TACOMA SCHOOL OF THE
ARTS
SERVICE
and STUDY TOURS
Mission
Statement
The SOTA service-learning
program seeks to develop the well rounded citizen, by
integrating academic study
with substantive volunteer service. The opportunities for expanded
learning in new and unfamiliar environments create
a powerful dynamic between direct cultural exposure and traditional
academic scholarship. Through the combination of
classroom theory and practical experience serving in a social
agency, SOTA students will develop a broad knowledge of the forces
that shape culture; an intimate understanding of people, customs,
and traditions; and first hand insight into the complex social
issues and realities of the society.
As a SOTA student, you are
not just an academic tourist. You are immersed in several levels of
the society, and contribute to the host culture through your
service. Interaction with the community teaches you how the culture
functions. Time in the classroom teaches you why it functions as it
does. By testing theory with practice, SOTA students find their
learning takes on greater depth and personal
meaning.
SOTA Service and Study
Tour Goals
•
To expose
students to the unique cultural differences that coincide and
collide with our own in a way that expands understanding, empathy
and collegiality
•
To provide
students with the opportunity to experience a personal encounter
with social and cultural mechanisms and traditions through applied
service.
•
To provide a
contextual understanding of the significant contributions of a
different culture through scheduled meetings before school for
several months prior to departure
•
To foster a more
informed understanding of foreign or domestic experiences through
the study of history, literature, art, language economics, news and
current events. (Students will be required to read and study
selected books during the summer and in the months prior to
departure.)
•
To strengthen
SOTA’s Service/Study curriculum by providing an experiential
opportunity for students to engage in one on one educational
exchange
•
To improve
relations with international educators in other cultures for future
opportunities in order to foster more widespread participation
opportunities for Tacoma School District
students.
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