Moving to another country gives us a chance to look for new environments that will provide us with new opportunities and even a different lifestyle, but if you are a parent you know for sure more factors come into consideration: finding places to spend quality time with our family and have a pleasant and fulfilling family life is just as important as finding a comfortable home.
When it comes to choosing a new school, kids coming from a different country will find a very somewhat environment and they will have to deal with a new culture, language, food, and traditions. It is up to us, as parents, to try and provide our children with the best schooling available so that our and their expectations may be fulfilled. No matter what culture you are coming from you must find a place where your children can communicate in one common language with their peers.
If we desire to find a school with great academic level, it would benefit the children to learn two common languages. We should always make sure that the teachers are native speakers, true to their way of teaching and open-minded when it comes to respecting other beliefs, as well as cultural background. Every bilingual school should provide teachers and instructors from different countries and cultures to fulfill those requirements.
Perhaps, your mother tongue is not English or Spanish. In this case, we need to be careful that the teachers are not mixing both languages whilst teaching. Bilingual does not mean just understanding or speaking the basics of a language. So, when it comes to an academic environment your children should be taught in the target language. Every child should be able to think, dream, take notes, and even do math effortlessly, in both languages.
How would you know if a school is providing such an environment? The institution needs to be backed up by an internationally recognized organization, for example, Cambridge University in the case of English learning. The students will have the opportunity to receive internationally recognized certifications in the language they are studying. They may learn at their own level and will earn certification, at a higher standard of evaluation. Parents should ask if a school offers additional languages which, in the long term will provide the child with a chance to become better oriented in society. Certifications should also be offered for these other languages.
Should you have special requirements such as religious, cultural, or familiar needs, never hesitate to ask the school for support in understanding and tolerance.
Living in a new place may make it difficult to take your children to after-school activities within other organizations. Parents should try to search for schools that provide extra-curricular activities at the school facility. Furthermore, parents need to have the comfort of being able to discuss matters with directors and teachers, in the language the parents would understand.
Last, but not least it would be significant to know if the school has a zero-tolerance policy against bullying.
Nurturing our children in another country is not only a great chance to give them advantages that will come in handy later in life, but also a challenge, so be sure that both your children and you are making the most out of this opportunity!
Article written by:
Lucero Curiel MEE
CEO at St. James Hall School
Web: www.stjameshallschool.com.mx
Facebook: St. James Hall School
