalculus presents a thorough and in-depth examination of Precalculus material and can be highly differentiated because students in TS often have extremely varied mathematical backgrounds. There are substantial writing and practice opportunities in this course, along with frequent student presentations and opportunities for collaborative work.
Health & Wellness: This course presents the skills necessary to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Instruction emphasizes strategies for emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and other adaptive skills that are essential for students’ college readiness and life-long emotional and physical well-being. The course also offers students opportunities to practice new skills to facilitate a sense of community and agency among themselves. Health and Wellness may include group fitness opportunities in which students play games or different sports activities together outside the classroom or may ask students to log personal physical activity whether it be a walk to a nearby park, biking to campus, or a weekly fitness class.
Biology: TS Biology introduces students to foundational concepts in biology, emphasizing the interconnectedness of ideas and processes across various physical and temporal scales. The curriculum is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of core biological principles, such as structure and function, information flow, evolution, and ecology. These concepts are explored through laboratory investigations, field trips, and seminars, where students design experiments, collect and analyze data, and create graphical representations. In addition to hands-on research, the course highlights the importance of scientific communication. Students engage with current primary literature, learning to critically evaluate research and effectively communicate their own findings through lab reports and oral presentations.
Tutorials: Tutorials provide students an opportunity for guided goal-setting and self-reflection. Students can discuss or to share responses during a scheduled meeting with an assigned TS Instructor. Tutorial topics may include questions on study skills, time management, physical and mental health, or other topics as needed.
Workload: The workload for TS classes is rigorous, and is designed to support the growth of skills and knowledge necessary for college readiness. Students are exposed to a variety of organizational and time management strategies to assist them in adjusting to, and completing, their work in productive ways during Fall Quarter. The adjustment to these expectations may present initial challenges and opportunities for growth. By late Fall and Winter Quarter, students have generally established the kind of work habits and organization necessary to demonstrate expected levels of learning and progress towards college-level work.
Successfully balancing the goals and workload of TS courses takes an intentional commitment of time and thought which may not be compatible with maintaining extensive extra-curricular commitments. At the same time, Transition School encourages students to participate in reasonable creative and physical outlets to practice healthy habits.
When students successfully complete TS, they enter the University prepared to be thoughtful about their courses, passionate about their subjects, and thorough in their approach to their work. They are collegial, collaborative, and engaged. They have learned how to close-read a text, analyze an essay, apply a concept, take detailed notes, meet deadlines, and tackle a research project. They can write a lab report, give an engaging presentation, and work effectively in groups. They know how to approach an instructor for help, attend review sessions, and to sit in the front of the college classroom to maximize engagement.