PRINCIPLES
I. We recognize and acknowledge the legitimacy and authenticity of multiple literacies, languages, and cultures, different styles of learning and variable forms of writing.
II. We base our educational architecture on a theory of literacy that identifies literacy as a fluid and interactive reading and writing process across communities that can be characterized through different stages as foundational, functional, and critical.
III. We incorporate a holistic and eclectic theory of change into our interaction with learners.
IV. We co-create equitable spaces of hope that empower learners to navigate through different discourse communities, expanding their literacies and learning processes.
V. We believe in serving our communities through an integrative, service-oriented approach, adapting to the needs of the people.
VI. We engage learners in project-based learning, building a feeling of community to foster cooperative, collaborative and creative practices.
VII. We resist standardized examination and methods of assessment, and instead place emphasis on threshold goals and critical skills identified with our learners.
VIII. We advocate for a problem-solving pedagogy that endorses simultaneous critical thought, action, and reflection (praxis).
IX. We practice our belief that it is not enough to be able to read and write, learners must use their knowledge to make change upon our communities and the world.
X. We work with our constituents and community partners to leverage organizational power to encourage and mobilize democratic participation from our learners.