At Seattle Amistad School, we foster community integrity through rigorous bilingual and bicultural education, developing our students’ academic strengths and cultural sensibilities, while nurturing compassionate and engaged citizens.
Values:The whole childWe believe that children learn and grow best in an environment that respects and nurtures all aspects of their lives. From children’s cultural and linguistic contexts, to their different academic interests and strengths, to their roles as dynamic participants in their families and communities, we encourage children to grow and challenge themselves in every area. We believe that art, music, food, play, and movement are essential components of our lives and our cultures, and should not be separated from children’s education. In fact, we believe that all of these dimensions are essential for a meaningful, transformative academic experience.Bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalismWe believe that children have a right to nurture and strengthen the cultural and linguistic connections to their families and communities, and to use those strengths as the foundation for a rigorous academic experience. We believe that all children need the linguistic and cultural skills to navigate and influence the complex global society of the future, in order to bring about greater peace and justice for our communities and our world.AcademicsWe believe that real power comes from knowledge. Children need to have a solid, well-rounded academic base. Amistad School is designed to exceed the academic standards set out by the State of Washington, and to realize them in two languages. At Amistad, we are committed to 100% grade level proficiency in Spanish literacy, English literacy, math, science, and social studies.Cooperation and collective empowermentWe believe that by working together and supporting all members of our community, we are all more successful. We believe that our own well-being depends on the well-being of others around us. From our classroom work to the larger global work of social change and progress, it is critical for students to recognize the importance of collaboration, and to have the real-world skills to carry out that work.Cultural democracy/Anti-biasWe believe that every member of our school community has the right and responsibility to have an equal voice in the life of the community. Within this dialogue, students, staff, and families challenge themselves to address and reject larger societal dynamics of oppression, ethnocentrism, and marginalization. We work together toward a space where different cultural perspectives cooperate and complement each other in order to support and nurture our children.Centrality of family and communityWe believe that healthy families and communities are both the ends and means to meaningful education for students. Particularly for students of color, culture and language are fundamental aspects of personal and community identity, and rather than being sacrificed through the educational process, should rather serve as the foundation for that process.Social justiceWe believe that schools should provide students with the tools to forge their own paths in their own lives, and in that of their communities, big and small. This means a strong academic foundation, a deep connection to culture and community life, and strong cross-cultural skills to navigate the larger world. We believe that by becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural, students are uniquely equipped to become agents for change and progress in both local and global communities.At Seattle Amistad School, native Spanish speakers have the opportunity to maintain and continue their Spanish language development, in the context of their regular academic program. At the same time, children are introduced to English in a supported, relaxed way, gradually building up to full literacy in English as well. Home culture and language are utilized as the basis for solid academic and literacy development.
At Seattle Amistad School, native Spanish speakers become fully bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural, grounded in family and community, and skilled at navigating the wider world. Studies show that the instructional model used at Seattle Amistad School, two-way immersion, is the only effective model for educating new-to-English students, and for closing the academic performance gap. Research has consistently shown that native Spanish speakers in two-way programs demonstrate academic outcomes equal or superior to mainstream English-speaking students.
Native English speakers at Seattle Amistad School have a unique opportunity: access to a first-rate academic program through a second language, resulting in high academic performance and full bilingualism and biliteracy in Spanish. In a supported and structured way, English speakers receive academic instruction in Spanish first, and then build upon their skills to develop full literacy in both languages. Decades of research have shown that English speakers in two-way immersion programs, such as Seattle Amistad School, demonstrate academic performance equal to or higher than their counterparts in all-English programs.
All students at Seattle Amistad School participate in a dynamic, rigorous academic program, that includes readers’ and writers’ workshop, math, inquiry science, social studies, capoeira, health, and the arts. Additionally, teachers build lessons around childrens’ own lives, histories, and experiences, insuring that instruction is as culturally responsive as it is academically sound. Finally, all children at Seattle Amistad School prepare to become the leaders of tomorrow. Learning at Amistad incorporates a critical lens, through which children learn to examine their lives and the larger society. In becoming bilingual and bicultural, our students are prepared to be the bridges between people and communities, to work for greater justice and compassion in our world.
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