So, what makes International School Community unique you ask?

There are indeed a few other review and comment-based websites currently on the internet helping out international school educators gather information about international schools around the world.  However, International School Community is trying to take it to the next level.

So, what are some ways that make International School Community unique?

– A member is able to find real people that work at the schools they are interested in.  Integrated networking!  If a member lists a school that they currently work at or have worked at in the past on their profile, their name will show up in the Members of this School section on the school profile pages.  That means you now have a real person to contact that can answer your specific questions about the school!  Those other websites don’t allow for this type of of networking.

– You can search for other international school educators based on criteria.  For example, if you want to find where the EAL teachers are in East Asia, just search it on our website.  Again, networking has just become that easier!

– You can search for the international school based on your criteria.  For example, if you want to find a school that is in Western Europe, that teaches the UK curriculum and that is in a city less that 750,000 people.  You can do just that using the search feature on our homepage!  Finding the right school for you is possible on International School Community.  We don’t know another website that currently has that kind of search power.

– International School Community is organized. Finally, now you can find the information you want, easier and faster. For example, if you want to know more information about the housing allowance, just go to the Benefits section.  If you want to more about school grounds, just look in the School section.  Other websites put all the school, benefits, city and travel info all in the same section which takes longer to find the information you are looking for.

– Our website focuses more positive and really useful information sharing.  All schools have good and bad aspects.  International School Community allows for members to leave truthful, firsthand information no matter if it is good or bad.  We have structured all of our questions to not allow for our members to rant on and on about certain aspects of the school.  The more controversial topics are put in the voting sections, where members are only allowed to vote.

These 5 things are just a few of what makes International School Community different from what’s currently out there.  And guess what?  We have plans to add more features and functions that will make being a member even more benefiticial.

Great link – 10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in a Language in 6 Months or Less

Ever felt like you are not learning enough of the host country language?  I do, everyday.  I know it is possible, because today at lunch, I saw many expats talking fluently in the host country language, effortlessly.  Do I secretly dislike them because of my jealousy towards their amazing language skills?  I think so, if I’m being honest.

I actually studied language in University.  I have a degree in a romance language!  But still, I struggle every day with my ability to learn a new language.

Also, how many of you expats have experienced this scenario?  You speak in the host language, then the other person (a native speaker of the target language) persists to respond back to you English.  Then there is the opposite.  You speak in English and the other person precedes to tell you how you should practice talking more in Chinese.  Sometimes it feels like a lose-lose situation as you try and interact with the locals.

Here is the list of 10 steps to becoming fluent on this blog by Felicia Wong.  For sure there is some great insight into the arduous attempt to become fluent.  I’ve listed the 10 steps here, but check out the rest of the blog entry for all the details under each step.

1. Immerse yourself

2. Forget translating: think like a baby!

3. How do you say?

4. Write it

5. Use cognates and draw links

6. Local TV, movies, music

7. Non-verbal cues

8. Get emotional!

9. A world of friends / then going solo

10. Practice at every opportunity before and after you travel.

A video that made me think about when I used to teach in the United States

I don’t know about you, but I used to work in the United States, teaching at public schools in high-poverty neighborhoods. The past 5 years I have been teaching at international schools around the world, working with quite well-to-do students.

One question that I sometimes ponder since my move to teach in international schools: are international school students just as needy as those in the high-poverty schools that I used to teach at in the United States?

The obvious answer is no, right? Most international school students come from quite privileged families. Most likely, they have enough food on the table and are not refugees of war. International school students are well-rounded with all their needs being met, right? The answer might be once again….no, certainly not for all of them. It seems though that they are needy in different ways. Many students at international schools might be from wealthy families, but I know a lot of them that have many issues to deal with. One big issue is that there are many times when one of the parents is gone on business trips around the world for days, sometimes weeks at a time. Another issue is that there are many instances when international school students are actually being raised mostly by a house caretaker/nanny (I know a number of families when that person is from the host country, not speaking very much English). And the list of issues that affect international school students continues…

When I was teaching in the United States, I remember talking about my teaching job as being an advocate for the civil rights and well-being of the students, as well as teaching them how to read and write. I think I must always fight for the rights of students no matter where I am teaching or who I am teaching, helping those who don’t have the voice or power yet. For example, I have found it to be very vital to know about why ‘Johnny’ might look to be really depressed and disengaged in class all the time. It might be that his dad is constantly on business trips and the mother doesn’t believe it is having an effect on ‘Johnny.’ This exact situation happened to me earlier this year at my current school. Making sure that teachers are aware of students’ home life situations and the issues that can plague international school students can become quite valuable when working with them at school.

Does anyone else have a similar teaching experience from the students they were working with in their home country to the ones they are working with now at international schools? What do you think about the ‘needs’ of international school students and how can international school teachers help to address them?

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