Finding the right school for your child or children is no easy task. Parents need to navigate the options with lots of school choices by discerning each choice’s pros and cons. That’s true whether you are considering a private or an international school. In the Philippines, for instance, there are 36 international schools to choose from. Worldwide, over 8,000 international schools serve about 4.5 million students.
Many reasons why these students’ parents choose an international school over others. They deem this worthy of their initiative, time, money, and other resources.
1. International schools prepare students for the future
Parents need to arm their children with the right knowledge, skills, and attitudes in an increasingly globalized world. International schools prepare their students with these ends in mind. As a result, the school builds a strong foundation that their children can use in becoming global citizens, if not game-changers disrupting industries.
2. International schools prioritize individual learning
While some activities depend on the school’s curriculum, virtually all international schools understand the importance of individualized learning. Every learner has potentials waiting to be tapped, and this won’t happen with pure classroom learning. As such, the schools focus on experiential learning through hands-on activities and experiences, and reflection. Furthermore, international education is designed to correspond to the students’ interests, making learning genuinely personalized.
3. International schools nurture learners through a caring community
Did you know that a child spends six hours on school every day on average? That’s why a caring and nurturing environment cannot be emphasized enough. Such a community is as essential as the school’s curriculum offering. This is where children would feel good and appreciated while learning social responsibility and resilience. A school is also a place where they learn collaboratively and gain intercultural competence.
4. International schools offer a diverse range of after-school activities
As a part of the holistic development of the students, international schools prioritize various after-school activities such as the visual arts, music, sciences, competitive sports, eco projects, and even volunteerism. These extracurricular programs aim to promote the physical and social health of the students while also providing a structured environment where students continuously learn. Before students even graduate, they become self-actualized.
5. International schools cultivate a universal point of view
Children enrolled in international schools are better equipped with cultural knowledge as the community targets enriching diversity. This is how these schools cultivate the international spirit while gathering students together to pursue knowledge and learning collectively and collaboratively. This is contrary to mainstream schools which usually have one dominant culture in their repertoire that tends to be either dogmatic or insular in thinking.
6. International schools provide the rigor and grit needed for real-life success
Of course, parents want their kids to succeed in life wherever they go and whichever path they take. International education can guarantee this, especially with a curriculum that tests its limits. For example, International Baccalaureate (IB) is one of the most challenging curriculums, if not the most challenging among the mainstream systems. This allows the students to develop grit. As a result, international students are often more prepared to face difficult challenges later in life.
7. International education is better recognized at top universities worldwide
International education is your best bet if your child is eyeing a college degree in Princeton, Yale, Harvard, or Amherst. IB and Advanced Placement (AP) programs are well-recognized by top colleges and universities worldwide. Both IB and AP programs prepare students for the rigors of the US education system. These schools also accept course credits that save time and allow more flexibility to accommodate the stringent academic requirements of college life.
8. International education opens doors for global opportunities
Children wanting to be global citizens need to have technical proficiency and critical thinking skills that only international schools can provide. For one, there is a worldwide community of learners that your child may participate in through his international school background. These schools are equipped with all the technologies that help in student learning. For example, international schools implement 1:1 device programs and activities, including classroom and laboratory equipment. The teaching staff is also technologically competent, integrating technologies into the daily teaching and learning practices.
Bottom Line
In sum, considering an international school for parents who want to ensure that their children receive a holistic and widely-recognized education is hands down worth it. These international schools provide a nurturing environment that empowers students to become future leaders and game-changers, succeeding in life wherever they are planted. Knowing that the school will do its best to help children succeed in life is priceless!
1 thought on “8 Reasons Why An International School Is Worth It”