Capstone Study Abroad

“Seeing the museum in Hiroshima helped me understand Japan’s history.”

“At the boarding school we had to speak Chinese– it wasn’t like being in a hotel where people want to speak English to you.”

“One of my favorites was seeing how people lived in Incan times.”

“The most valuable parts of my TIS experience were the teachers and the Capstone Trip.”

Click to read the blogs: Japan – October 09, Mexico – March 09, China – March 09, Japan – October 08

Families with an upcoming Capstone traveler, click here for the Capstone Handbook & forms

In their final year of studies at The International School, fifth graders travel as a group to a country of their adopted language to experience life in another culture. The trip abroad serves as the ultimate capstone to a TIS education, enabling students to validate their language proficiency and cultural understanding through real world experience. At the same time, the Capstone Study Abroad Program helps fifth graders cultivate their growing confidence and independence as they prepare for middle school. The trip is included in the cost of tuition and all program-related expenses are funded by The International School.

Capstone trips are made up of two segments. Students spend approximately one week attending a sister school in the visited country, living with host families or in dormitories with local students. Their TIS teacher attends school with them, and parent chaperones remain close by to encourage confident independence. For the other segment, the TIS students tour cultural and historic highlights of the country with classmates, teacher, and parent chaperones. Previous Capstone trips have journeyed to destinations such as The Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza, Hiroshima Peace Park, Machu Picchu, the Yangtze River, and the Tsukiji Fish Market. Students return to the United States with increased self-confidence and a deeper understanding of their adopted language and culture.

ACADEMIC BENEFITS – The Capstone Study Abroad Program is an integral part of the fifth grade curriculum – a travel program designed specifically to complement and enrich the TIS education. Each class spends months preparing for their Capstone trip with lessons on the region’s geography, culture, history, economy, government and traditions. While abroad, students truly understand the advantages their language abilities bring – as they discuss, order meals, get directions, make friends and really feel comfortable in an environment where English is not understood. Upon returning, students reflect on their Capstone experience through post-study projects and presentations.

SOCIAL BENEFITS -Capstone is a transformational personal experience for many students. While it is clearly a test of language knowledge and cultural understanding, it is also an experience in personal adaptability. While abroad, students learn to manage everything from different customs and foods to being away from home and making new friends. Parents report that their children come back standing taller and more independent. As our fifth graders prepare to enter middle school, their Capstone experience gives them even more confidence to thrive in new surroundings.

CULTURAL BENEFITS - Throughout their years at TIS, students experience different cultures mainly through their teachers and through school activities and resources. On the Capstone trip, students are completely immersed in their target culture, living in what they have studied for so long. This experience goes to the heart of The International School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) mission: to help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding. With their TIS education and Capstone Study Abroad, our ten- and eleven-year-old fifth graders already understand so much of what it means to be a world citizen.

Capstone Handbook and forms for Capstone travelers