SOTA/SAMI
SERVICE
and STUDY TOURS
Mission
Statement
The
SOTA/SAMI 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/SAMI 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/SAMI 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/SAMI students find their learning takes on greater
depth and personal meaning.
SOTA/SAMI 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/SAMI 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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