Educational Philosophy

Our educational philosophy will be rooted in the tenets of “authentic-pedagogy”, documented in Redesigning High Schools: What Matters and What Works. ILCS will seek to incorporate the principles of powerful learning--a key component of the accelerated schools learning model1 that will provide all students with the challenging activities that have traditionally been reserved for students identified as 'gifted and talented.' It is our belief that consistent, performance-driven instruction, with full alignment to the learning standards and an academically rigorous course of study, will prepare students to meet and exceed standards, and prepare students for the intellectual demands of college.

ILCS also believes that in order for students to achieve, they must become excited about learning, and become fully engaged in class. The development of meaningful relationships with faculty is the key to high levels of student achievement. According to Professor Noguera, we often assume “that if the adults do things right, the kids will fall into line. If we were more willing to listen and solicit their opinions, we might find ways to engage students more deeply in their own education. The students may not have the answers to the problems confronting high schools, but perhaps if we engage them in discussions about how to make school less alienating and more meaningful, together we might find ways to move past superficial reforms and break the cycle of failure” (Noguera, 2004).

The notion of equity and excellence co-existing is ILCS’ moral imperative. All students will receive the same academic rigor and have equal access to ILCS’ enrichment programs. ILCS teachers will be an integral part of creating and maintaining a culture of excellence. We believe, as Corbett Burris’s research has shown, that when a school provides equal access to its best curriculum, excellence and equity thrive within the school.