As a parent, one of the main concerns you have is the education your child is going to be receiving throughout his or her years of school. Each country of course has its own local schools that teach a unified curriculum, however, more people are leaning towards enrolling their children in international schools, and there are more than a couple of reasons why it is a choice you seriously need to take into consideration when deciding on your child’s education.
1- Encourages Students to Achieve Academic Excellence
International school fees are obviously pricier than local school fees. This is because you are investing in your child’s education. International schools encourage students to focus on achieving academic excellence by providing them with all the different tools necessary to be top students and successful individuals in the future. Academic excellence is the main feature that you will find in most, if not all, international schools, promoting it as one of their keys to urge students to become well-developed, successful, and ambitious citizens in the future.
2- Focuses on Personal Development
One of the most prominent features you will find in an international school is its keenness to not just provide a well-rounded education to its students, but to also ensure that they are developing into well-adjusted people who contribute to their communities and have high moral values. This is because international schools implement a system that is different from local schools. Enrolling your child in an international school will ensure that he or she has the support and guidance required to develop mentally, emotionally, and ethically. Educators at Rugby School in Thailand state that through different means, an international school strives to build up its students to become well-rounded and successful individuals. This can be observed quite clearly when noting down how many successful people attended schools that shaped them into what they are today.
3- International Schools are Recognized Globally
If you are a person who has to continuously move due to his or her career, then enrolling your child in an international school will allow him or her to continue with the same level of education no matter where they are in the world. International schools adopt systems and curricula that are recognized globally. This ensures that your child can get a complete education without having to worry about trying to catch up with a different school system.
4- Introduces Your Child to Various Languages
Since international schools adopt globally recognized standards and curricula, you will often find international schools introducing your child to more than one language. For example, some schools teach their students mainly in English, while others use French or German. This means that your child will be learning at least a language other than his native one. Of course, sometimes international schools require their students to also take a second language so your child will be able to communicate bilingually which is definitely an advantage.
5- Exposes Your Child to Diverse Cultures
Due to the above-mentioned reasons, you will find that in such schools the students come from different cultures. This allows your child to interact with different kinds of people and learn more about the world around them. Exposing your child to different cultures in this way will allow them to grow up accepting the fact that people are different and that everyone should co-exist peacefully.
6- Uses Differentiated Teaching Methods
In international schools, teachers are facilitators rather than lecturers who drone on for hours. Instead of using traditional methods that might not work for every student, teachers use differentiated teaching methods. These methods ensure that your child understands the information and is able to apply any new concepts learned in class through different activities according to his learning style. This ensures that each student can flourish as they are not forced into memorizing information or recalling, but rather understanding and applying skills that they have learned.
7- Exceptional Opportunities to Join Extra-Curricular Activities
As mentioned above, academic excellence is not the only important feature. Different opportunities are given to your child throughout their education to join activities that he or she enjoys doing. This cultivates students and allows them to explore their individual interests. Extra-curriculars may include sports, as well as different clubs that might differ slightly from one school to another.
8- Provides an Individualized Student-Focused Education
One of the best advantages of going to an international school is that the number of students per teacher is considerably less than what you will ever find at a local school. This ensures that the teacher can pay attention to each student and focus on helping them individually rather than having students slipping academically or otherwise due to a bigger ratio of students to teachers. Having a smaller number of students per class also helps keep the environment more student-centered.
These are just eight of the different advantages your child is going to experience when enrolling in an international school. Remember that the decision you are making concerning your child’s education is going to affect their future. Not only is it going to affect their career-life, but it will also have a great impact on their personal growth and development. Taking all of these factors into consideration, it is no wonder that more people worldwide are enrolling their children into international schools.
WRITTEN BY
Daria Brown