International schools believe in teaching children about a
wide range of cultures, and most actively seek a diverse student body. If you'd
like your child to be exposed to kids from all walks of life, this might be the
place. Most International schools take children starting at age 3 or 4, and
prefer that they are able to go to the bathroom on their own. Some facilities
offer limited programs for infants and young toddlers.
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| Pre School Kid |
At the preschool level, there's not a huge amount of
difference between international schools and regular ones. However, there are
some basic differences in the approaches of both; some of which I have jotted
down for the readers.
Differences between Traditional and International Education
Differences between Traditional and International Education
S.No.
|
Traditional Education
|
International Education
|
1
|
Classroom consists of students that
belong to same age group (for eg: all kindergarteners in one class , 1st
graders in another class)
|
Classroom consists of mixed age groups
(students belonging to age group 3 to 6 years are mixed together in one
class)
|
2
|
Students are expected to sit at assigned desks or tables and
expected to sit still and listen in group sessions.
|
Students choose where in the
classroom they want to work and may move around freely in the class and can
talk at their own will without disturbing others.
|
3
|
Teacher centered i.e the teacher controls the classroom and
maintains discipline.
|
Child centered i.e a carefully
prepared environment encourages students to practice self-discipline. Also,
the teacher works in collaboration with the children.
|
4
|
A certain block of time is allotted for each subject, all the
students work on the same subject at the same time.
|
Uninterrupted work cycles, students
themselves choose when and for how long to work on each activity, many
subjects are integrated.
|
5
|
Focus on the products, use tests and grades.
|
Focus on the process; do not use tests and grades.
|
6
|
Emphasis on competition.
|
Emphasis on collaboration.
|
7
|
Use worksheets, whiteboard and textbooks.
|
Use manipulative, materials that
appeal to the senses, purposeful real life experiences.
|
8
|
Standards based learning
|
Inquiry based learning
|
9
|
Based on a predefined method the teacher gives direct
instruction to the whole class at once.
|
Students independently use self
teaching material, learn from each other, teacher provides individual lessons
to each child.
|
10
|
Students are expected to be within the norms of what is
expected at their grade level.
|
Students have the opportunity to advance
academically at their own pace, without limits.
|
11
|
Based on the transfer of a national curriculum
|
Based on helping the natural development of the human being
|
12
|
Child is a passive participant in
learning
|
Child is an active participant in
learning
|
13
|
Learning
is based on subjects and is limited to what is given
|
Understanding
comes through the child’s own experiences via the materials and the promotion
of children’s ability to find things out for themselves
|
14
|
Motivation
is achieved by a system of reward and punishment
|
The
child’s individual development brings its own reward and therefore motivation
|
15
|
Child generally given specific time
limit for work
|
Child works as long as he/she
wishes on chosen project
|
16
|
Working
and learning without emphasis on the social development of the child
|
Working
and learning matched to the social development of the child
|
17
|
Main emphasis on intellectual
development
|
Shared emphasis on intellectual,
social, emotional and spiritual development
|
18
|
Main focus on academics
|
Shared focus on the acquisition of
academic, social, practical and life skills
|
Pros and Cons of both approaches:
1. Learning customs of
own country: Chances are that children who attend local schools will
also learn and understand the customs and culture of the local country much
quicker. While the children who go to international schools often find
themselves neither part of the culture of the country they are in, nor the
country they are from.
2.
Cost and Expenses : Studying in an international school costs
much higher than studying in a local school. It is not worth spending huge sum
of money when we can receive the same education in local schools at a
relatively lower cost.
3. Appreciation of own
country : Being part of a local school community will also help
you, as a parent, to become more involved in local events and issues, thereby
giving you greater insight and appreciation for the country you’re in. While the students in international
schools might face identity crisis. As they usually hear a lot about the
experiences or interesting things related to their peers’ country, that would
lead the students to admire the other cultures and depreciate their own
culture.
4. Command on language: Local schools also have the
potential to provide a platform on which children can quickly become fluent in
the local language. Although studying in an international school costs a lot and
perhaps it will lead to identity crisis, the result is worth the cost. The
benefit is not merely speaking fluently, but also acquiring the knowledge of
other countries that you cannot learn from books.