About Dalton Academy
Dalton Academy was founded in 2010 as a “laboratory school” to prepare Chinese high
school students for university abroad, primarily in North America. While it is housed within
the already progressive Affiliated High School of Peking University Dalton’s purpose is to
push the boundaries of education within the setting of a Chinese public school.
At Dalton, the teaching and learning does not remain confined to the school campus;
projects and assignments extend beyond the school to the real world. Dalton students have
participated in service learning projects that work with universities, governments,
businesses, NGOs, and embassies. They have published academic articles and books. They
have patented inventions. They have founded and directed companies. At Dalton Academy,
we strive to place ourselves on the forefront of learning.
ELP Introduction
Dalton Academy’s Experiential Learning Program seeks to bridge the learning that is
happening inside Dalton's walls to the outside world. By utilizing the unique passions,
talents, and knowledge of our community members, we strive to take learning to deeper
and more meaningful depths, providing students with opportunities to demonstrate a deep
understanding of themselves and the world that surrounds us.
Breadth and Depth
Each semester, all 300 students are required to take part in at least one experiential
learning program that is local, within China or international. We value place-based
education but also recognize that our school and local community provide a vast wealth of
opportunities for students and teachers to dive deeply into topics that interest them and
are relevant to the future of our planet. Regardless of the location and topic all graduating
students will have participated in at least six experiential learning projects over the course
of their studies at Dalton Academy.
- The general components of each project are:
 Pre-course work consisting of classwork or workshops
 Project participation
 Post-project reflection and analysis
 Completion and presentation of a learning artifact
Student Voice and Choice
At the beginning of each year, students are presented with an array of projects to spanning
several areas of academic discipline involving them in the planning and implementation of
the projects to varying degrees. More than 40 options are available to students providing
them with a variety of projects that fit their research interests, personal passions or serve as
avenues to push them beyond their comfort zones. By the time a student graduates from
Dalton they will be afforded opportunities and choices that are unmatched by most
institutions across the world.
Types of Experiential Learning Opportunities:
1. Experiential Learning Courses – Dalton courses that include experiential learning
trips and projects throughout the semester
o Example:
Jordan: Students who participated in the Refugee Studies course developed
the Access Scholarship program which annually brings a student to Dalton to
receive a subsidized education and the resources to obtain a scholarship to a
university abroad.
2. Experiential Learning Projects – Local or international projects that are designed in
conjunction with faculty members and site-based partners
o Example:
Kenya: Students conducted guided field research on the habitat of white
rhinos, working with the last male white rhino who has since died.
3. Independent Experiential Learning Projects – Student initiated and designed
projects that are vetted and approved by staff members
o Example:
Sri Lanka: Students initiated and planned a course that seeks to provide
solutions to balance development and sustainability using the humanelephant conflict as a primary focus.
4. Carp Projects – Local student led, student designed projects that are led by Dalton
Senior 3 students
o Example:
How can we create healthy student-family relationships at Dalton Academy?
Students created a documentary that aimed to forge more understanding,
caring and empathetic relationships between students and family members
within and beyond the walls of Dalton Academy.