Every parent wants the best for their children, and that includes a high-quality education. It can be a big investment, but one that is worthwhile in countless ways, starting with the knowledge that your child will be learning and growing with the help of top-notch teachers and an excellent curriculum.
It can be a challenge to find just the right school, all the possible choices should be thoroughly researched and vetted so you can be sure your child is getting the very best education you can give them. While an obvious choice for families living overseas, if you can find a great institution like the International School in Bangkok in your area, you should definitely consider it! International schools are not just for expats, they are for anyone who wants their children to enjoy a multicultural, multilingual educational experience that can help propel them into the increasingly international world of business and make them at home in the emerging global society.
Let’s now examine some of the great benefits an international school education has to offer:
- Multilingual – Unlike other schools, many of the core subjects are taught in a language other than the local tongue, which is also represented, but not the sole focal point. Students are immersed in a foreign language from the moment they walk in the door and build fluency from that point on. Learning languages while young has been found to have great social and cognitive benefits that will be of use to the student throughout their life.
- Multicultural – Most international schools boast a very high percentage of teachers and students who hail from other countries, creating a real multicultural experience in which everyone learns together. This fosters a greater understanding of people who come from different languages and cultures because they aren’t strangers, they are friends and educators with whom the student builds important personal relationships. Students at international schools are able to experience different points of view and beliefs, thus broadening their own understanding of humanity on a global rather than solely local scale. This engenders students with an exceptional set of values that include acceptance, tolerance, equity, and integration that will help them in their future as a world citizen.
- Social Network – Through the course of their studies in an international school, students will naturally develop life-long relationships and friendships with peers from many different countries and cultural backgrounds that will be of great value to them as they build lasting networks throughout their adult professional and social lives. The ability to think and feel on a global scale has become increasingly important as modern transportation, business, and media increasingly transcend borders, opening the entire world up to the possibility of humanity living as one people on our pretty blue planet.
Many countries around the world have opened up their education systems to allow international schools, Thailand being one of the best known due to the large number of foreigners living and working there and providing a model that many other nations have followed. An international school education is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their child, it is a doorway that opens to the entire world.