International Schools are a worldwide network of more than 1,000 schools dedicated to educating the children of people who live and work abroad. The international school aims to give children a firm grounding in the language and culture of their host country and a solid foundation in their own. In short, they value breadth as well as depth.
Benefits of an international school
In an international school, each child belongs to a single, large class. They learn together, play sports together, and study together. Language is one of the core subjects, so most classes are taught in English. The main benefit of an international school is if their child is learning English. International schools teach English at a much higher standard because the curriculum is organized around English, and children are forced to speak English all the time.
Another benefit is if one move to another part of the world, an international school is likely to be a good place to find friends. If one moves to another country, their child’s class will be insulated from the local culture. They will learn to understand and speak English and learn to understand and speak English well. A final benefit: if their child gets a scholarship, the international school will cost less than a local school.
International schools, unlike local ones, have to keep parent fees to a minimum. But an international school is different from other kinds of education. When their child goes to a private school, they belong to a small, exclusive group. When their child goes to an international school, they belong to a large group.
Their child will belong to both groups in a way that is not always true of private school students. Their child will have classmates from many countries and a wide range of economic backgrounds. And their child will be part of an international school, which, like other international groups, has to work hard to be welcoming and inclusive.
Check out curriculums, teachers, and class types that fit one child
As a parent, one has to think about whether a particular school’s curriculum and teaching methods are suited to their child. They shouldn’t just focus on whether the school is accredited. To determine whether a school is a good fit for their child, one should consider more than just test scores and AP courses.
It can help to look at class size and teacher qualifications. But schools are only one of many factors one should consider, and comparing them to each other is not a good idea.
Check out international school websites. This can help a lot because one can compare each school with hundreds of others doing the same thing. To get a feel for a school, however, one needs to talk to current students. This can be tricky. Personal connections can be important. So can knowing the right people. But parents can’t check schools out like hotels.
The schools themselves don’t always tell one. For one thing, the word “curriculum” doesn’t mean much. Come to think of it, the word “curriculum” doesn’t mean much to any school. What they mean is “what we are required to teach.” And, of course, one doesn’t have to talk about curriculum. One can ask what the school is like. Or ask people in the admissions office. Or talk to teachers. At an international school, students’ families often live in or near each other, so students often socialize. But that’s not always the case. Grades are important, so students stress about them. But friendships can indeed flourish at international schools.
