Found this article written by Denise Sinclair (School Development and Improvement Manager of Tenby Schools) in the Expat Education Guide 2012/2013.
‘That’ day has finally arrived and you are sending your child off to their new school. It is a day of trepidation, nervous excitement and relief.
Over the last few months, not only have you moved countries, shipped your belongings, made a home and started a new job, you have also spent a great deal of time looking for a school for your child. You have toured many schools; have been introduced to a variety of teaching programmes and spoken to numerous administrators. You have considered the importance of homework, uniforms (an important issue for those who have teenagers), the catering provision, the fees, the examination results and the travelling distance from your new home. You have spoken to new acquaintances and read as much as you possibly can on the
numerous schools in your area, and you have finally made your decision because the school offers an ‘international education’. But have you ever thought about what ‘international’ actually means?
Having ‘international’ in the school name does not necessarily mean that a school is international. Over the last few years there have been many new schools opening up across the world which all claim to offer an international experience and yet when you look at them closely, they fall short of that real international experience.
The word ‘international’ has become a marketing tool, a way of drawing in potential clients in a very fluid market place. At the same time, events we watch through our ever expanding networks, depict a worldfraught with misunderstanding and we look towards our present and future leaders to act with sympathy and understanding. It is in this world arena that education has such an important role to play in preparing young people for a future which will require them to make the right decisions.
At Tenby School’s, our vision “A United World at Peace-Through Education” is one which drives us forward as we review our school programmes, our teachers and our students. It is a vision which in my opinion, should be at the heart of international education across the world.
Teaching and learning are of course, what a school is about and within our community we welcome children from a wide range of countries and backgrounds into a rich learning environment. We have students who enrol in our national schools, successfully following the Malaysian curriculum, coming together with our
students from the international sections to share in a wide range of activities. Our teachers, many who teach the prestigious CIE IGCSE and ‘A’ level programmes, also come from far and wide, all with one intention to give our children the opportunity to achieve their full potential within an atmosphere of trust and
compassion. But succeeding within the academic programme is only one aspect of the Tenby experience. We also encourage and support excellence and achievement in the arts and on the sports field. Only a few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be in the audience when 450 students from our founding school in Ipoh put on a fantastic day of drama. No boundaries, no arguments, just students from across the world and across all ages, celebrating and sharing their considerable talent with peers and parents, a day which will live long in their memories and in mine.
An international school is one which looks outwards; it welcomes diversity and goes out of its way to bring the world into the school. This could be through such events as international days, world literature days, cultural awareness activities and school trips and visits or through the constructing of a teaching programme which not only brings in the rich local culture of the host country but also introduces concepts from other countries and cultures including languages and a love of international literature. It is a school which encourages discussion and through discussion develops in the young people an understanding of others. It is a school which does not avoid the difficult issues, instead it welcomes differences and through excellent
teaching develops independence, confidence and a belief that learning about our world and about others never stops.
As international teachers, we look forward to the new school year, there are new challenges to face, new children to meet, we have exciting lessons planned and are looking forward to meeting and working alongside new parents. It is a time of optimism and confidence. If you have selected an international school for your child, enjoy this time with them. A student, who attends a school with ‘international’ at its heart, is one who has been given an opportunity to become a true citizen of this world we share with millions of others.
Next time you watch young children play, watch carefully, there are no language barriers or barriers due to colour, class or religion. Yet they play peacefully, sharing their experiences with their friends without reservation. Maybe we should be the ones learning from them, they are our future and our real ambassadors of all that is good in international education.
