Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

9-2022

Document Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

José del Valle

Committee Members

Elizabeth Macaulay

Subject Categories

Arts and Humanities | Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Early Childhood Education | Education | First and Second Language Acquisition | Food Studies | Language and Literacy Education | Linguistics | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Reading and Language | Secondary Education | Sign Languages | South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature

Keywords

Education, Multilingualism, Humanities, Arts, Food Studies, Martial Arts, LGBTQ+, Experiential Learning

Abstract

The International Academy of Language and Culture (IALC) is a charter school based on the original concept of charter schools by Ray Budde and Albert Shanker, as an academic environment dedicated and designed to improving the educational outcomes for its students through innovative pedagogy. Committed to American (and global) education reform, the IALC incorporates elements from higher education into the early childhood and adolescent settings. We accomplish this by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach in our language and culture-based program.

The IALC is a multilingual, full-immersion program. Food Studies (including culinary arts), the Arts, the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Martial Arts are all important aspects of our interdisciplinary approach to modern education. In addition, the IALC educational philosophy is a student-centered, humanitarian pedagogy. Through local and global travel, students will experience diverse cultures, people, and environments. Students will also develop a strong sense of compassion and social justice by engaging in cultural, linguistic, and environmental initiatives.

Our interdisciplinary approach and philosophy highly values experiential learning. Martial arts, swimming, culinary arts, and the arts help students discover and identify their own interests, skills, and talents. This kind of practical knowledge makes room/holds space for indigenous and other traditional sources of knowledge in support of the effort to decolonize western academia. We recognize and whole-heartedly believe that traditional knowledge has an important and vital role to play in the development of academic programs with the highest academic rigor and a progressive, inclusive globalized perspective.

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