Building Critical Thinkers Through Interdisciplinary Teaching
Remember asking your high school algebra teacher, “When am I gonna need this?”
And honestly? For too many of us, that question never got a good answer. We learned subjects in separate boxes— math here, science there, and ethics… well, that barely came up at all.
But what if school actually prepared kids for the messy, connected problems they’ll face in real life? That’s the big idea behind interdisciplinary learning. It’s about breaking down the walls between class periods and showing how knowledge works together.
What is Interdisciplinary Education?
Building critical thinkers through interdisciplinary learning is the future. When a student sees how historical events shaped scientific discovery, or how mathematical models can predict social change, those “aha!” moments happen.
Some kids learn by reading. Others by doing. Some by discussing. Hands-on learning that connects disciplines reaches more students because it offers multiple paths to understanding. A teen who struggles with abstract equations might grasp the same concept when measuring the growth rate of plants in the school garden.
Students who claimed to “hate math” become completely engaged when using geometry to design an energy-efficient tiny house. The difference? They can see the purpose, touch the materials, and solve real problems.
The folks at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing put it this way:
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides a solid definition of interdisciplinary learning:
“An educational approach in which two or more disciplines collaborate in the learning process with the goal of fostering interprofessional interactions that enhance the practice of each discipline. Such interdisciplinary education is based on mutual understanding and respect for the actual and potential contributions of the disciplines.”
Benefits of Interdisciplinary Learning
Integrating Topics
Think about what happens in a traditional classroom. A student learns about photosynthesis in science, graphs in math, and perhaps environmental ethics in another class. But rarely do these concepts meet. Interdisciplinary learning bridges that gap to demonstrate how everything connects to build a deeper understanding.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking flourishes when teens approach problems from multiple angles. A question like “Should we build this dam?” becomes more than a yes/no proposition. Students learn to evaluate scientific evidence about environmental impact, calculate economic benefits and costs, and weigh ethical considerations about displacing communities or protecting ecosystems.
Collaboration
Group activities can identify students’ strengths and help them understand the importance of networking. When they see that one of their team members is good at math, they will depend on that student to help them solve the mathematical portions of their group activities. This also allows students to gain more confidence in topics that they are good at.
Real-Life Relevance
Educators will teach in a way that brings all topics together and ties them to real-life situations.
Personalized Learning
Connecting topics in this way allows students to experience a more personalized learning environment. They can have open discussions about topics, how they feel, what they think, and compare them to their own life experiences or what they already know to be true.
Interdisciplinary learning often allows students to connect with subjects they may not already be interested in. It allows students to connect topics, and this helps spark interest in what they are learning. This allows students to apply their own strengths in subjects, which will help open their minds to learning topics they are not particularly interested in and build confidence.
Engagement
Hands-on learning that connects disciplines engages students by helping them to take more ownership of their learning. They can ask questions in a nurturing environment.
When students deeply engage in the topics they are learning, they can understand the subjects in a new light. It brings relativity to topics, which allows students to ask questions when learning.
Ethical Awareness
Students are taught to look at topics from a different perspective, which invokes their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Integration of Science, Math, and Ethics
Education starts to resemble real life when we blend math, science, and ethics. Problems don’t come with labels saying “This is a science issue” or “This is an ethics question.” They’re usually both—and more.
Olney Friends School utilizes an interdisciplinary learning approach. This type of learning encompasses our values: simplicity, stewardship, and community, while encouraging students to think across boundaries and act thoughtfully.
On our 350-acre campus, students will encounter interdisciplinary education in the classroom, as well as take part in our farm-to-table program. Olney has two teams that students can become involved with: the animal crew and the vegetable crew. Students will connect book learning while in the field, caring for animals, or harvesting crops.
Olney Friends School: Example of Interdisciplinary Learning
A class project on sustainable agriculture might combine:
- Science: Understanding soil biology, ecosystems, and plant genetics
- Math: Analyzing crop yield data and calculating resource usage
- Ethics: Considering fair labor practices and environmental impact
Explore Interdisciplinary Learning and What It Offers Your Teen
With a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, Olney can offer your teen a unique approach to learning. This intimate learning experience will teach them to be critical thinkers who are ready to approach life with confidence after graduation. Schedule your campus tour today and see how our approach to interdisciplinary learning can help your teen thrive in and outside the classroom.
