There is a stereotype attached to international schools. These institutions are commonly tagged as reserved for expatriates and elite families. However, as the world progresses towards the borderless due to innovations made in technology, the curriculum offered by international schools have become a model for other institutions to follow.
To fully understand why the educational framework of international schools have become important, let us dive deep into what core curriculum most of them share and explore why you should consider enrolling your kids in international schools.
1 Holistic education at its core
International schools focus on holistic education, with the Global Montessori Program (GMP) as their guiding philosophy. The aim is to produce students who are enthusiastic about lifelong learning and socially responsible citizens of the future. They do this by allowing the students to innovate and formulate their unique and creative solutions to a problem.
2 Understanding by design
When you observe class discussions in these schools, you will not just see teachers requiring students to memorize facts, but they are asked to express what they have learned through group projects. This puts the theories and concepts they have memorized it into practice. In doing so, they will not just be able to recite their lessons but improve their level of understanding.
3 Curriculum revision to match global trends
While the core of their curriculum is anchored towards the holistic, the way it is executed gets revised to match the dynamics of the progressing world. Their unique techniques and frameworks get reviewed every two or three years to see if they can cater to the needs of each student in their campuses, as well as meet the new trends that dominate the world. The school then updates resources and trains teachers to ensure the students are better informed.
4 Engaging classrooms
The small class sizes make the classrooms more engaging and practical. Teachers will be able to focus and address the problem areas each student has. For instance, the learning curves differ from one student to another. To make sure that everyone gets to level up their academic understanding, an educator may provide an adjusted style of teaching to cater to a student’s unique learning curve.
5 Modern facilities
To make learning practical, international schools make sure that their facilities are up-to-date. They take advantage of the digital age by providing students with an extensive archive they can access online. Some international schools have also started creating their own mobile apps which parents can download to get updates on school events.
6 Student empowerment
Because students are given a platform to express their thoughts in class, international schools are effectively empowering students to play a more active role in discussions. While exam scores are still important, this is not a primary focus in international schools. Instead, they encourage self-learning, application, and synthesis. In this way, they can teach students how to think critically and independently, while building their character.
7 Extensive extracurricular programs
International schools do not just provide educational advantages to students; they also offer extracurricular programs that train students to be leaders, athletes, and social movers of society. These include equipment and coaching for sports, leadership programs for business and other organizations, art production and management, as well as outreach activities.
8 University advantage
The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme means that your children can apply to any university in the world. Other than the IB, international schools offer the Cambridge General Certificate of Secondary Education which is honored by top universities like Harvard, Oxford, and more.
9 Exposure to different cultures
It is in the nature of international schools that children will be exposed to a diverse set of cultures. This is becoming increasingly important, especially in a world where borders have become concepts, and cultures are part of each one’s unique identity. Students are taught to respect different cultural backgrounds and learn as much from them. The school aims to produce students who can look at different perspectives without judgment, and consider the differences in their experiences.
10 Nurturing happiness
Most international schools, like the Global Indian International School in Singapore for instance, include student happiness as an education measure. The happier the students are in school means that the teaching style and programs are contributing to their lifelong learning. They would ask both students and parents for feedback, other than scrutinizing participation level, attendance, and performance.
When you consider where you are going to enroll your kids in the coming school year, consider international schools. Once there, your kids will be more than ready to face academic challenges as well as grow into a person who values community.
